A worldwide test of the predictive validity of ideal partner preference matching

Bibliographic Data

ID6200528
AuthorsPaul W Eastwick (0000-0001-8512-8721, University of California, Davis), Jehan Sparks (0000-0002-6997-1783, University of California, Los Angeles), E J Finkel (0000-0002-0213-5318), Eva M Meza (University of California, Davis), Matúš Adamkovič (0000-0002-9648-9108, Slovak Academy of Sciences), Peter Adu (0000-0002-1931-147X, Victoria University of Wellington), Ting Ai (0000-0003-1883-7071, University of Kansas), Aderonke A Akintola (0000-0003-4159-7838, Redeemer's University), Laith Al-Shawaf (0000-0002-8600-0591), Denisa Apriliawati (0000-0002-6452-073X, Sunan Kalijaga State Islamic University Yogyakarta), Patricia Arriaga (0000-0001-5766-0489, Iscte – Instituto Universitário de Lisboa), Benjamin Aubert-Teillaud (0000-0003-4470-1856, Sorbonne Paris Cité), Gabriel Baník (0000-0002-6601-3619, University of Pavol Jozef Šafárik), Krystian Barzykowski (0000-0003-4016-3966, Jagiellonian University), Carlota Batres (0000-0002-3833-7667, Franklin & Marshall College), Katherine J W Baucom (0000-0002-0011-2526, University of Utah), Elizabeth Z Beaulieu, Élizabeth Beaulieu (0000-0001-8447-7073, University of Utah), Maciej Behnke (0000-0002-2455-4556, Adam Mickiewicz University in Poznań), Natalie Butcher (0000-0002-0154-0530, Teesside University), Deborah Yazhini Charles (0000-0003-3439-6827, Christ University), Jane Minyan Chen (Wellesley College), Jeong Eun Cheon (0000-0003-0133-3109, Yonsei University), Phakkanun Chittham (0000-0002-3037-8915, Chulalongkorn University), Patrycja Chwiłkowska (0000-0002-5385-1939, Adam Mickiewicz University in Poznań), Chin Wen Cong (0000-0003-4592-0727, Universiti Tunku Abdul Rahman), Lee T Copping (0000-0003-3252-0353, Teesside University), Nadia S Corral-Frías (0000-0002-1934-0043, Universidad de Sonora), Vera Cubela Adoric (0000-0003-4752-4541, University of Zadar), Mikaela Dizon (0009-0007-6933-8754, University of Edinburgh), Hongfei Du (0000-0002-9605-8463, Beijing Normal University), Michael I Ehinmowo (0000-0003-2287-7287, University of Ibadan), Daniela A Escribano (0000-0003-2472-1083, University of Kansas), Natalia M Espinosa (0000-0001-7854-3708, Duke University), Francisca Expósito (0000-0001-6157-4292, Universidad de Granada), Gilad Feldman (0000-0003-2812-6599, University of Hong Kong), Raquel Meister Ko Freitag (0000-0002-4972-4320, Universidade Federal de Sergipe), Raquel Freitag, Martha Frias Armenta (0000-0001-5155-5485, Universidad de Sonora), Albina Gallyamova (0000-0002-8775-7289, National Research University Higher School of Economics), Omri Gillath (0000-0001-8791-227X, University of Kansas), Biljana Gjoneska (0000-0003-1200-6672, Macedonian Academy of Sciences and Arts), Theofilos Gkinopoulos (0000-0003-1070-6245, Jagiellonian University), Franca Grafe (Witten/Herdecke University), Dmitry Grigoryev (0000-0003-4511-7942, National Research University Higher School of Economics), Agata Groyecka-Bernard (0000-0002-1932-4828, University of Wrocław), Gul Gunaydin (0000-0003-0490-4528, Sabancı Üniversitesi), Ruby Ilustrisimo, Ruby D Ilustrisimo (Universidad San Carlos), Emily Impett (0000-0003-3348-7524, University of Toronto), Pavol Kačmár (0000-0003-0076-1945, University of Pavol Jozef Šafárik), Young-Hee Kim (0000-0002-0167-749X, Yonsei University), Young-Hoon Kim (0000-0002-6151-6911), Mirosław Kocur (0000-0002-7329-122X, University of Wrocław), Marta Kowal (0000-0001-9050-1471, University of Wrocław), Maatangi Krishna, Paul Danielle Labor (0000-0001-9557-2869, University of the Philippines System), Jackson G Lu (0000-0002-0144-9171, Massachusetts Institute of Technology), Marc Yancy Lucas (0000-0001-9831-3723, Universidad de Sonora), W P Malecki (0000-0003-4768-713X, Polish Academy of Sciences), Wojciech P Małecki, Klara Malinakova (0000-0001-6939-1204, Palacký University Olomouc), Sofia Meißner (Witten/Herdecke University), Zdenek Meier (0000-0001-9810-6230, Palacký University Olomouc), Michal Misiak (0000-0002-6892-3325, University of Wrocław), Amy Muise (0000-0002-9000-4106, York University), Lorie Novak (0000-0002-7582-2098, Palacký University Olomouc), Jiaqing O, O Jiaqing (Singapore Institute of Technology), Asil Ali Özdoğru (0000-0002-4273-9394, Marmara