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The document titled "Bayesian chronological analyses consistent with synchronous age of 12,835-12,735 Cal B.P. for Younger Dryas Boundary on four continents" discusses the limitations and challenges of radiocarbon and optically stimulated luminescence (OSL) dating methods. It emphasizes the importance of integrating dating methods with other stratigraphic information and using Bayesian analysis to improve accuracy. The document provides information on various sites that have been studied in relation to the Younger Dryas Boundary (YDB) event, including their location, proxies found, and age estimates. It also discusses the evidence of impact-related proxies found at these sites, supporting the hypothesis of a cosmic impact event around 12,800 years ago. The document includes age models, chronological information, and statistical data for specific sites, as well as references to related research. [Extracted from the article]

This study investigated the factors associated with cyber dating abuse (CDA) among college students in South Korea. In order to shed light on this relatively understudied area concerning social and health issues, the study analyzed data from a convenience sample of 199 undergraduate students enrolled in a medium-sized Korean university. The findings showed that over the past 12 months, 52.5% of male and 51.4% of female students experienced CDA, while perpetration rates stood at 37.3% for males and 46.4% for females. Binomial logistic regression analyses revealed that students who had experienced partner abuse were more likely to be victims of CDA (IRR = 1.640; CI [1.108, 2.428]), as were those who had perpetrated physical or psychological abuse against their partners in person (IRR = 2.740; CI [1.456, 5.153]). Furthermore, users of online dating services were three times more likely to experience CDA than non-users (IRR = 3.008; CI [1.326, 6.822]). Perpetrating offline partner abuse (IRR = 3.572; CI [1.770, 7.210]) and using online support networks to resolve conflicts in romantic relationships (IRR = 2.734; CI [1.294, 5.778]) were significantly linked to CDA perpetration. These findings underscore the prevalence of CDA victimization and perpetration among college students in South Korea. Therefore, colleges and universities must implement effective prevention programs targeting cyber dating abuse or strengthen existing IPV prevention programs. Plain language summary: Analyzing why dating abuse happens, using data from students at a Korean university The internet and other new technologies have made life more convenient, but they can also be used to harm others. Sometimes, those who suffer the most are victims of those they trust the most: their boyfriends and girlfriends. For a long time, researchers have studied abusive behaviors in face-to-face interactions. However, more recently, they have studied how online harmful behavior can cause harm even without the need for any physical contact. This study looked at how common online abuse is among dating college students in South Korea. It found that many students engage in these behaviors. How common is it? Why does it happen? How can we prevent it? These are some of the questions that we tried to answer. We found that many students engage in these behaviors or experience them. One significant reason was that students who are abusive online frequently had done the same in person toward their partners or had experienced abuse from them. Using dating apps and discussing relationship problems online also proved problematic. The study identifies colleges as crucial venues for educating students about the risks of online abuse, how to prevent it, and how to respond effectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The current article presents the results of interviews with 30 Polish never-married singles (14 women and 16 men) aged 20–43 years. Four themes were identified: (1) ambiguous perception of the usefulness of dating services as a means to search for a romantic partner, (2) acquiring skills in using dating services, (3) personal difficulties and failures in using dating services, and (4) online dating as self-obligation. The participants positioned themselves with regard to dating technology through ambiguous opinions and beliefs about the usefulness of dating services. They perceived using dating services to be a task that requires skills in self-commodification and self-branding and a good opportunity to gain practice in dating; they experienced various difficulties related to using dating platforms, and sometimes they reported a feeling of self-obligation to use such services. Single adults related to dating technology in various modes in the context of their singlehood and relationship desires. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Research has focused on how English proficiency influences Chinese people's education and occupational opportunities and choices. However, little is known about how it impacts the matchmaking practice in such context. Drawing on Bourdieu's theory of capital, this study examines the role of English in the biggest matchmaking market in Shanghai, China. Field study was conducted in People's park in Shanghai. Information regarding marriage candidates' English competence as presented on matrimonial posters was collected and subjected to further grounded-theory based thematic analysis. The results reveal that English competence is primarily advertised as a form of institutionalized cultural capital (e.g., the possession of particular jobs, certificates, degrees, or citizenship) to boost candidates' socioeconomic status, and used as a gatekeeper to weed out "disqualified" candidates, meaning that non-English speaking candidates may be rejected as ineligible for matchmaking opportunities. Issues related to the commodification of English competence in the matchmaking context are discussed at the end of the paper. