The attachment-security hypothesis thus makes clear prediction that all persons will prefer secure to insecure potential partners and that among the insecure, the preoccupied will be preferred to the avoidant potential partner. By contrast, a similarity principle predicts that each attachment type will prefer its own type to either of the others, and the complementary principle predicts that, among insecure types, the preoccupied will prefer the avoidant and vice versa. Latty-Mann&Davis(1987)
Since 1970 the development of the women’s movement has been accorded some official recognition in the form of a legislative package intended to reduce discrimination on the basis of sex, and through the establishment of the Equal Opportunities Commission. The commission concerned itself with the upholding of women’s rights and opportunities and also monitored the behaviour of any socialising agency, which might have the capacity to facilitate or impede the progress towards equality between the sexes. In respect of television advertising, this implies an examination of the ways in which males and females appearing in commercials are portrayed, to see whether these portrayals reflect the changes of the past decade and whether they are consistent with the officially sanctioned aim of grater equality for women. Murray et al, (1972)
Research/Design
The purposes of this experiment was to replicate Harrison and Saeed (1977) study on personal advertisements in local newspapers. The personal advertisements were randomly selected from the Manchester Evening News partners column. The ads that appeared in the column were all taken only from heterosexuals from each section. The reason why this research method was used were;
- Because it was possible to obtain a large sample, with an easily available source of data. Therefore, it is easy to chart the dating customs of many people, including all age groups.
- It gives a description not only about the desired features of the other sex (demands) but also about the advertiser’s own qualities (offers), enabling us to make comparisons between them.
- The advertisements are placed with the intention of actually meeting a prospective partner and they are therefore more `real’ than interview or questionnaire answers to hypothetical situations.
Samples of personal advertisements (n=80), were taken from one of the local newspaper, personal ads column. The advertisement were then categorised and the results collated on a tally sheet. (see appendix 1)
CODING CATEGORIES.
Coding categories were selected based on previous research of typical advertisements. The categories are quite similar to those used by Harrison and Saeed (1977), with a few additions. Each advertisement was coded in terms of each of the following categories: for all of the categories, separate coding was made for qualities offered and qualities sought.
Attractiveness. Descriptions of physical appearance, examples including: good-looking, attractive, handsome, and beautiful.
Physical Characteristics. Descriptions of physical appearance with no explicit value judgement attached, example including: specific height, hair colour, and eye colour, slim, chubby, athletic.
Financial Security. References to income, examples including: own house/car, solvent, and businessman.
Sincerity. References to moral virtue to prevent exploitation in an intimate relationship, examples including: good character, trustworthy, honesty, loyal.
Personality Traits. Intelligent, good sense of humour, caring, love to give, witty, wacky, down-to-earth.
Hobbies/Interests. References to activities a person does or prefers. examples include: odd nights out, clubbing, reading, eating out, theatre, travel, walking.
Occupation. Reference to a specific job or profession. examples include: career woman, businessman, nurse, and graduate.
Demographic Variables. Racial/Ethnic, Religion, Marital Status, Age. Four demographic variables were coded according to predetermined coding procedures. The racial/ethnic categories were white, caribbean,oriental, dark complexion, mauritian, and no mention. The religious categories no mention were made. The marital status were divorce, single, and no mention. Advertiser’s age was coded in one of the following categories: under 20, 20-29, 30-39, 40-49, 50-59, 60 and over. if no specific age was mention, age was coded as absent.
Interest in Marriage. Specific reference to marriage was coded as Sought or Offered.
Interest in Permanent Relationship. Specific reference to a relationship other than marriage was coded as Sought or Offered. example include long-term relationship, lasting relationship.
Request for Photograph. Specific request by writer for respondent to send a photograph was not mention.
RESULTS
Of the 80 coded advertisements, 50% (n = 40) were placed by males, with 50% (n = 40) placed by females. The male age group range from between 30-45 years, compared to the females, which was more varied with respect to age (20-”late fifties”).
Attractiveness
There was significant differences on all variables measured in the response section. Approximately more than 20% women, 15% men sought attractiveness, where as 45% women, and 17.5% of men were offering.
Physical
Women 27.5% were more likely than men 22.5% to seeking physical attractiveness, compared to 75% men, and 62.5% women who were more likely to offer these characteristics.
