What Do You Look for in a Romantic Partner?

Some of the most common characteristics people look for in a romantic partner are listed below. Rank order these characteristics in terms of their importance to you in looking for a romantic partner. The most important characteristic would be ranked #1, while the characteristic least important to you would be ranked #13.

Characteristic Your Rank

1. adaptability _____
2. kindness and understanding _____
3. religious orientation _____
4. creativity _____
5. physical attractiveness _____
6. good health _____
7. desire for children _____
8. good housekeeper _____
9. college graduate _____
10. exciting personality _____
11. intelligence _____
12. good heredity _____
13. good earning capacity _____

David Buss, a psychologist at the University of Michigan, has studied the characteristics that men and women look for in a romantic partner.* He found that men and women ranked the characteristics listed above in the following order, from most to least important:

Men: B,K,E,J,F,A,D,G,I,L,M,H,C

Women: B,K,J,F,A,E,D,M,I,G,L,H,C

1. How do you compare with the gender norms from Dr. Buss's study?
2. Comparing the male and female rankings of important characteristics of a romantic partner, what do you see as the most important similarities and differences?
3. Are there important characteristics that you look for in a romantic partner that are not listed above?

*Buss, David M. (1985) "Human Mate Selection," American Scientist, 73:47-51.