Sex Differences in Desired Characteristics of Short-Term and Long-Term Relationship Partners

Bibliographic Data

ID2931342
AuthorsStephanie Stewart (0000-0001-9112-5703, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill), Stephanie C Stewart (University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill), Heather Stinnett (University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill), Heather J Stinnett (University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill), Lawrence B Rosenfeld (University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill)
Year2000
Volume17
Issue6
Pages843-853
Publication date2000-12-01
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueJournal of Social and Personal Relationships (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 0265-4075 • E-ISSN: 1460-3608
PublisherSAGE Publications Inc (PUBLISHER)
DOI10.1177/0265407500176008
OpenAlexW2153887495
LanguageEN
Citations received52
References cited12

This investigation compared women's and men's desired characteristics in partners for typical short-term ('dating someone more than once' without an expectation of a short- or long-term relationship) and long-term ('dating someone for a long time' with the possibility, but not certainty, of marriage) relationships. Results indicated that (a) both women and men are more selective when selecting a long-term rather than a short-term relationship partner, and (b) women and men differ in their desired characteristics for short-term relationship partners and long-term relationship partners. The preferred characteristics of each sex support a qualified differential parental investment perspective: men see `reproductive value' (e.g., physical attractiveness) as important for potential female partners, and women look at `resource acquisition ability' (e.g., earning capacity) as important for potential male partners. While there were significant differences between men and women in their desired characteristics in short- and long-term relationship partners, there were many similarities in what they seek, such as the desire for children in long-term partners and an exciting personality in short-term and long-term partners

Attractiveness · Developmental psychology · Personality · Perspective (graphical · Physical attractiveness · Term (time · Attachment and Relationship Dynamics · Demography · Evolutionary Psychology and Human Behavior · Marriage and Sexual Relationships · Psychology · Social Psychology