Individual differences in necessities and luxuries in mate choice

• Thesis title in Czech: Individuální rozdíly ve vnímání nezbytných a postradatelných charakteristik ovlivňujících výběr partnera
• Thesis title in English: Individual differences in necessities and luxuries in mate choice
• Key words: Mate value; dealbreakers; dealmakers; mate choice; trade-off
• English key words: Mate value; dealbreakers; dealmakers; mate choice; trade-off
• Academic year of topic announcement: 2023/2024
• Thesis type: Bachelor's thesis
• Thesis language: angličtina
• Department: Department of Psychology and Life Sciences (24-KPVZ)
• Supervisor: Zsófia Csajbók, M.A., Ph.D.
• Author: hidden - assigned and confirmed by the Study Dept.
• Date of registration: 27.11.2023
• Date of assignment: 21.12.2023
• Confirmed by Study dept. on: 18.01.2024
• Date of electronic submission: 28.04.2024
• Date of proceeded defence: 14.06.2024
• Course: Bachelor Thesis Defense (YBAJSZ01)
• Opponents: Ellen Zakreski, Ph.D.

References

Brase, G. L., & Guy, E. C. (2004). The demographics of mate value and self-esteem. Personality and Individual Differences, 36(2), 471-484.
Buss, D. M. (1989). Sex differences in human mate preferences: Evolutionary hypotheses tested in 37 cultures. Behavioral and brain sciences, 12(1), 1-14.
Buss, D. M., & Schmitt, D. P. (1993). Sexual strategies theory: An evolutionary perspective on human mating. Psychological Review, 100, 204–232.
Csajbók, Z., & Berkics, M. (2017). Factor, factor, on the whole, who's the best fitting of all?: Factors of mate preferences in a large sample. Personality and Individual Differences, 114, 92-102.
Csajbók, Z., & Berkics, M. (2022). Seven deadly sins of potential romantic partners: The dealbreakers of mate choice. Personality and Individual Differences, 186, 111334.
Jonason, P. K., Garcia, J. R., Webster, G. D., Li, N. P., & Fisher, H. E. (2015). Relationship dealbreakers: Traits people avoid in potential mates. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 41(12), 1697-1711.
Li, N. P., & Kenrick, D. T. (2006). Sex similarities and differences in preferences for short-term mates: what, whether, and why. Journal of personality and social psychology, 90(3), 468.
Li, N. P., Bailey, J. M., Kenrick, D. T., & Linsenmeier, J. A. (2002). The necessities and luxuries of mate preferences: testing the tradeoffs. Journal of personality and social psychology, 82(6), 947.
Regan, P. C. (1998). What if you can't get what you want? Willingness to compromise ideal mate selection standards as a function of sex, mate value, and relationship context. Personality and social psychology bulletin, 24(12), 1294-1303.
Trivers, R. L. (2017). Parental investment and sexual selection. In Sexual selection and the descent of man (pp. 136-179). Routledge.

Preliminary scope of work in English

One of the most impactful theories on mate choice are the economical models. Relying on the evolutionary psychology of mate choice, the trade-off model assumes that we can distinguish mate preference necessities from luxuries when we put individuals under constraints. That is, when people have to compromise, they need to prioritize what are key, indispensable factors of mate choice, and what are the less important, nice to have factors for them.

In the current study, the student will analyze already published data from a new angle. On a sample of N = 1175 (57% female) Hungarian participants, the student will distinguish the necessities from luxuries among seven dealbreaker and seven dealmaker factors. To do so, the student will use the budget allocation method, where participants have either a high or a low budget to create their ideal partner. Afterwards, the student will study, how individual differences, such as sex, age, education, and mate value moderate which factors deem as necessities versus luxuries. To study the influence of individual differences on mate preferences, the student will correlate and compare the results of different mate preference measurement methods (i.e., preference ratings; low and high budget allocated for each preference trait; difference scores between high and low budgeted tasks).