ABSTRACT
Mating is a central issue in evolutionary behavioural sciences, because it has a direct impact on individual fitness. Here we summarise current knowledge on human mate choice and highlight commonalities with other species and features specific to humans. First, we introduce the concept of mate preferences and review the main ones. Then we provide an overview of individual variation in mate preferences, such as sex, mate value, and culture, and touch upon individual development of mate preferences, including learning processes and inheritance of preferences. We present the most prominent mate choice models, such as Threshold, Euclidean, and Additive models and offer a review of evidence of assortative mating, including the mechanisms of assortment. Finally, we discuss the involvement of parents in human mate choice. The chapter ends with a brief summary, pointing out some of the gaps in current knowledge and suggestions for future research.
