Positive and negative preferences in human mate selection

Nicolas Gérard Vaillant () and François-Charles Wolff
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Nicolas Gérard Vaillant: ETHICS EA 7446 - Experience ; Technology & Human Interactions ; Care & Society : - ICL - Institut Catholique de Lille - UCL - Université catholique de Lille, LEM - Lille - Economie et Management - Université de Lille, Sciences et Technologies - CNRS - Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique

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Abstract: This paper focuses on preferences for specific characteristics in a potential partner using data from 1993 to 1999 provided by a French marriage bureau. We perform an econometric analysis of the various traits either sought or rejected in a potential partner, respectively by men and women. Our results are consistent with investment in marriage. On the one hand, men tend to reject vulgar and unfaithful women, meaning that they are likely to suffer serious fitness costs from infidelity. On the other hand, women dread meeting potential partners who are alcoholic, selfish or violent.

Keywords: Human mate selection; Marriage bureau; Gender differences (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2011-06
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (8)

Published in Review of Economics of the Household, 2011, 9 (2), pp.273-291. ⟨10.1007/s11150-010-9089-y⟩

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Journal Article: Positive and negative preferences in human mate selection (2011)
Working Paper: Positive and negative preferences in human mate selection (2010)
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:hal:journl:hal-02514417

DOI: 10.1007/s11150-010-9089-y

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