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Generalization in mate-choice copying in humans

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Listed:
  • Robert I. Bowers
  • Skyler S. Place
  • Peter M. Todd
  • Lars Penke
  • Jens B. Asendorpf

Abstract

There is much evidence that humans, as other species, are affected by social information when making mate-choice decisions. Witnessing a rival show interest in a member of the opposite sex tends to lead human observers of both sexes to thereafter rate that person as more appealing as a potential mate. However, how this occurs is not well understood. We investigate whether this effect is specific to the individual witnessed or will generalize to other potential mates with shared characteristics—that is, whether humans exhibit trait-based or just individual-based mate-choice copying. We found that whereas this kind of generalization did occur with some traits, it appeared to depend on age, and conspicuously, it did not occur with (inner) facial traits. We discuss possible explanations for the age specificity and cue specificity in terms of informational benefits and how people attend to unfamiliar faces.

Suggested Citation

  • Robert I. Bowers & Skyler S. Place & Peter M. Todd & Lars Penke & Jens B. Asendorpf, 2012. "Generalization in mate-choice copying in humans," Behavioral Ecology, International Society for Behavioral Ecology, vol. 23(1), pages 112-124.
    • Handle: RePEc:oup:beheco:v:23:y:2012:i:1:p:112-124.
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    File URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1093/beheco/arr164
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Isabelle Coolen & Ashley J.W. Ward & Paul J.B. Hart & Kevin N. Laland, 2005. "Foraging nine-spined sticklebacks prefer to rely on public information over simpler social cues," Behavioral Ecology, International Society for Behavioral Ecology, vol. 16(5), pages 865-870, September.
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    Cited by:

    1. Sushil Bikhchandani & David Hirshleifer & Omer Tamuz & Ivo Welch, 2024. "Information Cascades and Social Learning," Journal of Economic Literature, American Economic Association, vol. 62(3), pages 1040-1093, September.
    2. Nina Kniel & Clarissa Dürler & Ines Hecht & Veronika Heinbach & Lilia Zimmermann & Klaudia Witte, 2015. "Novel mate preference through mate-choice copying in zebra finches: sexes differ," Behavioral Ecology, International Society for Behavioral Ecology, vol. 26(2), pages 647-655.
    3. Sabine Nöbel & Etienne Danchin & Guillaume Isabel, 2018. "Mate-copying for a costly variant in Drosophila melanogaster females," Behavioral Ecology, International Society for Behavioral Ecology, vol. 29(5), pages 1150-1156.

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