This paper is a study of the drives that affect mate selection in human beings. Biology determines certain universal preferences that all individuals share when they seek a marriage partner. Preferences for other traits are dictated by the individual's cultural background and gender; gender differences are dictated primarily by biological forces as well, while cultural preferences vary as a result of local attitudes and traditions. While marriage customs vary widely among cultures, many of the essential reasons driving the impetus to create pair-bonds remain constant. Marriage, whatever its specific cultural form, exists across all cultures because it fulfills the basic human drive to perpetuate the species. However it may be manifested, pair-bonding in some form remains the best way to assure the continuation of humanity.
The primary biological drive that results in marriage is the urge to establish a stable pair-bond relationship in order to give birth to and raise offspring. Mate choices spring from the drive to find the best possible choice, based on this drive. Marriage may, of course, result from other biological urges, principally the needs for companionship or economic stability. However, mate selection is primarily driven (often unconsciously) by the procreative force. As David M. Buss writes, "Every person is alive because of a successful mating. People who failed to mate in the past are not our ancestors" (11).
The specific characteristics that define a suitable mate vary somewhat because of cultural and gender differences. Some universal characteristics exist, however. Desmond Morris observes that the human being "owes all his basic sexual qualities to his fruit-picking, forest-ape ancestors" (Naked Ape 50). He argues (Naked Ape 63-64) that six basic evolutionary developments directly affect the aspects of mate preference that are common to all human beings. As human beings evolved, they needed to hun...