ABSTRACT
The early work on relationships focused on issues related to initial attraction, including what factors people are attracted to and thus seek in a mate, also referred to as partner preferences. In psychology, this early work on partner preferences was guided by two rather independent perspectives: a social-psychological perspective and an evolutionary perspective. Some evidence suggests that, in short-term relationship contexts, men and women equally value partner physical attractiveness and earning potential. People are indeed more satisfied with their romantic relationships to the extent that their partners are relatively warm. Given that sex-differentiated partner preferences are most likely to emerge in long-term relationships, and given the implications of women’s attractiveness and men’s earning potential for reproductive success, such sex differences are most likely to emerge in studies of reproductively viable, long-term couples. One way to improve understanding of attraction and early relationship processes may be through the use of performance-based implicit measures.
