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Evolutionary Approach
The evolutionary approach, based on the theories of Charles Darwin attempts to explain age disparity in sexual relationships in terms of natural selection and sexual selection. Within sexual selection Darwin identified a further two mechanisms which are important factors in the evolution of sex differences (sexual dimorphism): intrasexual selection (involve competition with those of the same sex over access to mates) and intersexual choice (discriminative choice of mating partners). An overarching evolutionary theory which can provide an explanation for the above mechanisms and strategies adopted by individuals which leads to age disparity in relationships is called Life History theory which also includes Parental Investment Theory. Life History theory posits that individuals have to divide energy and resources between activities (as energy and resources devoted to one task cannot be used for another task) and this is shaped by natural selection. Parental Investment Theory refers to the value that is placed on a potential mate based on reproductive potential and reproductive investment. The theory predicts that preferred mate choices have evolved to focus on reproductive potential and reproductive investment of members of the opposite sex. This theory predicts both intrasexual selection and intersexual choice due to differences in parental investment; typically there is competition among members of the lower investing sex (generally males) over the parental investment of the higher investing sex (generally females) who will be more selective in their mate choice. However, human males tend to have more parental investment compared to mammal males (although females still tend have more parental investment). Thus, both sexes will have to compete and be selective in mate choices. These two theories explain why natural and sexual selection acts slightly differently on the two sexes so that they display different preferences. For example, different age preferences may be a result of sex differences in mate values assigned to the opposite sex at those ages.

A study conducted by Buss (1989) investigated sex differences in mate preferences in 37 cultures with 10,047 participants. In all 37 cultures it was found that males preferred females younger than themselves and females preferred males older than themselves. These age preferences were confirmed in marriage records with males marrying females younger than them and vice versa. A more recent study has supported these findings, conducted by Schwarz and Hassebrauck (2012). This study used 21,245 participants between 18 and 65 years of age who were not involved in a close relationship. As well as asking participants a number of questions on mate selection criteria, they also had to provide the oldest and youngest partner they would accept. It was found that for all ages males were willing to accept females that are slightly older than they are (on average 4.5 years older), but they accept females considerably younger than their own age (on average 10 years younger). Females demonstrate a complimentary pattern, being willing to accept considerably older males (on average 8 years older) and were also willing to accept males slightly younger than themselves (on average 5 years younger). This is somewhat different to our close evolutionary relatives: chimpanzees. Male chimpanzees tend to prefer older females than younger and it is suggested that specific cues of female mate value are very different to humans.

Male preference for younger females.
Buss (1989) attributed the young age preference for females to the cues that youth has. In females, relative youth and physical attractiveness (which males valued more compared to females) demonstrated cues for fertility and high reproductive capacity. Buss (1989) stated the specific age preference of around 25 years implied that fertility was a stronger ultimate cause of mate preference than reproductive value as data suggested that fertility peaks in females around mid-twenties. From a life history theory perspective, females that have these cues, display they are more capable of reproductive investment. This notion of preference of age due to peak fertility is supported by Kenrick, Keefe, Gabrielidis, and Cornelius’s (1996) study which found that although teenage males would accept a mate slightly younger than themselves, there was a wider range of preference for ages above their own. Teenage males also report that their ideal mates would be several years older than themselves. Buss and Schmitt (1993) highlight that although long term mating relationships is common for humans, it is not characteristic of all mating relationships: there is both short term and long term mating relationships. Buss and Schmitt provided a Sexual Strategies Theory which predicts the two sexes have evolved distinct psychological mechanisms which underlie the strategies utilised for short and long term mating. This theory is directly relevant and compatible with the two already mentioned theories Life History and Parental Investment. Males tend to appear orientated towards short term mating (greater desire for short term mates than women, prefer larger number of sexual partners and take less time to consent to sexual intercourse ) and this appears to solve a number of adaptive problems including using less resources to access a mate. Although there is a number of reproductive advantages to short term mating, males still pursue long term mates and this is due to the possibility of monopolising a female’s life time reproductive resources. Consistent with findings, for both short term and long term mates, males prefer younger females (reproductively valuable). Which demonstrates that regardless of short term or long term mating strategies are used males prefer younger females.

