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Can Anyone be 'The One'? Evidence on Mate Selection from Speed Dating

Author

Listed:
  • Francesconi, Marco
  • Belot, Michèle
Abstract
Marriage data show a strong degree of positive assortative mating along a variety of attributes. But since marriage is an equilibrium outcome, it is unclear whether positive sorting is the result of preferences rather than opportunities. We assess the relative importance of preferences and opportunities in dating behaviour, using unique data from a large commercial speed dating agency. While the speed dating design gives us a direct observation of individual preferences, the random allocation of participants across events generates an exogenous source of variation in opportunities and allows us to identify the role of opportunities separately from that of preferences. We find that both women and men equally value physical attributes, such as age and weight, and that there is positive sorting along age, height, and education. The role of individual preferences, however, is outplayed by that of opportunities. Along some attributes (such as occupation, height and smoking) opportunities explain almost all the estimated variation in demand. Along other attributes (such as age), the role of preferences is more substantial, but never dominant. Despite this, preferences have a part when we observe a match, i.e., when two individuals propose to one another.

Suggested Citation

  • Francesconi, Marco & Belot, Michèle, 2006. "Can Anyone be 'The One'? Evidence on Mate Selection from Speed Dating," CEPR Discussion Papers 5926, C.E.P.R. Discussion Papers.
    • Handle: RePEc:cpr:ceprdp:5926
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Blog mentions

    As found by EconAcademics.org, the blog aggregator for Economics research:
    1. The short wingman – do humans use visual illusions to attract a mate?
      by Jason in Evolving Economics on 2010-09-23 11:01:00

    Citations

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    Cited by:

    1. Deja, Dominik & Karbowski, Adam & Zawisza, Mateusz, 2014. "On the Existence of Optimal Level of Women’s Intelligence in Men’s Perception: Evidence from a Speed Dating Experiment," MPRA Paper 60782, University Library of Munich, Germany, revised 20 Dec 2014.
    2. Margherita Comola & Marcel Fafchamps, 2014. "Testing Unilateral and Bilateral Link Formation," Economic Journal, Royal Economic Society, vol. 124(579), pages 954-976, September.
    3. Ran Abramitzky & Adeline Delavande & Luis Vasconcelos, 2011. "Marrying Up: The Role of Sex Ratio in Assortative Matching," American Economic Journal: Applied Economics, American Economic Association, vol. 3(3), pages 124-157, July.
    4. Comola, Margherita & Fafchamps, Marcel, 2014. "Estimating Mis-reporting in Dyadic Data: Are Transfers Mutually Beneficial?," IZA Discussion Papers 8664, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    5. Soohyung Lee, 2008. "Preferences and Choice Constraints in Marital Sorting: Evidence From Korea," Discussion Papers 07-042, Stanford Institute for Economic Policy Research.
    6. Belot, Michèle & Fidrmuc, Jan, 2010. "Anthropometry of love: Height and gender asymmetries in interethnic marriages," Economics & Human Biology, Elsevier, vol. 8(3), pages 361-372, December.
    7. 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.
    8. Barr, Abigail & Dekker, Marleen & Fafchamps, Marcel, 2012. "Bridging the Gender Divide: An Experimental Analysis of Group Formation in African Villages," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 40(10), pages 2063-2077.
    9. Arcand, Jean-Louis & Fafchamps, Marcel, 2012. "Matching in community-based organizations," Journal of Development Economics, Elsevier, vol. 98(2), pages 203-219.
    10. Dalton Conley & Brian J. McCabe, 2011. "Body Mass Index and Physical Attractiveness: Evidence From a Combination Image-Alteration/List Experiment," Sociological Methods & Research, , vol. 40(1), pages 6-31, February.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Mate selection; Assortative mating; Marriage market; Speed dating; Randomized experiments;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • D1 - Microeconomics - - Household Behavior
    • J1 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics

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