Chinese and UK participants’ preferences for physical attractiveness and social status in potential mates

Zhang, L., Wang, H., Lee, A. J., DeBruine, L. M. and Jones, B. C. (2019) Chinese and UK participants’ preferences for physical attractiveness and social status in potential mates. Royal Society Open Science, 6(11), 181243. (doi: 10.1098/rsos.181243) (PMID:31827812) (PMCID:PMC6894565)

[img]
Preview
Text
202018.pdf - Published Version
Available under License Creative Commons Attribution.

560kB

Abstract

Men are hypothesized to show stronger preferences for physical attractiveness in potential mates than women are, particularly when assessing the attractiveness of potential mates for short-term relationships. By contrast, women are thought to show stronger preferences for social status in potential mates than men are, particularly when assessing the attractiveness of potential mates for long-term relationships. These mate-preference sex differences are often claimed to be ‘universal' (i.e. stable across cultures). Consequently, we used an established ‘budget-allocation' task to investigate Chinese and UK participants' preferences for physical attractiveness and social status in potential mates. Confirmatory analyses replicated these sex differences in both samples, consistent with the suggestion that they occur in diverse cultures. However, confirmatory analyses also showed that Chinese women had stronger preferences for social status than UK women did, suggesting cultural differences in the magnitude of mate-preference sex differences can also occur.

Item Type:Articles
Status:Published
Refereed:Yes
Glasgow Author(s) Enlighten ID:Wang, Dr Hongyi and DeBruine, Professor Lisa and Zhang, Lingshan and Jones, Professor Benedict
Authors: Zhang, L., Wang, H., Lee, A. J., DeBruine, L. M., and Jones, B. C.
College/School:College of Medical Veterinary and Life Sciences > School of Psychology & Neuroscience
Journal Name:Royal Society Open Science
Publisher:The Royal Society
ISSN:2054-5703
ISSN (Online):2054-5703
Published Online:20 November 2019
Copyright Holders:Copyright © 2019 The Authors
First Published:First published in Royal Society Open Science 6(11):181243
Publisher Policy:Reproduced under a Creative Commons License
Related URLs:

University Staff: Request a correction | Enlighten Editors: Update this record

Project CodeAward NoProject NamePrincipal InvestigatorFunder's NameFunder RefLead Dept
172112KINSHIP: How do humans recognise kin?Lisa DebruineEuropean Research Council (ERC)647910NP - Centre for Cognitive Neuroimaging (CCNi)