Settling down without settling: Perceived changes in partner preferences in response to COVID-19

Abstract

The goal of this study was to explore the positive association between concern related to COVID-19 and single individuals’ perceived changes to their partner preferences. In addition, we investigated the mediating role of fear of being single. Results indicated that people with greater COVID-19 concern perceived an increase in the importance of stability, family commitment, and physical/social attractiveness, as well as fear of being single. Fear of being single only negatively predicted the importance of physical/social attractiveness, whereas it positively predicted the importance of stability and family commitment. Thus, in most cases, people with a greater concern for COVID-19 perceived themselves to become more selective, even when they exhibit higher levels of fear of being single.

Worth the risk? Fear of being single and willingness to make risky health decisions in sex and dating contexts

“…Replicating previous research (Spielmann & Cantarella, 2020;Spielmann et al, 2013), FOBS was positively associated with willingness to settle. FOBS was associated with higher COVID concern (similar to Alexopoulos et al, 2021), but also greater willingness to engage in physical proximity on a date. However, FOBS was not associated with willingness to engage in more general COVID risks, such as noncompliance with social distancing or cleanliness/masking guidelines.…”

“…Restricted opportunities to connect with prospective partners may have intensified concerns about extended singlehood. Perhaps reflecting some desperation, FOBS was associated with lowering standards for a partner's physical and social attractiveness (though not stability/family commitment) during the pandemic (Alexopoulos et al., 2021). FOBS was not associated with perceptions of invulnerability during the pandemic, but did predict heightened concern about contracting COVID‐19 (Alexopoulos et al., 2021).…”

“…Perhaps reflecting some desperation, FOBS was associated with lowering standards for a partner's physical and social attractiveness (though not stability/family commitment) during the pandemic (Alexopoulos et al., 2021). FOBS was not associated with perceptions of invulnerability during the pandemic, but did predict heightened concern about contracting COVID‐19 (Alexopoulos et al., 2021). Since COVID‐related risk perception predicts the adoption of preventative health behaviors (Dryhurst et al., 2020), but strong mating and affiliation motives reduce compliance with social distancing and pathogen‐avoidance (Gul et al., 2022; Sacco et al., 2014), the association between FOBS and risk‐taking in pursuit of relationships during the pandemic was exploratory.…”

Dolling-up under disease threats: Do pathogen threats motivate attractiveness signaling?

“…Park et al (2012) found that trait pathogen disgust negatively correlated with attractiveness ratings for images of faces that were previously rated as “unattractive.” Moreover, pathogen cues increased females’ preference for males’ genetic quality (i.e., attractiveness), even at the expense of other important traits indicative of parental quality, such as resource acquisition ability and commitment (Lee & Zietsch, 2011). This mechanism is reflected in real-world environments with high threat of pathogens: people who are more concerned about COVID-19 attach higher importance on physical attractiveness when seeking a mate (Alexopoulos et al, 2021).…”

COVID-19 and Romantic Relationships

“…The pandemic also had an effect on the willingness to engage in a relationship. COVID-19 concerns increased the fear of being single, which, in turn, increased the importance of stability and family commitment [43]. Still, experiencing meaningful interpersonal connections during the first days of the pandemic created a context for the affirmation of the self and led to an emotional uplift [44].…”