Kipsigis women's preferences for wealthy men: evidence for female choice in mammals?

ABSTRACT

Factors affecting the choice of a male mate in a polygynous society are examined using data on the Kipsigis people of Kenya. "This paper has two aims: first, to test whether Kipsigis women prefer wealthy men by examining the sequence of marriages among a group of pioneers...who established a settlement in the territory of their enemies (1930-1949); second, to determine whether women suffer reproductively as a result of polygynous marriage."