Female preference for older males.
As they are the higher investing sex, females tend to be slightly more demanding when picking a mate (as predicted by parental investment theory). They also tend to have a more difficult task of evaluating a male’s reproductive value accurately based on physical appearance as age tends to have fewer constraints on a males reproductive resources. Buss (1989) attributed the older age preference to older males displaying characteristics of having high providing capacity) such as status and resources . In terms of short term and long term mating, females tend be orientated towards long term mating due to the costs incurred from short term mating . Although some of these costs will be the same for males and females (risk of STIs and impairing long term mate value), the costs for women will be more severe due to paternity uncertainty (cues of multiple mates will be disfavoured by males) . In contrast to above, in short term females will tend to favour males that demonstrate physical attractiveness as this displays cues of ‘good genes’ . Cues of good genes tend to be typically associated with older males such as facial masculinity and cheek-bone prominence . Buss and Schmitt (1993) found similar female preferences for mates in long term which supports the notion that for long term relationships females prefer cues of high resource capacity, one of which is age.

Cross-cultural differences
Cross-culturally research has consistently supported these trends, in which males prefer to mate with younger females, and females with older males. In a cross-cultural study that covered 37 countries, preferences for age difference were measured and research supported the theory that we prefer to marry close to the age when fertility is at its highest 24-25 years (for females). The results from the study also showed that the preferred mean age that females cross-culturally want to get married is 25.39 years and for males it is 27.49 years. In addition to this when closely analysing the preferred age gap; females wanted a 3.42 year age gap and males wanted females to be 2.66 years younger than themselves, it also confirmed that males like to marry younger females. A way of validating this finding was that by looking closer at the data, if we subtract the male's preferred age gap (2.66) from the his preferred age to get married (27.49) we see that his preferred mate is around the age of 24.83, which falls directly in the peak of a females fertility. Further to this, it adds support to the notion that males marry females younger than themselves to monopolise a female's reproductive resources in a better chance to produce offspring.

However, in some regions in the world (as we can see from the table - UN marriage statistics 2000 ) there is a substantially larger age gap between marriage partners in that males are much older than their wife (or wives). There are many theories that support this trend, and from an evolutionary perspective the strongest theory is that these regions are typically more exposed to pathogens and disease. Low, 1990 explained that as the risk of disease goes up, it puts a great deal of stress on sexual selection; it increases sociosexuality and notably increases the use of polygyny. Polygyny practises are common in most communities worldwide and has been important through time as a selection process ensuring the passing of heterozygous (more genetically diverse) genes onto the next generation by allowing a male to mate with several females. When disease is prevalent, if a male is producing offspring with a more diverse range of alleles, evolution shows more offspring will be likely to withstand mortality from disease and reproduce further. From the UN marriage statistics in 2000, we see that one of the largest age mean age gap between spouses is in Sub-Saharan African regions where polygyny is practiced widely and the age gaps can range up to 8.6 years in Congo and 9.2 years in Gambia (UN stats). A possible reason that polygynous communities have larger age-gaps between spouses is that there becomes an increase in intersexual competition for females with the marriage market valuing younger females as having more reproductive value. As the competition for younger women becomes more common, we see a shift in the age of women’s first marriage lower and hence the age gap between spouses becomes vaster.

Comparatively in Western societies such as the U.S and Europe we see a trend of smaller age-gaps between spouses, reaching it’s peak average at 3.3 years. Using the same pathogen-stress model we see a lower prevalence of disease in these economically developed areas, and therefore a reduced stress on reproduction for survival. Additionally, it is common to see monogamous relationships widely in more modern societies as there are more women in the marriage market available as a result of monogamy and we see an improved equilibrium between male and female status and pay so allowing more males and females to invest more in fewer offspring.

