Men, women differ over picking mate

Press, 18 March 1989, Page 18

Men, women differ over picking mate

NZPA-AP Ann Arbor, Michigan Men and women aren’t just different, they also have different attitudes about what makes a good mate, says a researcher who quizzed both sexes in dozens of cultures worldwide. While both sexes value kindness and intelligence, the five-year study suggests sexual differences in mate selection are virtually universal and probably rooted In man’s evolution. “Men worldwide place greater value on mates who are young and physically attractive,” a researcher, Mr David Buss, said. “Women prefer mates who are somewhat older, have good financial prospects and are ambitious and industrious,” said Mr Buss, a University of Michigan psychology professor who directed the International Mate Selection Project. Fifty scientists studied more than 10,000 people of both sexes from 37 cultures in 33 countries to rate the desirability of 31 characteristics in a mate. The study is in the March issue of “Behavioural and Brain Sciences.” The two basic differences emerged in nearly every culture, from Australians with Western lifestyles to the Zulus of rural South Africa, Mr Buss said. But the research also showed both sexes value kindness and intelligence more than income or physical appearance. “When I first found these sex differences in samples within the United States, people were sceptical that they would be found across cultures,” he said. “I was sceptical as well. But after the data from 37 cultures were analysed statistically, I was surprised at how pervasive the sex differences were.” Earlier animal studies have confirmed the theory that females prefer mates who bear greater gifts, hold better territories or display higher rank. Cross-cultural similarities in choosing a mate may result from patterns set by our ancestors, including a woman’s traditional dependence on a man for food, shelter and protection, Mr Buss said.