New Study Shows What Men and Women Look for in a Date

A recent study published in the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology entitled "Sex Differences in Mate Preferences Revisited: Do People Know What They Initially Desire in a Romantic Partner?" has discovered what men and women look for in a date. Not surprisingly, the most important qualities a potential mate could have were attractiveness and earning power. The study also found that what people said they wanted in a partner and what their actual romantic choices were not the same at all.

To perform the study, researchers followed a group of singles along a speed dating event by questioning the participants ten days prior to the evening, watching them during the speed dates, and then questioning them again thirty days after. The evidence corroborated similar studies that have shown people in general aren`t able to accurately communicate why they choose to do the things they do. Graduate psychology student and study lead Paul Eastwick commented:

"If you were to tell me that you prefer physically attractive romantic partners, I would expect to see that you indeed are more attracted to physically attractive partners. But our participants didn't pursue their ideal in this way. This leads us to question whether people know what they initially value in a romantic partner."

Reference: Northwestern University (2008, February 14). What Men And Women Say And Do In Choosing Romantic Partners Are Two Different Matters. ScienceDaily.