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The use of online dating services has surged dramatically in recent years. Concurrently, a substantial body of scientific literature has emerged, analyzing these services from demographic and social perspectives. This review, based on 528 English-language publications from the past 13 years, compiles a bibliographic database and employs content analysis to systematize research directions on the use of online dating services. The classification includes topics such as locations and methods of dating (both traditional and digital), the risks and drawbacks of digital dating services, user actions and interactions, dating goals, marital status, and more. This bibliographic database has helped identify the primary vectors of publication activity on the topic of online dating services over the past 13 years. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of International Anatolian Journal of Social Sciences / Uluslararasi Anadolu Sosyal Bilimler Dergisi is the property of Uluslararasi Anadolu Sosyal Bilimler Dergisi and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

We examine how the grammatical subject of a marketing claim affects persuasion. We refer to this phenomenon as the subject bias and introduce the distinction between users subjects (where product users are the grammatical subject of a sentence) and product subjects (where the product is the grammatical subject of the sentence). We find that users subjects can lead to an illusion of fit , where a reader believes that an offer provides a better fit for oneself than for other consumers, which, in turn, affects persuasion. Eight experiments, including a field study, provide support for the subject bias in different domains, ranging from online dating services to medical products, and uncover the underlying process along with its boundary conditions while ruling out alternative explanations. These findings advance the understanding of the antecedents and consequences of idiosyncratic fit and introduce a novel language effect in consumer research that has theoretical, methodological, and practical implications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We analyse 21 in-depth interviews with online dating service users to understand how consumerist market logic transforms human relationships, challenging the view in consumer research of market capitalism as empowering consumers by showing how neoliberal market ideology can hinder value creation in consumption experiences. Second, we develop the notion of value conflict as an active antecedent of value co-destruction in service settings that generates multiple forms of uncertainty, contributing to negative experiential outcomes. We explain the strategies consumers apply in pursuing romantic love in a shared marketplace while preserving their freedom of choice. Finally, we extend research on multiple value regimes in shared contexts by illustrating what happens when conflicting notions of value are not reconciled between actors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Geolocation apps have radically transformed dating practices around the world, with profound sociocultural implications. Few studies, however, have explored their addictive potential or factors that are associated with their misuse. Objective: The present study aimed to assess the level of problematic Tinder use (PTU) in an adult sample, using a machine learning algorithm to determine, among 29 relevant variables, the most important predictors of PTU. Methods: 1,387 users of Tinder (18–74 years-old; male = 50.3%; female = 49.1%) completed an online questionnaire, and a machine learning tool was used to analyze their responses. Results: On 5-point scale, participants' mean PTU score was 1.91 (SD = 0.70), indicating a relatively low overall level of problematic app use. Among the most important predictors of Problematic use were the use of Tinder for enhancement (reduce boredom and increase positive emotions), coping with psychological problems, and increasing social connectedness. The number of "matches" (when two users show mutual interest), the number of online contacts on Tinder, and the number of resulting offline dates were also among the top predictors of PTU. Depressive mood and loneliness were among the middle-ranked predictors of PTU. Conclusion: In accordance with the Interaction of Person-Affect-Cognition-Execution model of problematic internet use, the results suggest that PTU relates to how individual experience on the app interacts with dispositional and situational characteristics. However, variables that seemed to relate to PTU, including lack of self-esteem, negative mood states and loneliness, are not problems that online dating services as currently designed can be expected to resolve. This argues for increased digital services to identify and address potential problems helping drive the popularity of dating apps. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper examines the current landscape of ontologies for describing additive manufacturing (AM) technologies and services. Through an extensive search, using both a bottom-up and top-down approach, four accessible AM ontologies were identified. These ontologies were then evaluated according to generally accepted principles and guidelines. It was found, that two of the four ontologies could deal as a starting point for a semantic core of a B2B AM services matchmaking platform. To remedy the existing problems of impracticability, underdevelopment, and lacking linkage to other ontologies, we see a gap in regathering of AM data in a FAIR and sustainable way, and deploying a re-engineered version of a candidate ontology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigated the risk factors for dating app and website users receiving requests from other users to facilitate child sexual exploitation and abuse (CSEA). It did so by analysing data from a large survey (n=9,987) of dating app and website users residing in Australia. Dating app and website users who were younger, lived with children, were Indigenous or had a health condition (ie disability) were more likely than other users to be asked to facilitate CSEA. Further, respondents who were more frequent or active dating app/ website users, who paid for the dating service or who linked their social media account to their dating profile were also more likely to receive requests for CSEA. These findings can assist online dating companies to implement new features and education messages that protect users and their children from harm. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this qualitative study was to explore the acculturative stress experienced by second generation Indian and Pakistani young adults in the United Kingdom, who use online dating services—a practice common in Western cultures but unapproved in traditional South Asian cultures. Semi‐structured in‐depth interviews were conducted with six participants who were recruited through purposive sampling. Interview transcripts were analyzed using Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis. The findings indicate that while it is exposure to Western culture that influences participants to engage in online dating, it is their native cultural values that affect most of their online dating attitudes and behaviors such as preference for ethnically congruent partners, avoidance of casual sexual encounters, and expectations of slow‐paced and long‐term relationships. These findings are discussed as strategies used by participants to integrate different cultural orientations and manage their acculturative stress, based on Berry's (2003) Acculturation Model. This study contributes toward expanding literature in the field of cultural psychology and romantic relationships, by adding to an understanding of the pressures and challenges experienced by those navigating differing and often opposing sets of social and cultural norms, in the context of modern online dating. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Eligible bachelors and bachelorettes trust matchmaking services reverentially and sometimes go across the seven seas to meet, communicate, romance, and understand their chosen one. Platforms like Jeevansathi.com, Shaadi.com, and Bharat Matrimony promise to help them make the right marriage decision and get along for true compatibility. However, they have also contributed to the growing politics of "Sado-Ritual Syndrome" against the female population. Such matchmaking platforms work to convince both parties to manipulate each other with Western matrimony features such as a salaried male partner, a grand wedding, monogamy, multilingualism, and preferences based on profession and class. Shashi Deshpande, in her novel The Binding Vine, written in 1993, has elaborately addressed these features to critically investigate how sex in heterosexual marital relationships strips the wife of choice, respect, and agency by making the husband's ejaculation the major responsibility of the wife. This paper attempts to expose this ideological system of matchmaking and its role in building people's otherness encouraging them to treat human beings as options. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This ethnography explores the world of professional matchmakers in urban Japan and delves into the larger issues of declining marriage rates and the alienated neoliberal condition. The author examines the concept of phaticity, or the effort to create and maintain contact between individuals, which is the primary duty of matchmakers. The book also explores the online dating ecosystem and the challenges faced by singles in finding romantic partnerships. The author critically analyzes the structural and collective nature of the problems surrounding marriage and offers insights into possible solutions. [Extracted from the article]

