Ideal mate standards and romantic relationships.

Campbell, Lorne; Pink, Jennifer; Stanton, Sarah C. E.

doi:10.1037/14344-009

Cited by 4 publications

(4 citation statements)

References 86 publications

(166 reference statements)

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“…Implied in this body of research is that ideal partner preferences guide the mate selection process, and thus knowing what individuals say they want in a potential partner should be associated with the actual qualities of their future partners. If such a link did not in fact exist, the results of this large body of research would simply be unable able to provide insight into the process of relationship formation, largely undermining the value of these studies (see Campbell, Pink, & Stanton, in press).…”

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The Predictive Validity of Ideal Partner Preferences in Relationship Formation: What We Know, What We Don't Know, and Why It Matters

Campbell

Stanton

2014

Social & Personality Psych

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A great deal of research on interpersonal attraction implicitly assumes that stated ideal partner preferences guide the mate selection, and therefore relationship formation, process. Nevertheless, recent research has yielded contradictory results. Whereas some research has failed to demonstrate that ideal partner preferences influence attraction to actual potential romantic partners, other studies have provided empirical evidence for the predictive validity of ideal partner preferences following interactions with potential romantic partners. A new meta-analysis on the predictive validity of ideal partner preferences concluded that people may not preferentially pursue potential partners that more closely match their stated preferences. This conclusion has significant implications for several empirical literatures that have relied on self-reported ideal partner preferences to test hypotheses. We demonstrate, however, that the majority of the research on the predictive validity of ideal partner preferences, and thus research included in this meta-analysis, focuses on interpersonal attraction or later relationship processes and not on individuals transitioning into actual new relationships. We suggest that research that directly focuses on the transition into actual relationships is needed before firm conclusions can be made regarding the predictive validity of ideal partner preferences in the formation of new relationships.

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confidence: 99%

The Predictive Validity of Ideal Partner Preferences in Relationship Formation: What We Know, What We Don't Know, and Why It Matters

Campbell

Stanton

2014

Social & Personality Psych

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“…These ideal partner preferences are often detailed and encompass many domains (see [6]). Implicit in research on this topic is the assumption that ideal partner preferences are importantly involved in guiding mate search and mate choice.…”

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Initial Evidence that Individuals Form New Relationships with Partners that More Closely Match their Ideal Preferences

2016

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An important assumption in interpersonal attraction research asking participants about their ideal partner preferences is that these preferences play a role in actual mate choice and relationship formation. Existing research investigating the possible predictive validity of ideal partner preference, however, is limited by the fact that none of it has focused on the actual process of relationship formation. The current research recruited participants when single, assessed ideal partner preferences across 38 traits and attributes, tracked participants' relationship status over 5 months, and successfully recruited the new partners of 38 original participants to assess their self-evaluations across the same 38 traits and attributes. Using multilevel modeling to assess the correspondence between ideal partner preferences and self-evaluations within couple, the results showed a positive within-couple association that was not accounted for by personality similarity or stereotype accuracy. We discuss these results with respect to the current literature on the predictive validity of ideal partner preferences in relationship formation.

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“…Single individuals appear to be open to a broad range of dating partners ( Joel, Eastwick, & Finkel, 2017 ; Kurzban & Weeden, 2007 ) and motivated to see potential dating partners in a positive light ( Berscheid et al, 1976 ) to the extent that they will overlook potential flaws and incompatibilities ( Eastwick et al, 2011 ; Joel et al, 2014 ; Slotter & Gardner, 2012 ). People in new dating relationships tend to become rapidly attached to their new dating partners ( Fagundes & Schindler, 2012 ; Heffernan et al, 2012 ) and adjust their dating standards to match their partners ( L. Campbell et al, 2015 ; Gere & Impett, 2018 ; Gerlach et al, 2019 ). The decision to move in with a romantic partner is often made with little conscious deliberation ( Lindsay, 2000 ; Manning & Smock, 2005 ; Sassler, 2004 ; Stanley et al, 2006 ).…”

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We’re Not That Choosy: Emerging Evidence of a Progression Bias in Romantic Relationships

Joel

MacDonald

2021

Pers Soc Psychol Rev

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Dating is widely thought of as a test phase for romantic relationships, during which new romantic partners carefully evaluate each other for long-term fit. However, this cultural narrative assumes that people are well equipped to reject poorly suited partners. In this article, we argue that humans are biased toward pro-relationship decisions—decisions that favor the initiation, advancement, and maintenance of romantic relationships. We first review evidence for a progression bias in the context of relationship initiation, investment, and breakup decisions. We next consider possible theoretical underpinnings—both evolutionary and cultural—that may explain why getting into a relationship is often easier than getting out of one, and why being in a less desirable relationship is often preferred over being in no relationship at all. We discuss potential boundary conditions that the phenomenon may have, as well as its implications for existing theoretical models of mate selection and relationship development.

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Ideal mate standards and romantic relationships.

Cited by 4 publications

References 86 publications

The Predictive Validity of Ideal Partner Preferences in Relationship Formation: What We Know, What We Don't Know, and Why It Matters

The Predictive Validity of Ideal Partner Preferences in Relationship Formation: What We Know, What We Don't Know, and Why It Matters

Initial Evidence that Individuals Form New Relationships with Partners that More Closely Match their Ideal Preferences

We’re Not That Choosy: Emerging Evidence of a Progression Bias in Romantic Relationships

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