How universal are human mate choices? Size does not matter when Hadza foragers are choosing a mate

Abstract

It has been argued that size matters on the human mate market: both stated preferences and mate choices have been found to be non-random with respect to height and weight. But how universal are these patterns? Most of the literature on human mating patterns is based on post-industrial societies. Much less is known about mating behaviour in more traditional societies. Here we investigate mate choice by analysing whether there is any evidence for non-random mating with respect to size and strength in a forager community, the Hadza of Tanzania. We test whether couples assort for height, weight, body mass index (BMI), per cent fat and grip strength. We test whether there is a male-taller norm. Finally, we test for an association between anthropometric variables and number of marriages. Our results show no evidence for assortative mating for height, weight, BMI or per cent fat; no evidence for a male-taller norm and no evidence that number of marriages is associated with our size variables. Hadza couples may assort positively for grip strength, but grip strength does not affect the number of marriages. Overall we conclude that, in contrast to post-industrial societies, mating appears to be random with respect to size in the Hadza.

Body Height Preferences and Actual Dimorphism in Stature between Partners in Two Non-Western Societies (Hadza and Tsimane')

“…We did observe that preferred height differences were associated with (perceived) actual partner height differences in both men and women, suggesting that those who preferred a larger SDS also were in a relationship with a relatively large SDS. Interestingly, in a previous study conducted in the Hadza, Sear and Marlowe (2009) reported no evidence of a male-taller norm in this tribe, but they have been collecting their data since 1995, so there might have been some cultural changes with this regard during the last 20 years.…”

“…They number approximately 1,000-1,500 individuals and live in mobile camps, each comprising 30 people on average. This society has been extensively described in the literature (see Marlowe, 2010;Sear and Marlowe, 2009;Butovskaya, 2013). Women typically marry between 17 and 18 years of age, and men marry around the age of 20.…”

“…The observed differences with respect to partner height preferences and mating patterns between Western and non-Western populations, and the variation between nonWestern populations (e.g., Sear and Marlowe, 2009), raises the question as to why these between-population differences exist. Before such a question can potentially be answered (see discussion for potential reasons), it is necessary to first document height preferences and mating patterns from many different non-Western populations.…”

“…Female choice seems to be the main factor leading to marriage because young single men appear willing to marry a wide range of women. Because divorce is common, serial monogamy is the best way to characterize the mating system (Sear and Marlowe, 2009;Butovskaya et al, 2012;Butovskaya, 2013). Although approximately 4% of men have two wives, polygynous marriages in Hadza are in most cases a transitory state.…”

“…The evidence is, however, much more mixed when examining non-Western samples. In Gambia and among the Hadza, in approximately 10% of all marriages the wife was taller than the husband, which was not significantly different from chance, suggesting that height played less of a role in partner choice in these populations (Sear, 2006;Sear, Allal, and Mace, 2004;Sear and Marlowe, 2009). Thus, as was the case for the SDS preferences, patterns of actual SDS in married opposite-sex partners seen in Western populations are not necessarily observed in non-Western societies and cannot be regarded as universal (e.g., Sear and Marlowe, 2009).…”