Contemporary Partner Preferences in Mate Selection: An Expanded List of Characteristics and the Addition of Constraints

Abstract

There is a long history of research on the topic of mate selection using college student samples. Much of this research focuses on desired partner characteristics using an instrument developed in 1939. While the data accrued over more than three-quarters of a century have provided insights about the ways in which evolving cultural values influence the importance of these characteristics, there has been little research on how well this list of characteristics reflects contemporary mate selection criteria. The current study addresses this gap in the research in two ways, First, an expanded list of partner characteristics, more reflective of contemporary mate selection criteria, was developed. Second, a constrained approach in assigning value to each characteristic was employed in order to assess the relative importance of each characteristic. Results indicate that several of the new characteristics were significantly more important than some in the original measure, demonstrating a need for an update to the 1939 instrument. Additionally, when choices were constrained, a clearer picture of priorities emerged. Finally, results produced categories of desired mate characteristics identified as deal breakers, necessities, preferences, luxuries, and unimportant.