In-Law Preferences: Do Fathers and Mothers Agree on What They Want in a Daughter-in-Law and in a Son-in-Law?

Menelaos Apostolou

doi:10.1007/s40806-016-0051-y

In-Law Preferences: Do Fathers and Mothers Agree on What They Want in a Daughter-in-Law and in a Son-in-Law?

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Abstract

Parents across societies and across time have been exercising considerable influence over their children’s mate choices. Parents desire specific traits in a prospective spouse for their children; however, the contribution of those traits to the parents’ fitness is contingent upon whether they are found in a daughter- or a son-in-law. Furthermore, certain traits can potentially make a different fitness contribution to mothers and fathers. On this basis, by using a comprehensive instrument of in-law preferences and a within-family design, the present study tests the hypotheses that (a) in-law preferences are contingent upon the sex of the in-law and (b) in-law preferences are contingent upon the sex of the parent. Evidence from a sample of 541 families finds support for both hypotheses.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	189-198
Number of pages	10
Journal	Evolutionary Psychological Science
Volume	2
Issue number	3
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1007/s40806-016-0051-y
Publication status	Published - Sept 2016

Keywords

In-law preferences
Mate choice
Parental choice
Sex difference in in-law preferences

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10.1007/s40806-016-0051-y

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title = "In-Law Preferences: Do Fathers and Mothers Agree on What They Want in a Daughter-in-Law and in a Son-in-Law?",

abstract = "Parents across societies and across time have been exercising considerable influence over their children{\textquoteright}s mate choices. Parents desire specific traits in a prospective spouse for their children; however, the contribution of those traits to the parents{\textquoteright} fitness is contingent upon whether they are found in a daughter- or a son-in-law. Furthermore, certain traits can potentially make a different fitness contribution to mothers and fathers. On this basis, by using a comprehensive instrument of in-law preferences and a within-family design, the present study tests the hypotheses that (a) in-law preferences are contingent upon the sex of the in-law and (b) in-law preferences are contingent upon the sex of the parent. Evidence from a sample of 541 families finds support for both hypotheses.",

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In-Law Preferences: Do Fathers and Mothers Agree on What They Want in a Daughter-in-Law and in a Son-in-Law?

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