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Strangers influence dating preferences
INDIANAPOLIS, (UPI) -- Birds do it, fish do it and humans do it too -- mate choice copying -- in which one copies the mate selections of others, U.S. researchers said.
"We might think that searching for mates is a process best done individually, that we can best gather the appropriate information by ourselves," lead author Skyler Place of Indiana University and Peter M. Todd, a professor at the same university, said in a statement. "But humans, like many other animals, also pay attention to the preferences of others, to make for a more efficient search process. Who others like might also be a good choice for ourselves."
The study involved 40 men and 40 women, who each watched video of eight speed-dating interactions -- "mini dates" lasing about 3 minutes.
The participants were to predict whether they thought the dates were successful. Then they were asked if they wanted to become romantically involved with the speed daters.
The study, published the journal Evolution and Human Behavior, found the men's interest in speed daters generally increased after watching the videos but increased more if their male peer speed dater in the video appeared to be interested in the women -- if the men were considered as attractive or more attractive than the speed dater.
However, the female study participants' interest in the speed dating increased if their peers in the video appeared interested. Their interest waned if the speed dating women appeared uninterested.
INDIANAPOLIS, (UPI) -- Birds do it, fish do it and humans do it too -- mate choice copying -- in which one copies the mate selections of others, U.S. researchers said.
"We might think that searching for mates is a process best done individually, that we can best gather the appropriate information by ourselves," lead author Skyler Place of Indiana University and Peter M. Todd, a professor at the same university, said in a statement. "But humans, like many other animals, also pay attention to the preferences of others, to make for a more efficient search process. Who others like might also be a good choice for ourselves."
The study involved 40 men and 40 women, who each watched video of eight speed-dating interactions -- "mini dates" lasing about 3 minutes.
The participants were to predict whether they thought the dates were successful. Then they were asked if they wanted to become romantically involved with the speed daters.
The study, published the journal Evolution and Human Behavior, found the men's interest in speed daters generally increased after watching the videos but increased more if their male peer speed dater in the video appeared to be interested in the women -- if the men were considered as attractive or more attractive than the speed dater.
However, the female study participants' interest in the speed dating increased if their peers in the video appeared interested. Their interest waned if the speed dating women appeared uninterested.