Dating app facilitated sexual violence (DAFSV) includes behaviors such as unwanted sexual comments/harassment, unsolicited sexual photos, and gender/sexuality-based harassment – and could extend to sexual violence when meeting partners face-to-face. The effects of sexual violence on mental health are well-established; however, research on DAFSV has been limited. The goal of the current study was to understand college students' experiences of DAFSV and investigate cross-sectional associations with indicators of mental health (i.e. depression and anxiety symptoms) and well-being (i.e. self-esteem, loneliness, perceived control). Participants were college students in the United States who used dating apps (N = 277) and identified primarily as women (64.6%) and heterosexual/straight (74.0%). Most participants (88.4%) self-reported at least one instance of DAFSV. Women (vs. men) and sexual minority (vs. heterosexual/straight) individuals experienced more frequent DAFSV. Regression analyses indicated that DAFSV frequency was associated with higher depression and anxiety symptoms, higher loneliness, lower self-esteem, and lower perceived control. This study highlights the importance of DAFSV for a broad range of well-being indicators. Given that dating apps are one of the most common means of meeting partners, research is needed to better understand these initial interactions, prevent DAFSV from occurring, and mitigate the impact of DAFSV on health outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this article we describe a design process of a manipulator that is designed for complete servicing of a date palm. The feasibility of using this manipulator and determining the optimum position of its cameras as well as the number of cameras to be mounted on the equipment were also investigated. The manipulator was equipped with several cameras for monitoring the operations utilizing a ground-based operator. The operator monitors the manipulator and the end-effector on the display and navigates it using a joystick. In order to build the manipulator, a systematic deign method was utilized. Total length of the manipulator was 100 cm. Four electric motors provide the dynamic force of the manipulator to transport the end effectors to the desired positions for conducting horticultural operations. To investigate the performance of the manipulator, 9 different camera setups and 4 different manipulator distances from the target, were analyzed at 5 replication levels, through a statistical factorial experiment design (4 x 9). The experiments results showed that the remotely controlled manipulator is efficient in conducting horticultural operations. On the other hand, different camera setups showed significantly different results. The tests also indicated that to obtain the shortest reaching time, three cameras must be installed on the manipulator. The average time for reaching the target from a 100-cm distance was calculated 20.8 seconds. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

DirectAMS debuted as an affordable, high-throughput radiocarbon dating service at AMS-12 in 2011. A dedicated pretreatment laboratory has been in operation since 2012 in conjunction with an NEC 1.5SDH-1 Compact Pelletron Accelerator Mass Spectrometer installed in 2006. Over 60,000 14C radiocarbon dating targets have been measured over the last decade. The status of the laboratory and performance from routinely measured standard, reference, and blank materials are presented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to investigate assortative mating processes inside Internet-dating-service settings. Unattached consumers traditionally sought to satisfy their need for love through conventional search processes, including old-fashioned match-making. That was then, this is now; dozens of internet-mediated dating websites promising romantic-love-matches currently operate internationally. These dating services cultivate dating-exchanges by offering new-fashioned match-making processes. Despite these trends, theoretical and practical questions related to how and why dating services marketers might induce superior romantic exchanges between customers by managing assortative mating processes remain unanswered until now. Design/methodology/approach: A survey-based approach was used to test hypotheses. Pretests were conducted to develop reliable measures of assortative mating propensity. Seven subconstructs of assortative mating were identified by analyzing data from a representative sample. The measurement model was validated before hypotheses testing. The focal assortative mating construct was measured formatively; assortative mating subdimensions functioned as indicators. The model was tested by structural equation modeling. Findings: Assortative mating processes facilitated superior preference-selection outcomes for individuals seeking consumer-to-consumer romantic relationships inside internet-mediated service settings. Insights were generated about how and why assortative mating processes exercised positive effects on consumers' attitudes toward online dating and about how dating services marketers might leverage assortative mating tendencies to benefit consumers. Originality/value: A novel concept was introduced to the services marketing literature, as were several theoretical implications. The study simultaneously measured consumers' propensities to engage in assortative mating and captured the effects of various physical/behavioral consumer characteristics. This study develops new and practical insights about how dating service marketers could manage the effects of assortative mating processes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses the influence and effects of social media on the behavior and self-awareness of users by examining the experiences and self-perception of online dating site Tinder users. Other topics include the relationship of social media usage to behaviors like objectified body consciousness and body dissatisfaction, and Tinder's competitors like Bumble and Plenty of Fish.

