1. SCHOOL OF ARCHITECTURE, BUILDING AND DESIGN
FOUNDATION IN NATURAL AND BUILT ENVIRONMENT
Choosing a mate
SOCIAL PSYCHOLOGY – PSY0103
Group members: 1) Nicholas Yap
- 0314058
2) Melvin Lim
- 0315772
3) Teo Chong Yih
- 0314660
4) Mak Mun Choon - 0314928
5) Lily Then
- 0313973

2. Introduction
Selecting a mate is a purpose in our lives. Every human will to
choose a mate as their future wife or husband. Mate selecting is
an evolutionary process in which selection of a mate depends
on attractiveness of its traits. Humans are in a small minority in the
important way for over 95 percent of other mammals, family
arrangements involving male care of offspring are non-existent.
Across human societies, though, men and women bond
together in marriage.
Not all human mating occurs within such bonds; within and
across societies, polygamous arrangements are relatively
common. In considering how and why people choose
mates, therefore, two points are significant, there are variations
as well as universalities across cultures, and distinction between
selection of mates for short-term relationships versus long-term
relationships.

3. Introduction
The discussion below begins with research and theories focused
on immediate psychological triggers of mate choice, and
moves through progressively like relationship exchange, cultural
and historical factors, and evolutionary history. Like the single
frames, scenes, and overall plot of a movie, are
complementary, and all are required to see the "big picture" of
mate selection.
In conclusion, there are different between male and female in
selecting a mate therefore in this assignment research will show
the different and the compare between male and female in
the choice of their selecting a mate.

4. Method
Participants
• Participants that were involved in this survey were mostly the
teenagers, majorities were Taylor’s University’s students and
minorities were from other places.
• There were 100 participants participated in this survey.
Materials
• Computer, printer and papers for the questionnaires.

5. J
Method
J
J
Choose a topic:
Selecting a mate
Form a hypothesis:
J
Translate data into
graphs.
J
Produced a
research report.
Quantitative or
Qualitative: Decided
to use Quantitative
research
J
Collected 100
forms, analyze data
and evaluate.
Do a survey around
campus and other
places by giving out
questionnaires.

6. Results
Figure 1 shows that the top three factors
that participants think is important when
selecting a mate. The list below shows
what the symbols’ represent.
90
80
Mode of figure 1: A (84)
70
60
50
40
30
20
10
0
A
B
C
D
E
F
G
H
A: Kindness
B: Intelligent
C: Physical Appearance
D: Highly Educated
E: Healthy
F: Wealthy
G: Religious Orientation
H: Family Background
Through the figure above, researchers found out that there are 84 responses
for factor A (Kindness). It was the highest amount of responses among all
other factors. The second highest response was factor B (Intelligent) and the
amount of response was 56. The factor that receives the lowest response
was factor F (Wealthy) as in the amount of only 10 responses.

7. Results
60
Acceptable Age difference
50
Mode of figure 2: 1 to 5
(57)
40
30
20
Figure 2 shows that what
range of the age
difference is acceptable
for the participants when
choosing a mate.
10
0
1 to 5
6 to 10 11 to 15 16 to 20 21 to 25 26 to 30 Non of
Above
Through the figure above, researchers found out that most of the
participants accept the age difference range of 1 to 5. There were 57
participants that chosen the 1 to 5 range of the acceptable age
difference. There were 0 participants that were able to accept 11 to
15 range of the acceptable age difference. So it was the lowest
amount of people in the figure above.

8. Results
Distance Relationship
60%
50%
Figure 3 shows that the
amount of participants that
can accept long distance
relationship.
40%
30%
20%
10%
0%
Yes
No
Through the figure above, researchers found out that there were
57% of participants were able to accept long distance relationship.
However, there were 43% of participants who were not able to
accept long distance relationship

9. Results
Different Races
60%
50%
Figure 4 shows that
would participants
consider dating
someone from a
different race than
participants
themselves.
40%
30%
20%
10%
0%
Agree
Disagree
Through the figure above, researchers found out that there were 56%
of participants would consider dating someone from a different race
when selecting a mate. However, there were also 44% of
participants wouldn’t consider dating someone from a different race
when selecting a mate.

