The validity and structure of mating intelligence

Abstract

Abstract. Mating Intelligence (MI) is a hypothesized constellation of mental adaptations that generate adaptive strategies in human mating (Geher & Miller, 2008). Although past research has theoretically explored and empirically evaluated the construct, using a MI scale that was borne of the ideas from Geher and Miller's work, this study seeks further understanding of this construct by demonstrating incremental validity. Two studies, each with large samples, demonstrate that MI predicts important outcomes beyond traditional conceptions of personality and intelligence. Exploratory factor analyses revealed that the factor structure suggested in previous work was generally congruent with predictions. Further, MI accounted for a significant portion of variance in mating success after controlling for age, the five-factor model of personality and general intelligence.

Psychometric Evaluation of the Mating Intelligence Scale in Iran

“…Also, the reliability coefficients for all factors and the total questionnaire in both samples (except self-deception subscale in the female sample) were higher than 0.70, which indicates the appropriate reliability. The results are in line with studies that examine the validity and reliability of this scale (Geher et al, 2016;O'Brien et al, 2010).…”

“…Psychometric characteristics of this scale are well-documented in some earlier studies. Geher et al (2016) confirmed the validity of this scale using exploratory factor analysis (EFA) in a sample of 1,200 men and women. They reported the reliability for men and women versions, 0.76 and 0.55, respectively.…”

“…The scale consisted of 24 questions and five subscales. We excluded four items in both scales that capture mating success and analyzed 20 items following the Geher et al (2016) study. The cross-sex mind reading subscale has items such as "I am pretty good at knowing if a woman is attracted to Me" and "Honestly, I don't think I understand men at all!"…”

“…According to the strategic pluralism theory, human mating value directly affects his or her short-term and long-term mating strategies (Gangestad & Simpson, 2000;Geher, Kaufman, Garcia, Kaufman, & Dawson, 2016;Schmitt, 2015). The value of a man's mating is largely determined by his position and prestige, which depends on a combination of factors including intelligence, sense of humor, social popularity, long-term ambition, and interpersonal domination.…”

“…However, in women, mate value depends more on physical characteristics, such as attractiveness and youthfulness (Schmitt, 2015). These factors and attributes can be formulated as Mating Intelligence or the "system of mind's reproductive," which facilitates the formation of a reproductive strategy by a complex set of mating strategies (Geher et al, 2016).…”