How Sexually Dimorphic Are Human Mate Preferences?. (August 2015)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Conroy-Beam, Daniel; Buss, David M.; Pham, Michael N.; Shackelford, Todd K.
• Is Part Of: Personality & social psychology bulletin. Volume 41:Number 8(2015:Aug.)
• Page Start: 1082
• Page End: 1093
• Publication Date: 2015-08
• Subjects: mate selection -- sex differences -- multivariate analysis -- cross-cultural analysis; Personality -- Periodicals; Social psychology -- Periodicals; 302
• DOI: 10.1177/0146167215590987
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0146-1672

Abstract

Previous studies on sex-differentiated mate preferences have focused on univariate analyses. However, because mate selection is inherently multidimensional, a multivariate analysis more appropriately measures sex differences in mate preferences. We used the Mahalanobis distance ( D ) and logistic regression to investigate sex differences in mate preferences with data secured from participants residing in 37 cultures ( n = 10, 153). Sex differences are large in multivariate terms, yielding an overall D = 2.41, corresponding to overlap between the sexes of just 22.8%. Moreover, knowledge of mate preferences alone affords correct classification of sex with 92.2% accuracy. Finally, pattern-wise sex differences are negatively correlated with gender equality across cultures but are nonetheless cross-culturally robust. Discussion focuses on implications in evaluating the importance and magnitude of sex differences in mate preferences.