Mate value and mate preferences: An investigation into decisions made with and without constraints

Abstract

Studies have long investigated similarities and differences in men’s and women’s mate preferences. This study sought to expand on previous research by investigating whether mate value moderated participants’ design of mates. Using both a budgeted and a non-budgeted mate design task, we investigated the effect of mate value on the design of a mate. We found that mate value consistently predicted the design of a mate in an unbudgeted task, whereas we found more mixed results in the budgeted task. Ultimately, it appears that participants with a higher level of mate value are more demanding in their design of a mate.