Researchers surveyed over 500 adults (aged 15–77) from Canada, Cuba, Norway, and the United States to examine how height influences mate preferences in short‑term versus long‑term relationships. Participants’ own heights were measured and they indicated preferred partner heights using graphical stimuli. The study found that height preferences generally followed a “male‑taller norm” (women preferred taller men; men preferred shorter women) and that people tended to favour mates whose height was similar to their own (a phenomenon called positive assortative mating).

For women, the preference for taller men was consistent across both short‑term and long‑term relationship contexts. On average, women preferred male partners who were a few centimetres taller than the average man in their country.  For men, while the average pattern was to prefer shorter women, there was a notable difference by relationship context: taller men showed a stronger preference for relatively shorter women in short‑term partner contexts compared to long‑term ones.

Importantly, the study emphasizes that height is only one of many factors influencing romantic preferences and that cultural or individual variation plays a large role. The cross‑cultural nature of the sample suggests the height patterns may reflect underlying evolutionary or social influences rather than purely local customs. At the same time, the authors caution that the strength of height preferences was moderate—not rigid—and individual differences and relationship goals matter significantly.

In conclusion, the study affirms that height influences partner selection in meaningful ways—both in how tall people prefer their mates to be and how this varies by relationship type (especially for men). But it also reminds us that attraction is multifaceted, and height is not destiny. Individual identity, cultural background, personality and the context of the relationship all shape how height matters in mate choice.