Author(s)

Adrian Furnham^1,2*, Alastair McClelland³

¹Research Department of Clinical, Educational and Health Psychology, University College London, London, UK.
²Norwegian Business School (BI), Olso, Norway.
³Research Department of Experimental Psychology, University College London, London, UK.

This study aimed to use a budget allocation model to examine mate preference. 303 female respondents with a mean age of 21.75 years were asked about their preferences for someone to take on a blind date. They were presented with descriptions of 16 hypothetical men which they were asked to rate for personal choice and suitability. The hypothetical men differed on age (18 - 20 years vs. 30 - 33 years), social class (I/II vs. III/IV), ethnicity (Caucasian vs. Asian) and height (short/average from 5’6” to 5’8” and tall 6’1” to 6’3”). Overall females preferred younger, taller males from their own racial group and with a higher social class. Women showed a strong preference for men their own age, ethnicity and especially height.

Age, Ethnicity, Social Class, Mate Choice

Furnham, A. & McClelland, A. (2015). What Women Want in a Man: The Role of Age, Social Class, Ethnicity, and Height. Psychology, 6, 278-290. doi: 10.4236/psych.2015.63028.