THE PSYCHOLOGY OF MATE SEEKING: A SITUATIONAL ANALYSIS OF THE USE OF SOCIO-CULTURAL AND PHYSICAL ATTRIBUTES AMONG NIGERIAN UNIVERSITY UNDERGRADUATES

Abstract

This study sets out to investigate the use of socio-cultural and physical attributes among University undergraduate. Five Universities were sampled in Ogun State (3 public and 2 private Universities). The sample population consisted of 1,500 undergraduate students, with a sample of 300 each from the five Universities. Four research questions were raised and tested at 0.05 alpha level. The instrument used was an author-constructed questionnaire. Analysis of data was done using sample percentage and analysis of variance statistics. The major findings of the study were: (i) physical attractiveness positively influences the choice of mate, (ii) mate socio-economic status has a significant effect on the choice of mate, (iii) parental value/cultural value contributed significantly to the prediction of mate seeking and (iv) physical attractiveness, mate socio-economic status and parental value interactively predict successful dating of undergraduate students. The conclusions reached were that there is interplay between socio-cultural influence and the use of physical attractiveness in mate seeking and dating of an average individual.