Mate preferences do predict attraction and choices in the early stages of mate selection.

Abstract

Although mate preference research has firmly established that men value physical attractiveness more than women do and women value social status more than men do, recent speed-dating studies have indicated mixed evidence (at best) for whether people's sex-differentiated mate preferences predict actual mate choices. According to an evolutionary, mate preference priority model (Li, Bailey, Kenrick, & Linsenmeier, 2002; Li & Kenrick, 2006; Li, Valentine, & Patel, 2011), the sexes are largely similar in what they ideally like, but for long-term mates, they should differ on what they most want to avoid in early selection contexts. Following this model, we conducted experiments using online messaging and modified speed-dating platforms. Results indicate that when a mating pool includes people at the low end of social status and physical attractiveness, mate choice criteria are sex-differentiated: Men, more than women, chose mates based on physical attractiveness, whereas women, more than men, chose mates based on social status. In addition, individuals who more greatly valued social status or physical attractiveness on paper valued these traits more in their actual choices. In particular, mate choices were sex-differentiated when considering long-term relationships but not short-term ones, where both sexes shunned partners with low physical attractiveness. The findings validate a large body of mate preferences research and an evolutionary perspective on mating, and they have implications for research using speed-dating and other interactive contexts.

How gender role stereotypes affect attraction in an online dating scenario

“…The reason for this is that it depends on the predicted length of the future relationship with the potential partner. For short-term relationships, men and women care equally about physical attractiveness; whereas, for long-term relationships, it seems that women then care more about the man's social status (Li et al, 2013). Similarly, the importance of adhering to traditional gender role norms could be affected by expectations for the length of the relationships, as noted above.…”

“…However, Luo and Zhang (2009) point out that in face-to-face dating situations, men and women do not differ in how physical attractiveness affects their choices. Others have concluded that men generally choose partners based on physical attractiveness, and women choose partners primarily based on social status, but only when considering a long term relationship (Li, Yong, Tov, Sng, Fletcher, Valentine & Balliet, 2013). When looking for short-term relationships, physical attractiveness is found to be most important for both sexes (Li et al, 2013).…”

Initial Evidence that Individuals Form New Relationships with Partners that More Closely Match their Ideal Preferences

“…Additionally, Eastwick, Finkel, and Eagly [10] found, in a laboratory setting, that participants were more attracted to a study confederate when his/her written profile was created to more closely match their own ideal partner preferences, but this link disappeared following an actual interaction between participants and the confederate. Eastwick and Finkel [9] have therefore suggested that individuals lack introspective awareness of what influences their actual mate choices (but see [21] and [14] for data suggesting that similarity between individuals' preferences and the qualities of interaction partners do predict actual choices using similar "get acquainted" paradigms).…”

Media internalization and conformity to traditional masculine norms in relation to body image concerns among men

“…In this study, the masculine norm Playboy, which endorses sexual activities with casual partners (Parent & Moradi, 2010) was only related to DL. This aspect of body image may be perceived to be more physically attractive and advantageous when competing for short-term relationships (Lanzieri & Cook, 2013;Li et al, 2013).…”