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Age preferences for same- and opposite-sex partners
1Department of Psychology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA.
The Journal of Social Psychology
|April 1, 1995
Summary
Men, regardless of sexual orientation, often prefer younger partners. Women, however, tend to seek partners close to their own age or older, a trend observed in heterosexual and homosexual individuals.
Area of Science:
- Evolutionary psychology
- Human sexuality studies
- Social psychology
Background:
- Understanding mate selection preferences is crucial for evolutionary and social psychology.
- Previous research indicates gendered patterns in heterosexual partner age preferences.
- Limited data exists on homosexual individuals' age preferences in partner selection.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate and compare the age preferences of heterosexual and homosexual men and women.
- To analyze differences in age preferences between genders and sexual orientations.
- To contribute empirical data to the study of human mating strategies.
Main Methods:
- Analysis of personal advertisements from U.S. newspapers.
- Quantitative assessment of the age difference between advertisers and preferred partners.
- Categorization of participants by gender and sexual orientation (heterosexual, homosexual).
Main Results:
- Heterosexual men predominantly preferred younger female partners.
- Heterosexual women showed a preference for partners near their own age or older.
- Homosexual men and women exhibited similar patterns to heterosexuals, with a notable tendency for homosexual individuals to prefer younger partners.
Conclusions:
- Age preferences in partner selection show consistent gender differences across sexual orientations.
- Homosexual mating preferences mirror some heterosexual patterns, with nuances in age disparities.
- Findings support evolutionary and social explanations for mate selection criteria in humans.