تداوم و تغییر در ترجیحات همسر بزرگسالان نوظهور و جهت گیری همسریابی

The various milestones and transitions of emerging adulthood have led previous researchers to investigate continuity and change in personality traits during this life period. In the current study, we build on that research by investigating continuity and change during emerging adulthood in mate preferences and mating orientations. Following past research, we hypothesized that mate preferences and mating orientations would demonstrate weak-to-moderate rank-order stability over 3 years of emerging adulthood. We also hypothesized that emerging adults would display mean-level changes that reflect increasing maturity, such as an increased emphasis on long-term committed relationships and partners’ internal attributes and a decreased emphasis on short-term sexual relationships and partners’ physical attractiveness. We followed 200 young adults from their first year to their fourth year in college. Analyses revealed weak-to-moderate rank-order stability but very little mean-level change in mate preferences and mating orientations. We discuss limitations of this study and directions for future research.

In industrialized societies, the ages of 18–24 have been labeled “emerging adulthood” – a period of changes and identity exploration (Arnett, 2000). Many individuals leave home for the first time, begin college, and start working full-time. They also explore different relationship partners and types of relationships, which are thought to help form their relationship identities (Fincham & Cui, 2011) and prepare them for serious commitments of adulthood (Meier & Allen, 2009). Because the various challenges of emerging adulthood implicate it as an important period for personality development, previous researchers have investigated the ways in which personality traits display continuity and change during emerging adulthood (Roberts et al., 2001, Robins et al., 2001 and Vaidya et al., 2002). Similarly, varied relationship partners and experiences have the potential to influence individuals’ preferences and attitudes toward romantic relationships. Thus, in the current study we investigate the ways in which romantic partner preferences and relationship attitudes display continuity and change during emerging adulthood.