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Label Element Value
Core Value Portfolio  
Risk/Return: rr_RiskReturnAbstract  
Risk/Return [Heading] rr_RiskReturnHeading Fund Summary
Objective [Heading] rr_ObjectiveHeading Investment Objective
Objective, Primary [Text Block] rr_ObjectivePrimaryTextBlock

The fund seeks long-term growth of capital,
Objective, Secondary [Text Block] rr_ObjectiveSecondaryTextBlock

with current income as a secondary objective.
Expense [Heading] rr_ExpenseHeading Fees and Expenses
Expense Narrative [Text Block] rr_ExpenseNarrativeTextBlock

This table describes the fees and expenses that you may pay if you buy and hold shares of the fund. These figures do not reflect any fees or charges imposed by participating insurance companies under their Variable Annuity contracts (VA contracts) or Variable Life Insurance policies (VLI policies), and if such fees and/or charges were included, the fees and expenses would be higher.
Operating Expenses Caption [Text] rr_OperatingExpensesCaption Annual Fund Operating Expenses (expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment)
Portfolio Turnover [Heading] rr_PortfolioTurnoverHeading Portfolio Turnover
Portfolio Turnover [Text Block] rr_PortfolioTurnoverTextBlock

The fund pays transaction costs, such as commissions, when it buys and sells securities (or "turns over" its portfolio). A higher portfolio turnover may indicate higher transaction costs. These costs, which are not reflected in annual fund operating expenses or in the Example, affect the fund's performance. During the most recent fiscal year, the fund's portfolio turnover rate was 105.48% of the average value of its portfolio.
Portfolio Turnover, Rate rr_PortfolioTurnoverRate 105.48%
Expense Example [Heading] rr_ExpenseExampleHeading Example
Expense Example Narrative [Text Block] rr_ExpenseExampleNarrativeTextBlock

The Example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the fund with the cost of investing in other mutual funds. The Example assumes that you invest $10,000 in the fund for the time periods indicated and then redeem all of your shares at the end of those periods. The Example also assumes that your investment has a 5% return each year and that the fund's operating expenses remain the same. The Example does not reflect fees and expenses incurred under VA contracts and VLI policies; if they were reflected, the figures in the Example would be higher. Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions your costs would be:
Strategy [Heading] rr_StrategyHeading Principal Investment Strategy
Strategy Narrative [Text Block] rr_StrategyNarrativeTextBlock

To pursue its goals, the fund normally invests at least 80% of its net assets, plus any borrowings for investment purposes, in stocks (or other instruments with similar economic characteristics). The fund focuses on stocks of large-cap value companies (market capitalizations of $1 billion and above). The fund typically invests mainly in the stocks of U.S. issuers, and will limit its holdings of foreign stocks (i.e., issued by companies organized under the laws of countries other than the U.S.) to 20% of the value of its total assets.


In choosing stocks, the portfolio manager focuses on individual stock selection (a "bottom-up" approach) rather than forecasting stock market trends (a "top-down" approach), and looks for value companies. A three-step value screening process is used to select stocks, which includes screenings for value, sound business fundamentals and positive business momentum.
Risk [Heading] rr_RiskHeading Principal Risks
Risk Narrative [Text Block] rr_RiskNarrativeTextBlock

An investment in the fund is not a bank deposit. It is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) or any other government agency. It is not a complete investment program. The fund's share price fluctuates, sometimes dramatically, which means you could lose money.


· Risks of stock investing. Stocks generally fluctuate more in value than bonds and may decline significantly over short time periods. There is the chance that stock prices overall will decline because stock markets tend to move in cycles, with periods of rising prices and falling prices. The market value of a stock may decline due to general market conditions or because of factors that affect the particular company or the company's industry.


· Value stock risk. Value stocks involve the risk that they may never reach their expected full market value, either because the market fails to recognize the stock's intrinsic worth or the expected value was misgauged. They also may decline in price even though in theory they are already undervalued.


· Foreign investment risk. To the extent the fund invests in foreign securities, the fund's performance will be influenced by political, social and economic factors affecting investments in foreign issuers. Special risks associated with investments in foreign issuers include exposure to currency fluctuations, less liquidity, less developed or less efficient trading markets, lack of comprehensive company information, political and economic instability and differing auditing and legal standards. Investments denominated in foreign currencies are subject to the risk that such currencies will decline in value relative to the U.S. dollar and affect the value of these investments held by the fund.


· Portfolio turnover risk. The fund may engage in short-term trading, which could produce higher transaction costs.


· Large cap stock risk. To the extent the fund invests in large capitalization stocks, the fund may underperform funds that invest primarily in the stocks of lower quality, smaller capitalization companies during periods when the stocks of such companies are in favor.
Risk Lose Money [Text] rr_RiskLoseMoney The fund's share price fluctuates, sometimes dramatically, which means you could lose money.
Risk Not Insured Depository Institution [Text] rr_RiskNotInsuredDepositoryInstitution An investment in the fund is not a bank deposit. It is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) or any other government agency.
Bar Chart and Performance Table [Heading] rr_BarChartAndPerformanceTableHeading Performance
Performance Narrative [Text Block] rr_PerformanceNarrativeTextBlock

The following bar chart and table provide some indication of the risks of investing in the fund. The bar chart shows changes in the performance of the fund's Initial shares from year to year. The table compares the average annual total returns of the fund's shares to those of a broad measure of market performance. The fund's past performance is not necessarily an indication of how the fund will perform in the future. More recent performance information may be available at www.dreyfus.com.


