A1 Journal article (refereed)
A worldwide test of the predictive validity of ideal partner preference matching. (2024)

Eastwick, P. W., Sparks, J., Finkel, E. J., Meza, E. M., Adamkovič, M., Adu, P., Ai, T., Akintola, A. A., Al-Shawaf, L., Apriliawati, D., Arriaga, P., Aubert-Teillaud, B., Baník, G., Barzykowski, K., Batres, C., Baucom, K. J., Beaulieu, E. Z., Behnke, M., Butcher, N., . . . Coles, N. A. (2024). A worldwide test of the predictive validity of ideal partner preference matching.. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, Early online. https://doi.org/10.1037/pspp0000524

JYU authors or editors

Publication details

All authors or editors: Eastwick, Paul W.; Sparks, Jehan; Finkel, Eli J.; Meza, Eva M.; Adamkovič, Matúš; Adu,Peter; Ai, Ting; Akintola, Aderonke A.; Al-Shawaf, Laith; Apriliawati, Denisa; et al.

Journal or series: Journal of Personality and Social Psychology

ISSN: 0022-3514

eISSN: 1939-1315

Publication year: 2024

Publication date: 31/10/2024

Volume: Early online

Publisher: American Psychological Association

Publication country: United States

Publication language: English

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1037/pspp0000524

Publication open access: Not open

Publication channel open access: 

Abstract

Ideal partner preferences (i.e., ratings of the desirability of attributes like attractiveness or intelligence) are the source of numerous foundational findings in the interdisciplinary literature on human mating. Recently, research on the predictive validity of ideal partner preference matching (i.e., Do people positively evaluate partners who match vs. mismatch their ideals?) has become mired in several problems. First, articles exhibit discrepant analytic and reporting practices. Second, different findings emerge across laboratories worldwide, perhaps because they sample different relationship contexts and/or populations. This registered report—partnered with the Psychological Science Accelerator—uses a highly powered design (N = 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.

Keywords: mating; couple relationship; spouses; gender differences; attractiveness; compatibility

Free keywords: attraction; close relationships; human mating; ideals; matching hypothesis

Contributing organizations

Ministry reporting: Yes

VIRTA submission year: 2024

Preliminary JUFO rating: 3