Gender preference

Gender preference is a feature of a Sim's personality. It governs which gender a Sim, acting autonomously, may choose to interact romantically with.

Gender preference was introduced in The Sims 2 and carried forward into The Sims 3. Each Sim who is a teen or older has a set gender preference that is defined by the averaged total of all their romantic interactions with other Sims. For instance, if the majority of a Sim's romantic interactions have been with females, that Sim will have a preference for females, and vice versa, if the majority of the Sim's romantic interactions have been with males. Gender preference can be changed over time; a female Sim with a preference towards females who has enough romantic interactions with male Sims over time may develop a preference for males. It is possible to influence the gender preference of townies and uncontrolled Sims by performing minor flirt interactions such as checking them out or whistling at them. In The Sims 2, this can also be done by using the "Do you like what you see?" interaction, even though it is an "Ask..." action and not a flirt interaction.

Newly created Sims, whether freshly out of CAS, or newly created townies, have a neutral gender preference, unless they are created as spouses. In addition, some pre-made Sims have pre-set preference levels. At least in The Sims 2, Sims who are born in-game or are adopted start their teen stage with a neutral gender preference. Actions which increase a Sim's preference for one gender decrease that Sim's preference for the other, but by a smaller amount. So, while a Sim will not normally develop a positive preference for both genders, it can happen while a Sim's preference is shifting from one gender to another. Also, a few pre-made Sims in The Sims 2 have pre-set positive preferences for both genders. It is not normally possible for a Sim to develop a negative preference for both genders.

Even though most townies and NPCs start with a neutral gender preference, they may still autonomously be attracted to Sims of the opposite gender, but the chances are not as likely.

In general, the size of a Sim's preference for (or against) a gender affects how stable that preference is, rather than how strong it is. For example, a Sim with a -10/20 male/female preference isn't more attracted to females than one with a -1/2 preference. However, the first Sim's preferences will not be significantly affected if a male flirts with them once or twice, while the second Sim's will be.

Gender preference affects some gameplay mechanics. In Nightlife and later expansion and stuff packs for The Sims 2, Sims only show attraction and chemistry for Sims of their preferred gender, and only Sims of the preferred gender will be considered when a Sim uses the "Scope Room" self-interaction -- though the gender preferences of the Sims being scoped will not be considered. This means that Sims with a neutral preference cannot use "Scope Room", but can be scoped. In The Sims 3: Generations, when a Sim throws a bachelor/bachelorette party, the gender of the entertainers will based on the gender preference of the host.

A player-controlled Sim can be commanded to perform romantic interactions regardless of gender preference, though it appears to be more difficult for romantic interactions in The Sims 3 to succeed if the Sim being pursued has a gender preference not associated with the pursuing Sim.

Gender preference is a hidden aspect of Simology that can normally not be seen without the use of cheats, mods, or programs such as SimPE.