Menstrual cycle changes in mate preferences for cues associated with genetic quality: the moderating role of mate value

Abstract

The purpose of the study was to explore the influence of mate value and fertility status on women's implicit and explicit preferences for male traits associated with genetic quality. It was hypothesized that a woman low in mate value would experience greater fluctuation across her menstrual cycle in her preferences for characteristics associated with genetic quality than a woman high in mate value. Specifically, a low mate value woman during the non-fertile part of the cycle would experience a reduction in a desire for traits associated with health and reproductive success. To test the hypothesis, the college age female participants completed two measures of mate value and a self-report measure designed to gauge fertility status. Then the participants performed an Implicit Associations Test (IAT) designed to measure implicit associations with a male trait related to genetic quality and a questionnaire designed to measure their explicit responses to the same trait. As predicted, mate value moderated the relationship between fertility status and implicit preferences.

Figure 1.

The relationship of fertility and positive associations with muscular arms at low mate-value (Mate Value Inventory 1 SD below mean) and high mate value (Mate Value Inventory 1 SD above mean). Larger D-Scores indicate more preference for muscularity.

Figure 2.

The association of fertility status and positive associations with muscular arms at low mate-value (Self-Perceived Mate Scale one SD below the mean) and high mate value (SPMS one SD above the mean). Larger D-Scores indicate more implicit preference for muscularity.