A central element of interdependence theory is that people have standards against which
they compare their current outcomes, and one ubiquitous standard in the mating domain is …

Three studies explored how the traits that people ideally desire in a romantic partner, or
ideal partner preferences, intersect with the process of romantic relationship initiation and …

Although empirical research has investigated what we ideally seek in a romantic partner for
decades, the crucial question of whether ideal partner preferences actually guide our mating …

Classic evolutionary and social exchange perspectives suggest that some people have
more mate value than others because they possess desirable traits (eg, attractiveness …

The majority of mate selection research focuses on what people want, rather than what they
will settle for, in a partner. The present study explored the extent to which sex, self perceived …

The present investigation examined the degree to which various characteristics are desired
in five types of relational partners. Men and women (N= 700) indicated their preferences for …

Most contemporary social psychological studies on inter-personal attraction have
independently explored the competing concepts of similarity and complementarity …

The current investigation extends recent studies that have examined the degree to which
various traits are preferred in a short-term sexual relationship versus a long-term romantic …

Previous research has shown that males value a potential partner's physical attractiveness
more than females do, whereas females value a potential partner's socioeconomic status …

The question as to what type of individual we prefer in a “romantic” partner has stimulated a
long history of research, with much of the present debate centering around the issue of the …