Part 4/16:
Sex-differentiated preferences: Women generally prioritize earning capacity, social status, ambition, and traits signaling long-term resource stability. Men emphasize physical attractiveness, which correlates with health and fertility. Interestingly, women often prefer slightly older men, aligning with the idea that age signals experience and resource stability.
Cultural variability: Certain attributes are more or less desirable depending on cultural context—indications of youth, social standing, or specific traits like risk-taking.
From an evolutionary standpoint, women's higher reproductive costs—internal fertilization, pregnancy, and child-rearing—make wise mate selection more critical, especially since poor choices carry heavier consequences for women.