Performance information reflects the fund's expenses only and does not reflect the fees and charges imposed by participating insurance companies under their VA contracts or VLI policies. Because these fees and charges will reduce total return, policyowners should consider them when evaluating and comparing the fund's performance. Policyowners should consult the prospectus for their contract or policy for more information.
Performance Information Illustrates Variability of Returns [Text] rr_PerformanceInformationIllustratesVariabilityOfReturns The following bar chart and table provide some indication of the risks of investing in the fund.
Performance Availability Website Address [Text] rr_PerformanceAvailabilityWebSiteAddress www.dreyfus.com
Performance Past Does Not Indicate Future [Text] rr_PerformancePastDoesNotIndicateFuture The fund's past performance is not necessarily an indication of how the fund will perform in the future.
Bar Chart [Heading] rr_BarChartHeading Year-by-Year Total Returns as of 12/31 each year (%) Initial Shares
Bar Chart Closing [Text Block] rr_BarChartClosingTextBlock
   
 

Best Quarter
Q2, 2009: 16.83%

Worst Quarter
Q3, 2011: -22.14%
Highest Quarterly Return, Label rr_HighestQuarterlyReturnLabel Best Quarter
Highest Quarterly Return, Date rr_BarChartHighestQuarterlyReturnDate Jun. 30, 2009
Highest Quarterly Return rr_BarChartHighestQuarterlyReturn 16.83%
Lowest Quarterly Return, Label rr_LowestQuarterlyReturnLabel Worst Quarter
Lowest Quarterly Return, Date rr_BarChartLowestQuarterlyReturnDate Sep. 30, 2011
Lowest Quarterly Return rr_BarChartLowestQuarterlyReturn (22.14%)
Index No Deduction for Fees, Expenses, Taxes [Text] rr_IndexNoDeductionForFeesExpensesTaxes reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes
Caption rr_AverageAnnualReturnCaption Average Annual Total Returns (as of 12/31/15)
Core Value Portfolio | Russell 1000® Value Index reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes  
Risk/Return: rr_RiskReturnAbstract  
Average Annual Returns, 1 Year rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01 (3.83%)
Average Annual Returns, 5 Years rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear05 11.27%
Average Annual Returns, 10 Years rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear10 6.16%
Core Value Portfolio | Core Value Portfolio - Initial Shares  
Risk/Return: rr_RiskReturnAbstract  
Management fees rr_ManagementFeesOverAssets 0.75%
Distribution and/or service (12b-1) fees rr_DistributionAndService12b1FeesOverAssets none
Other expenses rr_OtherExpensesOverAssets 0.32%
Total annual fund operating expenses rr_ExpensesOverAssets 1.07%
Expense Example, with Redemption, 1 Year rr_ExpenseExampleYear01 $ 109
Expense Example, with Redemption, 3 Years rr_ExpenseExampleYear03 340
Expense Example, with Redemption, 5 Years rr_ExpenseExampleYear05 590
Expense Example, with Redemption, 10 Years rr_ExpenseExampleYear10 $ 1,306
Annual Return 2006 rr_AnnualReturn2006 21.31%
Annual Return 2007 rr_AnnualReturn2007 3.00%
Annual Return 2008 rr_AnnualReturn2008 (35.91%)
Annual Return 2009 rr_AnnualReturn2009 18.18%
Annual Return 2010 rr_AnnualReturn2010 13.21%
Annual Return 2011 rr_AnnualReturn2011 (5.82%)
Annual Return 2012 rr_AnnualReturn2012 18.34%
Annual Return 2013 rr_AnnualReturn2013 37.87%
Annual Return 2014 rr_AnnualReturn2014 10.31%
Annual Return 2015 rr_AnnualReturn2015 (2.22%)
Average Annual Returns, 1 Year rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01 (2.22%)
Average Annual Returns, 5 Years rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear05 10.63%
Average Annual Returns, 10 Years rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear10 5.91%
Core Value Portfolio | Core Value Portfolio - Service Shares  
Risk/Return: rr_RiskReturnAbstract  
Management fees rr_ManagementFeesOverAssets 0.75%
Distribution and/or service (12b-1) fees rr_DistributionAndService12b1FeesOverAssets 0.25%
Other expenses rr_OtherExpensesOverAssets 0.32%
Total annual fund operating expenses rr_ExpensesOverAssets 1.32%
Expense Example, with Redemption, 1 Year rr_ExpenseExampleYear01 $ 134
Expense Example, with Redemption, 3 Years rr_ExpenseExampleYear03 418
Expense Example, with Redemption, 5 Years rr_ExpenseExampleYear05 723
Expense Example, with Redemption, 10 Years rr_ExpenseExampleYear10 $ 1,590
Average Annual Returns, 1 Year rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01 (2.50%)
Average Annual Returns, 5 Years rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear05 10.36%
Average Annual Returns, 10 Years rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear10 5.70%