Two Simple and Effective Simulations on Mate Selection

Abstract

All teachers of functional family life courses are concerned about increasing their students' awareness of social processes operating in dating and mate selection. Those processes involving conscious decisions of the individual are easily taught. However, there are other processes which are not a matter of conscious choice, that are less easily grasped and retained. These include such things as the formation of the pool of eligibles and competition in dating and mate selection. At the risk of being somewhat trite, it appears that those topics which are perceived by students as being more relevant to their lives tend to stimulate more student interest and classroom discussion. In the traditional lecture type class, students receive information in a passive fashion. Their activity primarily results in notetaking, much as stenographers, with minimal active thinking