Psychology Science Minute #412

How do we pick our lifetime partner? What traits are more desirable than others? Do cultures differ?

UK Psychologists studied whether Eastern and Western cultures prioritize traits similarly. Researchers compared those in “Eastern” with “Western” cultures, totaling 2,500 participants from 59 countries.

To reveal which traits participants valued, researchers had each participant place money (when they had little money, moderate, and large amounts) on different desired traits they wished for a “long-term” partner in order to compare and identify highest priorities.

Results? When participants had less money, thus chose the essential traits, men and women gave the highest ratings to kindness and physical attractiveness, indicating these were most important for reproductive success. However, only women and Eastern men gave the highest ratings to “good financial prospects.”Western men and women found humor essential whereas Eastern men and women found humor a luxury (high budget only). Western women gave high priority to partner’s wanting children equally in high and low...