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

Abstract

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.

Relationship Trajectories: A Meta-Theoretical Framework and Theoretical Applications

“…Although scholars occasionally examine initial attraction longitudinally Bahns, Crandall, Gillath, & Preacher, 2017;Eastwick & Finkel, 2008b;Reis, Maniaci, Caprariello, Eastwick, & Finkel, 2011;Sharabi & Caughlin, 2017;Sprecher & Duck, 1994), such studies are rare. Even rarer are studies that attempt to capture the "official" formation of a relationship-defined as the moment two people agree they are romantic partners (Campbell, Chin, & Stanton, 2016;Eastwick & Finkel, 2008a;Eastwick, Keneski, Morgan, McDonald, & Huang, 2018). Consequently, we know remarkably little about what takes place between the moment two strangers meet and the moment they form a mutually recognized, committed romantic partnership (Campbell & Stanton, 2014;Eastwick & Finkel, 2008c).…”

Is Romantic Desire Predictable? Machine Learning Applied to Initial Romantic Attraction

“…Although these claims have not been scientifically vetted, they are not theoretically far-fetched. Myriad perspectives in the close relationships and evolutionary psychological literatures suggest that outcomes such as relationship satisfaction and longevity follow from the conjunction of two partners' preferences, traits, and personal histories (e.g., Buss & Barnes, 1986;Byrne, 1961;McNulty, 2016;Campbell, Chin, & Stanton, 2016).…”

Similar to And/Or Better than Oneself? Singles’ Ideal Partner Personality Descriptions

“…Importantly, recent studies indicate that ideal partner preferences are not just idle fantasies but have real‐world effects (Conroy‐Beam & Buss, ; Gerlach, Arslan, Schultze, Reinhard, & Penke, ). For example, Campbell, Chin, and Stanton () assessed the ideal partner preferences of singles (people not being in a casual or serious relationship) and tracked the singles for over a 5‐month period until some of them entered into relationships. The new partners were then contacted and asked to describe themselves regarding the same characteristics the previous singles had used to describe their ideal partners.…”