Sex differences in mate preferences for athletic prowess

Abstract

While athletic ability and success in sports is a valued trait in society, little is known about how athletic ability affects mate choice decisions. Research on mate preferences for athletic prowess is limited and conflicting regarding possible sex differences. The present study utilized a mate-screening paradigm to test for possible sex differences in mate-choice decisions regarding a potential mate's athletic ability by substituting the cue of "athletic" for sex-specific necessity traits ("social level" for females and "physical attractiveness" for men). When "physical attractiveness" was not an available cue, males inquired about a potential mate's athletic ability significantly more often than females. However level of athleticism did not influence males mate selection choices. Contrary to expectations, females did not focus on athleticism when the cue for social level was unavailable.