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Giving Guys Get the Girls: Men Appear More Desirable to the Opposite Sex When Displaying Costly Donations to the Homeless

Author

Listed:
  • Wendy Iredale

    (School of Psychology and Life Sciences, Canterbury Christ Church University, Canterbury CT1 1QU, UK)

  • Keli Jenner

    (School of Psychology and Life Sciences, Canterbury Christ Church University, Canterbury CT1 1QU, UK)

  • Mark Van Vugt

    (Evolutionary Psychology, Work and Organizational Psychology, VU University Amsterdam, 1105 1081 Amsterdam, The Netherlands)

  • Tammy Dempster

    (School of Psychology and Life Sciences, Canterbury Christ Church University, Canterbury CT1 1QU, UK)

Abstract

One of the evolutionary adaptive benefits of altruism may be that it acts as an honest (reliable) signal of men’s mate quality. In this study, 285 female participants were shown one of three video scenarios in which a male target took £30 out of a cash machine (ATM) and gave either a lot (£30), a little (£1), or nothing to a homeless man. The participants rated the male target on his attractiveness, their short- and long-term mate preferences towards him, and the degree to which they thought he was likely to possess various parenting qualities. The results showed that, regardless of whether the man was described as rich or poor, participants rated him as being more attractive when he donated money, but only when the donation was costly (£30). In addition, altruism was shown to be important in long-term, but not short-term mate choice, and displays of altruism were associated with positive parenting qualities. It is argued that displays of altruism act as a reliable (honest) mate signal for a potential long-term parental partner.

Suggested Citation

  • Wendy Iredale & Keli Jenner & Mark Van Vugt & Tammy Dempster, 2020. "Giving Guys Get the Girls: Men Appear More Desirable to the Opposite Sex When Displaying Costly Donations to the Homeless," Social Sciences, MDPI, vol. 9(8), pages 1-15, August.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jscscx:v:9:y:2020:i:8:p:141-:d:397590
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. I. S. Penton-Voak & D. I. Perrett & D. L. Castles & T. Kobayashi & D. M. Burt & L. K. Murray & R. Minamisawa, 1999. "Menstrual cycle alters face preference," Nature, Nature, vol. 399(6738), pages 741-742, June.
    2. Arnaud Tognetti & Claire Berticat & Michel Raymond & Charlotte Faurie, 2012. "Sexual Selection of Human Cooperative Behaviour: An Experimental Study in Rural Senegal," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 7(9), pages 1-9, September.
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    Cited by:

    1. Terence C. Burnham & Jay Phelan, 2023. "Ordinaries 13: apparent spite & apparent altruism," Journal of Bioeconomics, Springer, vol. 25(3), pages 147-180, December.

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