Mating strategies and self-presentation in online personal advertisement photographs.

Abstract

According to Buss and Schmitt's (1993) sexual strategies theory, mating strategies depend upon one's sex and whether they desire a short-term or long-term relationship. Men typically expend less reproductive effort than women and need only to ensure that they locate fertile mates, regardless of relationship type. Women tend to expend relatively more effort and seek long-term partners who are willing to provide resources, or they may choose mates with high genetic quality for a short-term relationship. Thus, the traits that men and women exhibit to prospective mates should be sex-specific. Our goal was to determine whether the photographs that accompany online personal advertisements reflect an awareness of sex-specific mating strategies, such that the sexes advertise distinct traits to potential mates. After conducting a pilot study, we collected 300 photographs from the online dating service Lavalife and examined them with respect to relationship type. We found women consistently advertise their reproductive fitness regardless of sought relationship type, directly supporting sexual strategies theory. However, men's photographs only provide indirect support for this theory, and there was minimal difference in men's portrayal of characteristics across relationship type.