Evolution has programmed us to take safe bets when the stakes are high. This behaviour, called risk aversion, is common to humans and animals and can be found in diverse fields such as psychology, economy and biology.
A recent study done on the evolution of risk aversion at the Michigan State University suggests that settling for "Mr. or Ms. Ok" is a better evolutionary strategy than waiting for "Mr. or Ms. Perfect".
Chris Adami, MSU Professor of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics and co-author of the paper published in Nature's 'Scientific Reports' journal, says, "Primitive humans were likely forced to bet on whether or not they could find a better mate". He went on to add "They could either choose to mate with the first, potentially inferior, companion and risk inferior offspring, or they could wait for Mr. or Ms. Perfect to come around. If they chose to wait, they risk never mating."
The study was done on digital organisms which were programmed to make bets in high-payoff gambles, which reflect life-altering decisions that natural organisms have to make. Different variables which affect risk-taking behavior were tested using a computational model.
Many people prefer holding out for a perfect mate. While this may be a strategy which could yield an ideal result if successful, one runs the risk of coming out empty handed and leaving no offspring. According to Adami, "Settling early for the sure bet gives you an evolutionary advantage."
Evolution, however, doesn't have one optimal way; there are people who take more and higher risks than others.
"We do not all evolve to be the same," Adami said. "Evolution creates diversity in our acceptance of risk, so you see some people who are more likely to take bigger risks than others." The same principles apply when choosing mating partners.
REFERENCES AND FURTHER READING
https://msutoday.msu.edu/news/2015/settling-for-mr-or-ms-right-now-better-than-waiting-for-mr-or-ms-right/
