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Parent-Offspring Conflict over Mate Choice: An Experimental Investigation Using a Chinese Marriage Market

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  • Jeanne Bovet
  • Eva Raiber
  • Weiwei Ren
  • Charlotte Wang
  • Paul Seabright

Abstract

Both parents and offspring have evolved mating preferences that enable them to select 10 mates and in-laws to maximize their inclusive fitness. Although such preferences may substantially overlap, the theory of parent-offspring conflict predicts that preferences for potential mates may differ between parents and their offspring, especially with respect to the importance of investment potential and the biological quality of a mate. Indeed, individuals are expected to value biological quality more in their mates than in their in-laws, and to value investment potential more in their in-laws than in their mates. We tested this hypothesis in China using a naturalistic ?marriage market? where parents actively search for marital partners for their offspring. Parents gather at a public park in order to advertise the characteristics of their adult children, looking for a potential son or daughter-in-law. To experimentally investigate parent-offspring conflict in mating preferences, we presented 832 parents and young adults from the city of Kunming (Yunnan, China) with hypothetical mating candidates varying in their levels of income (as a proxy for investment potential) and physical attractiveness (as a proxy for biological quality). Consistent with parent-offspring conflict theory, we found a significant difference between preferences of young women and parents, with the former evaluating physical attractiveness as more important than parents. We also found a strong effect of the sex of the mating candidate on preferences, as physical attractiveness was deemed more valuable in a female potential mate or in-law, thus underlining the specific role of female physical appearance in the evolution of mate choice.

Suggested Citation

  • Jeanne Bovet & Eva Raiber & Weiwei Ren & Charlotte Wang & Paul Seabright, 2018. "Parent-Offspring Conflict over Mate Choice: An Experimental Investigation Using a Chinese Marriage Market," Working Papers 2018-005, Department of Research, Ipag Business School.
    • Handle: RePEc:ipg:wpaper:2018-005
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    1. Gu Baochang & Wang Feng & Guo Zhigang & Zhang Erli, 2007. "China's Local and National Fertility Policies at the End of the Twentieth Century," Population and Development Review, The Population Council, Inc., vol. 33(1), pages 129-148, March.
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    Cited by:

    1. Eva Raiber & Weiwei Ren & Jeanne Bovet & Paul Seabright & Charlotte Wang, 2023. "What Do Parents Want? Parental Spousal Preferences in China," Economic Development and Cultural Change, University of Chicago Press, vol. 71(3), pages 903-939.
    2. Lucie Giorgi & Eva Raiber, 2025. "For Better or for Babies: Fertility Constraints and Marriage in China," Working Papers hal-05273466, HAL.

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