Sex Differences in Mate Preferences Across 45 Countries: A Large-Scale Replication.
Level 4 - case-series / case-control
Cross-sectional multi-country observational survey
PubMed 32196435 · doi:10.1177/0956797620904154
What was done
Authors conducted a cross-sectional replication study across 45 countries with 14,399 participants to test evolutionary psychological and biosocial role perspectives on mate preferences. The study assessed sex differences in preferences for attractiveness, partner age, and financial prospects, evaluating whether pathogen prevalence or gender equality predicted variations across countries.
What was found
Universal sex differences in mate preferences replicated: men preferred younger and attractive mates more than women did, and women preferred older mates with financial prospects more than men did. Cross-culturally, higher gender equality was associated with both sexes preferring mates closer to their own ages. Pathogen prevalence and gender equality did not robustly predict other sex differences or preferences across countries. No numerical values or effect sizes were reported in the abstract.
Why it matters
This study updates decades-old cross-cultural data with a modern multi-country sample, confirming that classic sex differences in mate preferences remain robust globally while clarifying that gender equality correlates primarily with age-gap preferences.
Limits
The abstract reports no numerical statistics, effect sizes, or confidence intervals. The cross-sectional design relies on self-reported preferences rather than actual mating behavior, and specific country-level sampling methods are not detailed in the abstract.