Is he the one?: courtship as a mechanism to predict male long-term commitment

Abstract

Human courtship is a process whereby one tries to seek the affections of another, usually with the intent of marriage (Merriam-Webster, 2012). In modern society, courtship appears to be a universal precursor to marriage: In nearly all marriages (or other formal romantic unions), males provide some form of courtship, lasting from several weeks to years (Surra, 1985). Courtship can take several forms, but in the context of long-term mating, it is nearly always characterized by a male who invests his time or resources toward a female (Surra, 1985). Although, in specific contexts females may court males though specific courtship display (Geher & Miller, 2007), this study focuses on the courtship of females by males.