Social Structural Origin Theory
Social Structural Origin Theory argues that the underlying cause of sex-differentiated behaviour is the concentration of men and women in differing roles in society. It has been argued that a reason gender roles are so prevalent in society is that the expectations of gender roles can become internalised in a person’s self-concept and personality. In a Brown University study, it has been noted that the social structure of a country determines the age difference between spouses more than any other factor. In regards to mate selection, social structural theory supports the idea that individuals aim to maximise what they can provide in the relationship in an environment that is limiting their utilities through expected gender roles in society and marriage.

It is thought that a trade-off or equilibrium is reached in regards to what each gender brings to the mating partnership and that this equilibrium is most likely to be reached with a trade-off of ages when selecting a mate. Women are said to trade youth and physical attractiveness for economic security in their male partner. This economic approach to choosing a partner ultimately depends on the martial or family system that is adopted by society. Women and Men tend to seek a partner that will fit in with their society’s sexual division of labour. For example a martial system based on males being the provider and females the domestic worker, favours an age gap in the relationship. An older male is more likely to have more resources to provide to the family and a younger female is more likely to have less status or resources and so therefore will be these in a relationship, therefore lending the younger female to be more suited to the domestic worker role in the relationship.

The rational choice model also suggests that people look for partners who can provide for them in their life (bread-winners); as men traditionally earn more as they get older, women will therefore prefer older men. This factor is diminishing as more women enter the labour force and the gender pay gap decreases.

. Retrieved 2013-11-25

Age-Hypogamy in Relationships
Age-hypogamy defines a relationship where the woman is the older partner, the opposite of this being age-hypergamy. Marriage between partners of roughly similar age is known as "age homogamy".

Older female-younger male relationships are, relative to age-hypergamous relationships (older male-younger female), less researched in scientific literature. Many slang terms such as 'Cougar' have been used in films, TV shows and the media to depict older females with younger male mates. The picture often displays a stereotypical pairing of a divorced, middle-aged, white, affluent female dating a younger male with the relationship taking the form of a non-commitment arrangement between the partners.

Although historically, age-hypogenous relationships have been very infrequent, recent US census data has shown an increase in age-hypogenous relationships from 6.4% in 2000 to 7.7% in 2012.

There may be many reasons as to why age-hypogenous relationships are not very frequent. Sexual double standards in society may be one particular reason as to why women do not exhibit as many age-hypogenous relationships in comparison to age-hypergamous relationships. Women also experience a double standard regarding the effects of ageing. In comparison to male sexuality, it considered that ageing in women is associated with decreased sex appeal and dating potential.

There is debate in the literature as to what determines age-hypogamy in sexual relationships. A number of variables have been argued to influence the likelihood of women entering into an age-hypogamous relationship such as; racial or ethnic background, level of education, Income, marital status, conservatism, age and number of sexual partners.

For example, it was found that in US Census data that African American communities showed an imbalanced sex ratio, whereby there were 100 African American woman for every 89 African American Males. Support for this evidence was then found in regard to marriage, whereby it was shown that African American women were more likely to be in age-hypogamous or age-hypergamous marriages in comparison with White American women (Atkinson and Glass 1985). However, more recent evidence has found that women of other-race categories, outside of African or white American women were more likely to sleep with younger men, illustrating that it is still unclear which, if any ethnic groups are more likely to have age-hypogamous relationships.

Another example illustrating the varying literature surrounding age-hypogamous relationships is research indicating that a woman's marital status can influence her likelihood of engaging in age-hypogamous relationships. It has been found that married women are less likely to be partnered with a younger male compared to non-married women in comparison to Alarie & Carmichael's more recent findings which provides evidence to suggest that previously married women are more likely to engage in an age-hypogamous sexual relationship compared to women who are married or who have never been married.

Despite social views depicting age-hypogamous relationships as short lived and fickle, recent research published by Psychology of Women Quartlery has found that women in age-hypogamous relationships are more satisfied and the most committed in in their relationships compared to younger women or similarly aged partners.

It has also been suggested that male partners to an older female partner may engage in age-hypogamous relationships due to findings that men choose beauty over age. A study conducted by Dr Fieldman found that when shown pictures of women of ages ranging from 20-45 with different levels of attractiveness, regardless of age, males chose the more attractive individuals as long term partners.