Stability and Change of Individual Differences in Ideal Partner Preferences Over 13 Years
2023 | journal article. A publication with affiliation to the University of Göttingen.
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Stability and Change of Individual Differences in Ideal Partner Preferences Over 13 Years
Driebe, J. C.; Stern, J.; Penke, L. & Gerlach, T. M. (2023)
Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, art. 014616722311647. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/01461672231164757
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Details
- Authors
- Driebe, Julie C.; Stern, Julia; Penke, Lars; Gerlach, Tanja M.
- Abstract
- Ideal partner preferences for traits in a partner are said to be stable cognitive constructs. However, longitudinal studies investigating the same participants’ ideals repeatedly have so far been limited to relatively short retest intervals of a maximum of 3 years. Here, we investigate the stability and change of ideals across 13 years and participants’ insight into how ideals have changed. A total of 204 participants ( M = 46.2 years, SD = 7.4, 104 women) reported their ideals at two time points. We found a mean rank-order stability of r = .42 and an overall profile stability of r = .73 (distinctive r = .53). Some ideals changed over time, for example, increased for status-resources in relation to age and parenthood. We found some but varying insight into how ideals had changed (mean r = .20). Results support the idea of ideals being stable cognitive constructs but suggest some variability related to the demands of different life stages.
- Issue Date
- 2023
- Journal
- Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin
- ISSN
- 0146-1672
- eISSN
- 1552-7433
- Language
- English
- Sponsor
- Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft https://doi.org/10.13039/501100001659