Sex differences in desired characteristics of short-term and long-term relationship partners

This investigation compared women's and men's desired characteristics in pa rtners far typical short-term ('dating someone more than once' without an e xpectation of a short- or long-term relationship) and long-term ('dating so meone for a long time' with the possibility, but not certainty, of marriage ) relationships. Results indicated that (a) both women and men are more sel ective when selecting a long-term rather than a short-term relationship par tner, and (b) women and men differ in their desired characteristics for sho rt-term relationship partners and long-term relationship partners. The pref erred characteristics of each sex support a qualified differential parental investment perspective: men see 'reproductive value' (e.g., physical attra ctiveness) as important for potential female partners, and women rook at 'r esource acquisition ability' (e.g., earning capacity) as important for pote ntial male partners. While there were significant differences between men a nd women in their desired characteristics in short- and long-term relations hip partners, there were many similarities in what they seek, such as the d esire for children in long-term partners and an exciting personality in sho rt-term and longterm partners.