The Probe Of Processing Mode In Mate Selection: Evidence From University Students

There are three parts in this paper: Researches of mate decision are reviewed inthe first part. Some researchers focused on mate choice by the way of evolutionarypsychology and cognition; meanwhile，others analyzed it from the perspective ofsociety psychology. As the special one in the field of decision, mate selection isinteresting, difficult, uncertainly and multi-attributes problem. The informationprocessing mode for each individual plays an important role in the choice. With thedevelopment of decision-making, we can explore the processing mechanism of matechoice for human-beings by means of research approach in general decision.Method: The second part contains two experiments.Take the case of university students in Nanchang. Using the E-prime tech in thecomputer, the first experiment consists of two sections. The first section used singlefactor within-subject design to investigate the influence of task [morecandidates(6)/fewer candidates(3)] in the choice.The second section is combined with the experiencing of imposed rule (Rao li-lin,Li shu,2009), try to explain the processing system of mate selection with theelimination by aspects. The computational theory of mate choice theory （Marr，1982）(integrated model) and the elimination by aspects（Tversky，1972）(heuristicmodel) were selected as two candidates of imposed rule. The choice of experiment1is based on subjects’ own rule (self-rule condition).Then in this section, the89subjects were asked to make risky choices according to the two imposed rules(imposed rule condition), the computational theory of mate choice theory and theelimination by aspects, respectively. In the self-rule condition, participants rated theiremotions after making choices according to their own rule. In the imposed rulecondition, participants rated their emotions and acceptances of the two imposed rulesafter making choice according to the imposed rules. The order of the two imposedrules was counterbalanced across participants.We used the chi square test to compare the decisions made under the self-rulecondition and the imposed rule condition, and repeated measured ANOVAs to test thedifferences on reaction time, emotion and acceptance ratings among the self-rule and the imposed rule conditions.The second experiment was asked to administer questionnaires to167students.The questionnaire consisted of two sections. In section one, the mate-preferencesurvey, questions had to be answered regarding the importance of8attributes whenchoosing a long-term and short-term partner separately. The attributes were financialresources (e.g. expected income and family finance), physical attractiveness,responsibility, moral, development prospect, educational background, temperamentand health. Respondents rated each attribute by using a six-point scale (1not at allimportant and6extremely important). In section two, the self-perception survey,participants rated themselves as long-term partners for the same8attributes on ananalogous six-point scale (1low and6high).Results:(1) The main effort of the numbers of candidates is not significant; the RT ofthe self-rule is greater than RT of the imposed rule conditions (p<0.05).(2) There isno difference between satisfaction when making choices according to subjects’ ownrules and the elimination by aspects. So was the degree of acceptance. TheParticipants reported higher satisfaction and acceptance ratings when making choicesaccording to the elimination by aspects than to the computational theory.(3)These results provide support for the likes-attract and potentials-attract hypothesis.(4)The mating preference of long-term and short-term strategies is different.Conclusion: Mate choice used a heuristic searching process based on boundedrationality when time is urgent, and then the elimination by aspects rule is more likelyto be consistent with decision makers’ true rule than a computational theory.Individuals appeared to translate self-perception on one trait into a comparableselectivity of mate preference for the same trait.In the end，the whole study is reviewed and the practical values are pointed out.Then the deficiency in this study and the expectation in the future are put forward.