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ERIC Number: EJ819084
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2008-Dec
Pages: 10
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-0022-2445
EISSN: N/A
Body Weight and Matching with a Physically Attractive Romantic Partner
Carmalt, Julie H.; Cawley, John; Joyner, Kara; Sobal, Jeffery
Journal of Marriage and Family, v70 n5 p1287-1296 Dec 2008
Matching and attribute trade are two perspectives used to explain mate selection. We investigated patterns of matching and trade, focusing on obesity, using Add Health Romantic Pair data (N = 1,405 couples). Obese individuals, relative to healthy weight individuals, were less likely to have physically attractive partners, with this disadvantage greater for women than men, and greater for White women than Black women. Additional education, a more attractive personality, and better grooming increased the probability of having a physically attractive partner and offset the disadvantage of obesity for some individuals. Unexpectedly, we found women, like men, trade education for their partners' physical attractiveness. Despite evidence of attribute trade, matching with respect to physical characteristics was the dominant mate selection pattern. (Contains 2 tables.)
Blackwell Publishing. 350 Main Street, Malden, MA 02148. Tel: 800-835-6770; Tel: 781-388-8599; Fax: 781-388-8232; e-mail: customerservices@blackwellpublishing.com; Web site: http://www.blackwellpublishing.com/jnl_default.asp
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: N/A
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A