There have been changes overtime on the attributes that individuals desire when choosing a mate. (Goodwin, 1990)found out that males reported the most important attributes were attractiveness, personality, honesty, kindness, patience, loyalty and someone who would love them back. Women seem to place a higher value on how they are being treated, and how well he will take care of them versus their appearance. The results for the women were personality, honesty, friendship, kindness, communicative, respectful, loyalty and humor.
From the study, evolutionary considerations appear to be the least important of the qualities desired in a sexual partner. Even though attempts are being made to close the gap between stereotypical gender roles i.e. through education, the reasons women are attracted to men and men are attracted to women, still, have an underlying similarity to the past. ConclusionSex differences in mate preferences and behavior during the initial contact are much larger and differ strikingly than previously known.
During the first contact, gender differences in behavior and perception of attraction are pointed out: 1. Females appear to be aware of their own subtle nonverbal cues and males appear to believe that their overt approach is the real initiation. Thus, both genders think that they themselves are more often the initiators of contact-seeking behavior. 2. Males indicate using more direct, verbal tactics when intending to initiate romantic contact, while females report using more indirect, nonverbal behavior.Before in evolutionary psychology, men preferred mates who possessed traits signaling their reproductive value, that included traits such as youth and beauty whereas women preferred men who possessed traits that signal their potential for resource acquisition, those are men who are able and willing to provide resources.
With changes overtime, these preferences in mate selection have reduced in priority, because people are emphasizing more on how the other potential partner would treat them.