University), Hyun-Gwi Park (0000-0001-5907-1514, University of Toronto), Haeyoung Gideon Park, Mariola Paruzel (Adam Mickiewicz University in Poznań), Zoran Pavlović (0000-0002-9231-5100, University of Belgrade), Marcell Püski (Eötvös Loránd University), Gianni Ribeiro (0000-0002-2594-8311, The University of Queensland), C Roberts (0009-0000-6905-1728), S Craig Roberts (0000-0002-9641-6101, University of Wrocław), Jan Philipp Röer (0000-0001-7774-3433, Witten/Herdecke University), Ivan Ropovik (0000-0001-5222-1233, Institute for Research and Development), Robert M Ro (0000-0001-8711-1675, Macquarie University), Ezgi Sakman (0000-0002-5974-6566, Bilkent University), Cristina E Salvador (0000-0002-6836-2126, Duke University), Emre Selcuk (0000-0002-2955-4221, Sabancı Üniversitesi), Shayna Skakoon-Sparling (0000-0002-5021-6593, Toronto Metropolitan University), Agnieszka Sorokowska (0000-0003-3999-8851, University of Wrocław), P Sorokowski (0000-0001-9225-9965, University of Wrocław), Ognen Spasovski (0000-0002-6039-6946), Огнен Спасовски (Saints Cyril and Methodius University of Skopje), Sarah C E Stanton (0000-0002-3562-4644, University of Edinburgh), Suzanne L K Stewart (0000-0003-2152-0091, University of Chester), Viren Swami (0000-0002-4866-7950, Anglia Ruskin University), Barnabas Szaszi (0000-0001-7078-2712, Eötvös Loránd University), K Takashima (0000-0002-7489-5682, Kyushu University), Peter Tavel (0000-0001-7072-001X, Palacký University Olomouc), Julian Tejada (0000-0003-0275-3578, Universidade Federal de Sergipe), Eric Tu (0000-0001-9623-1396, York University), Jarno Tuominen (0000-0002-3892-3199, University of Turku), David C Vaidis (0000-0002-1954-2219, Centre National pour la Recherche Scientifique et Technique (CNRST)), Zahir Vally (0000-0002-0083-6006, United Arab Emirates University), Leigh Ann Vaughn (0000-0002-2399-7400, Ithaca College), Laura Villanueva-Moya (0000-0002-4705-7827, Universidad de Granada), Dian Wisnuwardhani (University of Indonesia), Yuki Yamada (0000-0003-1431-568X, Kyushu University), Fumiya Yonemitsu (0000-0001-8774-4499, Shibaura Institute of Technology), Radka Zidkova (0000-0003-3144-2437, Palacký University Olomouc), Kristyna Zivna (0000-0001-5939-6474, Palacký University Olomouc), Nicholas A Coles (0000-0001-8583-5610, Stanford University)
Year2025
Volume128
Issue1
Pages123-146
Publication date2025-01-01
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueJournal of Personality and Social Psychology (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 0022-3514 • E-ISSN: 1939-1315
PublisherAmerican Psychological Association (APA) (PUBLISHER)
DOI10.1037/pspp0000524
PMID39480282
OpenAlexW4403945617
LanguageEN
Citations received10

10,358) across 43 countries and 22 languages to estimate preference-matching effect sizes. The most rigorous tests revealed significant preference-matching effects in the whole sample and for partnered and single participants separately. The "corrected pattern metric" that collapses across 35 traits revealed a zero-order effect of β = .19 and an effect of β = .11 when included alongside a normative preference-matching metric. Specific traits in the "level metric" (interaction) tests revealed very small (average β = .04) effects. Effect sizes were similar for partnered participants who reported ideals before entering a relationship, and there was no consistent evidence that individual differences moderated any effects. Comparisons between stated and revealed preferences shed light on gender differences and similarities: For attractiveness, men's and (especially) women's stated preferences underestimated revealed preferences (i.e., they thought attractiveness was less important than it actually was). For earning potential, men's stated preferences underestimated-and women's stated preferences overestimated-revealed preferences. Implications for the literature on human mating are discussed. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2025 APA, all rights reserved)

Developmental psychology · Ideal (ethics) · Matching (statistics) · Predictive validity · Preference · Psychometrics · Statistics · Test (biology) · Test validity · Attachment and Relationship Dynamics · Psychology · Social Psychology

Tools

Open DOIOpen Access