The data also reveal that age gaps in heterosexual relationships generally favor older men and younger women. In fact, roughly seventy-five percent of men worldwide have partners who are at least one year younger, while only ten percent of men are younger than their partners. About fifteen percent of couples are close in age. This pattern appears to be deeply rooted in social norms and biological tendencies that shape mate selection. Men may associate youth with fertility and vitality, while women often value maturity and stability—traits that are more likely to develop with age.
