The Effect of External Influences on Mate Selection Necessity Traits: Cross-Cultural Comparisons of Chinese and American Men and Women

In the current study we conducted hierarchical regression analyses to examine the extent to which influences from parents, peers, and the media explained participants’ perceptions of their possible mates’ criteria and their own criteria for age, attractiveness, social status, and wealth in choosing a spouse. Participants included 333 Chinese individuals and 339 Americans. We found that the three external influences accounted for a significant amount of the variation in the perceptions of and the criteria for the four mate selection necessity traits. In particular, media influence was the most significant and consistent external influence predictor. We discussed the cultural and gender differences observed in this study and how our findings might fit into the existing mate selection literature.