Sex differences in mate preferences revisited: do people know what they initially desire in a romantic partner?
Level 3 - non-randomized controlled study
Prospective observational cohort study with longitudinal follow-up
PubMed 18211175 · doi:10.1037/0022-3514.94.2.245
What was done
Participants stated their ideal romantic-partner preferences regarding physical attractiveness and earning prospects before engaging in a speed-dating paradigm with longitudinal follow-up. The study assessed whether stated ideals predicted romantic desire toward real-life partners met during and outside the event.
What was found
The abstract reports no numerical values, test statistics, or effect sizes. Directionally, traditional sex differences emerged for stated ideal preferences (men valued attractiveness more than women; women valued earning prospects more than men), but no sex differences were observed in actual romantic interest toward real-life partners based on those traits, and stated ideals failed to predict actual desire.
Why it matters
This study demonstrates a dissociation between stated mate preferences and actual attraction in real-time encounters, suggesting self-reported partner ideals may reflect limited introspective awareness rather than true behavioral drivers.
Limits
The abstract does not disclose the sample size, participant demographics, or length of longitudinal follow-up. The findings reflect initial attraction in a speed-dating context and may not generalize to long-term mate selection across diverse cultural or socioeconomic settings.