What does Parental Investment Theory propose about mate selection?

• A. Investment differences do not affect mate selection.
• B. Different levels of parental investment influence mate selection and jealousy.
• C. Only physical attractiveness matters in dating.
• D. The theory is purely about parenting roles and not dating.

Answer: (B)

Parental Investment Theory says that the amount of time, energy, and resources a parent must invest in offspring creates differences between the sexes in mating goals. Because females typically bear a higher obligatory investment (gestation, lactation, ongoing care), they tend to be more selective in choosing mates and look for cues of commitment and resources that will help offspring survival. Males, with lower obligatory investment, are more likely to pursue strategies that maximize mating opportunities and signal genetic quality. These differing pressures also shape patterns of jealousy: men often react strongly to sexual infidelity because it threatens paternity certainty and resource allocation, while women often react more to emotional infidelity because it signals potential loss of long-term commitment and support.

So the best answer reflects that distinct levels of parental investment influence mate selection and jealousy. The idea isn’t that investment doesn’t matter, nor that only physical attractiveness or parenting roles determine dating outcomes; it’s that investment differences help explain both how people choose partners and how they experience jealousy in relationships.