Sex-Differentiated Mate Preferences for Mistress Relationships Reflect a Compromise of Mating Ideals

We examined men’s and women’s mate preferences in a mistress relationship. Three studies reveal that mistress relationships represent a compromise between men’s short-term mating ideals and women’s long- and short-term mating ideals. Men prioritized physically attractive mistresses; women prioritized both high-status and physically-attractive mistress partners.