One prominent view of mate selection, based in evolutionary psychology, is that we are genetically wired to choose partners who will give us the best opportunity to propagate and pass on our genes. In this view, males tend to seek women who show signs of good fertility, to maximize the chances of healthy offspring.

How do people find their mate?

Only one in twenty people aged 20 to 29 met their partner at a bar or elsewhere by chance. Over a fifth of 25- to 34-year-olds met their partner online – 13% through dating apps and 9% websites such as OKCupid or Guardian Soulmates. Dating websites are most popular with people who are slightly older.

Which gender is responsible for selecting a partner?

Thus a female must be selective when choosing a mate because the quality of her offspring depends on it. Males must fight, in the form of intra-sexual competition, for the opportunity to mate because not all males will be chosen by females.

What makes a woman choose a man?

In humans, when choosing a mate of the opposite sex, females place high preference for a mate that is physically attractive. This ties in with the idea that women discriminate between men on hypothesized fitness cues. The more physically attractive a man is, the higher his fitness, and the better his genes will be.