Psychology What women and men take into account when choosing partners

Women seek specifically - men are late picky

By the age of 40, women are more picky than men when looking for a partner on the internet. But after that, the sheet apparently turns. In the Ü40 group, it's suddenly the men who take a closer look. This is the result of an Australian study that examined human behavior in online dating.

Queensland University of Technology scientists studied the Australian online dating behavior of 41,000 subjects. They took into account a large age range between eighteen and eighty years. The researchers found that the mate choice criteria change throughout life, both in women and in men. The results of the study were recently published in the journal "Psychological Science".

The level of education is, according to an Australian study, an important criterion when searching for a partner on the Internet. Women under forty attach great importance to this. From the age of forty, the tide turns and the man is paying more attention to the formation of the partner. (Image: detailblick-foto / fotolia.com)

Women under forty are much more picky

According to the findings, women under forty were much more picky than men in their online search for a potential partner. This was particularly evident in terms of education. They often sought partners with at least the same or a higher level of education than themselves.

Men over forty are much pickier

If the study results are to be believed, increased demands are placed on the degree of education of males only at the age of forty. For women over the age of 40, this entitlement declined.

So far largest study of this kind

The researchers report that this is the largest behavioral economic analysis of Australian online dating behavior so far. The study analyzed 219,013 contacts from 41,936 members of an online dating site.

Lively snapshot of human mating behavior

"This is an impressive way to look at human mating behavior because it allowed a very vivid snapshot of such a large and diverse age group in a standard mate choice situation," says one of the lead authors, Dr. Stephen Whyte, in a press release on the study results.

Interesting similarities and differences

"Our study gives some interesting results regarding the similarities and differences between the preferences of men and women," said Whyte. Behavioral researchers have shown that women under the age of 40 are more picky than men and then turn the tide.

Women consistently had higher minimum requirements

According to Dr. Whyte's analysis shows that both men and women in their most fertile years, between the ages of eighteen and thirty, value the level of education of their potential partners. After that, the level of education is becoming less important. However, the analysis also showed that women consistently had higher minimum educational attainment levels than their counterparts.

Social status and intelligence are in demand

"Evolution favors women who are choosy about their partners," explains Whyte. In many cultures it can now be proven that women use education as a quality feature. This is often associated with social status and intelligence. These attributes are very popular with women in the choice of a partner, said the behavioral scientist.

Changes in the course of life

Previous research on the topic provided similar results. "Our data now provide an overview of the changes in preferences over the course of life because of the wide age range", summed up Whyte. (Vb)