10. Results
Bad Family Background
80
70
60
Figure 5 shows that
could participants
accept bad family
history background
such as drug addiction
50
40
30
20
10
0
Yes
No
Through the figure above, researchers found out that there were
27% of participants could accept bad family history background
when selecting a mate. However, there were 74% of participants
could not accept bad family history background when selecting
a mate.

11. Results
If agree, will you do?
Online Dating
90
14
80
12
70
10
60
50
8
40
6
30
4
20
2
10
0
0
Agree
Disagree
Figure 6 shows participants’ thought that
will online dating works. dating works use
this method when selecting a mate.
Yes
No
Figure 7 was related with figure 6, it shows
that will the participants who agree online
Through figure 6, researchers found out that there were 21 participants think that
online dating works when selecting a mate. However, there were 79 participants who
disagrees that online dating works when selecting a mate.
According to figure 7, among the 21 participants think that online dating works when
selecting a mate, there were only 9 participants will use this method and there were
12 participants will not use this method.

12. Results
If agree, will you do?
Speed Dating
90
14
80
12
70
10
60
50
8
40
6
30
4
20
10
2
0
0
Agree
Disagree
Figure 8 shows participants’ thought that
will speed dating works. Dating works use
this method when selecting a mate.
Yes
No
Figure 9 was related with figure 8, it shows
that will the participants who agree speed
Through figure 8, researchers found out that there were 23 participants think that
speed dating works when selecting a mate. However, there were 77 participants
who disagrees that speed dating works when selecting a mate.
According to figure 9, among the 23 participants think that speed dating works
when selecting a mate, there were only 10 participants will use this method and
there were 13 participants will not use this method.

13. Results
Blind Dating
If agree, will you do?
80
15.5
70
15
60
14.5
50
14
40
13.5
30
13
20
10
12.5
0
12
Agree
Disagree
Figure 10 shows participants’ thought that
will blind dating works. Dating works use this
method when selecting a mate.
Yes
No
Figure 10 was related with figure 11, it
shows that will the participants who agree
blind.
Through figure 10, researchers found out that there were 28 participants think that
blind dating works when selecting a mate. However, there were 72 participants
who disagrees that blind dating works when selecting a mate.
According to figure 11, among the 28 participants think that blind dating works
when selecting a mate, there were only 13 participants will use this method and
there were 15 participants will not use this method.

14. Conclusion
Most people prefer their mate which is kind, intelligence and good physical
appearance instead of just rich and good-looking.

15. Characteristics are important which can provide information on the
ability and willingness of the man to be loyal towards the wife and children.
Buss (1989) found that women rated prospective husband who was
kind, understanding and intelligent more than a prospective husband who was
none of these but only had the potential to become culturally successful.

16. Women and men prefer sexually attractive partners, but this
preference is consistently found to be more important a necessity and not a
luxury for men than for women (Buss, 1989; Feingold, 1990; Hatfield &
Sprecher, 1995; Li et al., 2002; Oda 2001). From evolutionary
perspective, men’s ratings of women’s attractiveness are related to the
women’s fertility.

17. References
1)
Feingold, A. (1992). Gender differences in mate selection preferences: A test of the parental
investment model. Psychological Bulletin, 112, 125-139.
2）Buss, D. M. (1989). Sex differences in human mate preferences: Evolutionary hypothesis tested in
37 cultures. Behavioral and Brain Sciences, 12, 1-49
3）Gangestad, S. W, & Simpson, J. A. (2000). The evolution of human mating: Trade-offs and
strategic pluralism. Behavioral and Brain Sciences, 23, 573-644
4）Gangestad, S. W., & Buss, D. M. (1993). Pathogen prevalence and human mate preferences.
Ethology and Sociobiology, 14, 89-96.
5）Gangestad, S. W. (1993). Sexual selection and physical attractiveness. Human Nature, 4, 205235.
6）Mehta, V (2013). A recent study lends insight into age differences in romantic relationships
[website]. Retrieved from http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/head-games/201308/when-itcomes-dating-do-age-differences-matter
7）Cosmides, L; Tooby J (13 January 1997). "Evolutionary Psychology: A Primer". Center for
Evolutionary Psychology. Retrieved 2008-02-16.
8）David C. G, Jacob. V & Jennifer B.C (2003). Evolution of Human Mate Choice. Personal and
behavioral attribution, 31, 23-67.
9）Larry A. N. Selecting a Mate [website]. Retrieved from http://www.drnadig.com/selecting.htm