Purpose: Controversial information systems (IS) represent a unique context in which certain members of a user's social circle may endorse the use of a system while others object to it. The purpose of this paper is to explore the simultaneous and often conflicting roles of such positive and negative social influences through social learning and ambivalence theories in shaping user adoption intention of a representative case of controversial IS, namely online dating services (ODS). Design/methodology/approach: The model was tested with two empirical studies using structural equation modeling techniques. The data of these studies were collected from 451 (Study 1) and 510 (Study 2) single individuals (i.e. not in a relationship). Findings: (1) Positive social influence has a stronger impact on perceived benefits and adoption intention, while negative social influence exerts a greater impact on perceived risks; (2) positive and negative social influences affect adoption intention toward ODS differently, through benefit and risk assessments; and (3) ambivalence significantly negatively moderates the effects of social influences on adoption. Originality/value: This study enriches and extends the IS use, ambivalence theory, prospect theory, and social learning theory research streams. Furthermore, this study suggests that it is necessary to focus on not only the oft-considered positive but also negative social influences in IS research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study joins the recently emerging scholarly initiatives, seeking to bridge ideas on platform studies and digital dating studies. This study examined China's leading matchmaking and dating platform, Century Jiayuan and its users' digital dating experiences. It specifically examined the ways in which romance and marriage are framed in relations to the deployment of design tactics of platforms, such as programmable architecture building, classifying, ranking, and predicting, to articulate hegemonic discourses about neoliberal desire. The results indicates that the logics of platformization promote the commercialization of desire and the normalization of user ranking via three mutually enhancing mechanisms: platforms as markets, users as customers, and users as sellers. Research limitations are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

From the early years of the internet, its key importance was recognized as a site for sexual minorities to explore and express their identity and sexuality. Gay men were quick to connect online, first in chat rooms and subsequently on an ever-expanding array of sites and apps, culminating in geolocation apps such as Grindr. Although a lot of research has investigated the uses of these services, the focus is mostly on younger users, disregarding the experiences of older people. Moreover, the life stage of users is not sufficiently addressed, nor are their evolving uses throughout the life course. The current paper aims to contribute to this knowledge by reporting on a study involving four generations of Belgian men who have sex with men (MSM), combining insights gained in an exploratory survey (N = 684) with in-depth interviews (N = 80). The results show how men from different generations got access to dating sites and apps at different times in their lives, in a shifting balance with offline dating practices. Moreover, at the time of the research, participants were in different stages of their lives, which led to a variety of online dating practices. The end picture is one of dating "in motion", both shifting between generations and changing with the life course of individuals. This paper contributes to the literature on MSM online dating by adding a non-Anglophone perspective, studying a broad age range including older users, disclosing clear intergenerational differences, and transcending a static view of online dating among a single age cohort. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Matchmaking is a complex process that requires considerable expertise. Matchmakers in various industries often advertise proprietary technologies that presumably help users find an ideal match in a short time. However, matchmakers may have incentives to provide suboptimal matchmaking services so that users remain clients longer and pay more fees. This article considers a matchmaking market with network effects and strategic consumers and analyzes under what conditions matchmakers would offer more effective versus less effective matchmaking services. The authors find that stronger pricing power paradoxically leads to lower technology provision when consumers have high valuation for the matchmaking service. Moreover, network effects typically encourage matchmakers to retain the users in the market to create positive externalities, which can result in less precise matchmaking. In addition, consumer patience prompts competing matchmakers to implement ineffective technology. In two extensions, the authors explore asymmetric two-sided markets and discuss the impacts of alternative pricing schemes on technology provision. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Online dating platforms have become a more common way for adults in the United States (U.S.) to find both romantic partners as well as sex partners. While certain hookup apps, such as Grindr, market towards men who have sex with men (MSM), other platforms, like Tinder, tend to attract people who identify as heterosexual. Eighteen self-identified heterosexual college women participated in one of four focus groups between April and October 2019. Focus groups were audio recorded and transcribed by the research team and themes were analyzed after all focus groups were complete. Four salient themes emerged which included concerns about meeting in person for the first time, apps making it easier to find partners, apps promoting hookup culture, and differences in perception depending on which gender you identify as. There are perceived advantages to using apps to find a partner but also hesitation. Future research should focus on the extent to which heterosexual women are using hookup apps to find sex partners and how these apps affect the sexual health and mental wellbeing of self-identified heterosexual women. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ice cores from alpine glaciers are unique archives of past global and regional climate conditions. However, recovering climate records from these ice cores is often hindered by the lack of a reliable chronology, especially in the age range of 100 to 500 anni (a) for which radiometric dating has not been available so far. We report on radiometric 39Ar dating of an ice core from the Tibetan Plateau and the construction of a chronology covering the past 1,300 a using the obtained 39Ar ages. This is made possible by advances in the analysis of 39Ar using the laser-based detection method atom trap trace analysis, resulting in a twofold increase in the upper age limit of 39Ar dating. By measuring the anthropogenic 85Kr along with 39Ar we quantify and correct modern air contamination, thus removing a major systematic uncertainty of 39Ar dating. Moreover, the 85Kr data for the top part of the ice core provide information on firn processes, including the age difference between the ice and its enclosed gas. This first application of 39Ar and 85Kr to an ice core facilitates further ice cores from nonpolar glaciers to be used for recovering climate records of the Common Era, a period including pronounced anomalies such as the Little Ice Age and the Medieval Warm Period. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article examines the cultural economy of Xiangqin in contemporary China. Xiangqin translates as 'marriage matchmaking' or 'blind dating' in English. An analysis of Chinese television dating shows reveals that commercial Xiangqin programmes have strategically 'arrested emotions' of participants and maximized economic opportunities for both corporations and individuals. Similarly, the growing business of date-renting suggests Xiangqin has turned into a popular shared service among China's post- sex revolution youth, and become intertwined with paradoxes of familial obligations, emotions, and economic motives. Mobile matchmaking apps have emerged as an innovative tool providing mobile phone users with considerable mobility, autonomy and privacy. However, they have simultaneously reinforced the role of parents in their children's mate selection. This article argues that China's cultural convention of Xiangqin has been transformed from a marriage practice into an economic conduct. This has not only boosted China's intimate business but also given rise to a dating culture which is simultaneously individual, social, liberating, and concerning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Romanian Case Law Review / Revista Română de Jurisprudenţă is the property of Universul Juridic Publishing House and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

This article reflects the creation of an Observatory of Communication and Public Relations Agencies and Consultancies in Portugal, making it necessary to disseminate relevant data, among colleagues: academics, researchers, professionals, companies, and consultants. By using the SABIO database, our study takes into consideration Portuguese companies registered with the Economic Activity Code 70210 [Consultancy, Public Relations, and Communication Activities] and collect their main characteristics, such as number of agencies; date of establishment; main and secondary activities; localization; business data; operating income; number and evolution of employees; inactivity of agencies; etc. Having as a reference the European Communication Monitor, this research aims to define a set of variables and parameters that will be monitored periodically, to follow the evolution of the sector in Portugal and its adaptability to the needs of companies that hire this service to ensure their Communication and Public Relations needs, either as a complement to an indoor department, or as a permanent, periodic or occasional external service. At this moment, our research have found 2033 companies registered in Portugal with the code 70210, but only 378 are currently active and indicate Public Relations and Communication as their main activity, with complementarity with many other economic activities. 82% of companies have been established in the last decade, corresponding to an increase of almost 70% of professionals working in the sector. 53% of the companies are sole proprietorships and 63% fully concentrate the business in Portugal. There is also a strong concentration of those agencies in Lisbon, the political and business capital of the country. Finally, the difficulty of consolidating the sustainability of these companies is also evident, considering that, at the universe of the companies that closed between 2006 and 2020, 71% closed before 5 years of operation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

How humans choose their mates is a central feature of adult life and an area of considerable disagreement among relationship researchers. However, few studies have examined mate choice (instead of mate preferences) around the world, and fewer still have considered data from online dating services. Using data from more than 1.8 million online daters from 24 countries, we examined the role of sex and resource-acquisition ability (as indicated by level of education and income) in mate choice using multilevel modeling. We then attempted to understand country-level variance by examining factors such as gender equality and the operational sex ratio. In every nation, a person's resource-acquisition ability was positively associated with the amount of attention they received from other site members. There was a marked sex difference in this effect; resource-acquisition ability improved the attention received by men almost 2.5 times that of women. This sex difference was in every country, admittedly with some variance between nations. Several country-level traits moderated the effects of resource-acquisition ability, and in the case of unemployment this moderating role differed by sex. Overall, country-level effects were more consistent with evolutionary explanations than sociocultural ones. The results suggest a robust effect of resource-acquisition ability on real-life mate choice that transcends international boundaries and is reliably stronger for men than women. Cross-cultural variance in the role of resource-acquisition ability appears sensitive to local competition and gender equality at the country level. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]