Experimental Tests of the Role of Ideal Partner Preferences in Relationships

Despite the large literature on ideal-partner preferences (i.e., evaluations of traits in anideal romantic partner), the consequences of ideals have rarely been tested experimentally. Inthis research, we (a) developed a paradigm to reliably manipulate ideal-partner preferences, and (b) conducted the first experimental tests of four theoretical perspectives. These perspectives were: motivated projection (high ideals cause the belief that a partner possesses the trait); preference-matching (trait-weighting) (high ideals cause satisfaction with a partner to the extent that people think their partner possesses the trait); situation selection (high ideals cause people to seek situations where they can meet partners with the trait); and perceiver effects (high ideals cause people to believe everyone possesses that trait). The motivated-projection and situation-selection accounts received very strong support, the perceiver-effects account received some support, and the preference-matching (trait-weighting) account received support in one study. Implications for motivational processes in relationships are discussed.