Demographic
Although there was a very high percentage of 62.5% of the men and 67.5% of the women who desired difference variable within the demographic scale, it must be taken into consideration that the age variable was not isolated, it was part of the demographic variable which consisted of Racial/ethnic, Religion, Martial status. Therefore, no inference can be made, about differences between both male or female preferences. (Kenrick & Keefe 1992: Wiederman 1993; Waynforth & Dunbar 1995). suggest that as women age,female advertisers prefer mates with a relatively similar age difference. This result seems to correspond to the other studies on this topic, which claimed a relatively stable preference about their mates’ age across life span.
Marriage
Although a relatively small number of advertiser 2.5% men, 5% women were seeking marriage in they relationships, there was a well balance of 12% of women, and men offering their potential partner long-term commitment.
Personality
As Table 3 shows, women attached much more importance to almost all the traits associated with personality. 42.5% women placed ‘Good-sense-of-humour’ on top of their requirements and were four time more likely than men to value it in their potential partner.
Hobbies/Interests
The desire for men to seek similar physical traits in potential partner, also extend to social activities with 37.5% men 32.5% women looking for the same quality describe within their hobbies and interests. The majority of men and women felt there had the same characteristics with 67% women, and 65% men having somewhat of a similar offer, and request.
Permanent
The quality of the relationship appeared more important to men, as they were more than likely than women to seek lasting relationships, 77.5% men, 57.5% women suggest the possibility of a permanent relationship, with 45% men, 15% women offering friendship leading to relationship.
Discussion.
In this study, it was possible to separate the samples into two groups-men and women-to examine the consistency of the findings reported by Harrison and Saeed (1977). The result did not support the hypothesis that men were more likely than women to offer financial resources and honesty/ sincerity, and to seek attractiveness, appealing body shape.
Awareness of a gender-stereotypic self-presentation strategy is one explanation for these findings. Buss (1989, 1994) Buss and Barnes (1986), however, provide an evolutionary perspective to these findings. Buss contends that the reason that men are more likely to seek younger women and women are more likely to seek older men is the factors that accompany a particular age, rather than the age per se. For men, increasing age is generally accompanied by increased in income, knowledge, patience, skill, and wisdom. Additionally, older men are most likely to be more mature, stable, and reliable. For women, older may not necessarily be better. Youth signifies both attractiveness and increased capacity for reproduction. Therefore, while it may seem that the search for a certain age in a partner is quite important, Buss argues that reproduction is the main goal in partner selection. Cicerello (1995)
There were a few results that were contrary to our expectations. Evolutionary theory predicts that females, more than males, will highly value traits associated with wealth and high status in mates. Although women in our sample were more likely to prefer resources in potential partners than men, a relatively small proportion of them demanded cues of wealth and status. In the priority ranking of female requirements, demand for financial condition is only the tenth most important cue, demand for high status is the ninth, and these are preceded by traits referring to personal or physical, characteristics. Bereczkei (1997)
One answer lies in the demographics of motherhood, which have changed significantly, especially since the 1950s. As women achieved career and educational goals, marriage and motherhood were delayed. This explains why so many women in there 30s and 40s are now having children for the first time. It also supports the idea of motherhood as a salient goal. Most women are unwilling to give up biological parenthood, although the families will be smaller than in their parent’s generation. Lindsey (1994).
Compared with men offering many resources, men who did not offer wealth and status offered more traits associated with domestic virtues. Human males, like other animals, show remarkable variability in their reproductive endeavours because of their lower levels of minimum parental investment compared with females (Hewlett 1992). They can act like dads, provisioning their young, or they can act like cads, increasing sexual access to mates (Dawkins1976). Males are opportunistic, and they predominantly follow a mixture of these pure strategies, depending on ecological and cultural circumstances. Bereczkei (1997)
This process of social give and take is similar to the theory of social exchange. More specific to the topic at hand, social exchange theory claims that the strength and viability of a relationship is determined by both rewards and costs in that relationship (Gonzales & Meyes, 1993). Thus, by offering characteristics, that they believe a prospective date would find appealing and by seeking characteristics that, they themselves find appealing, advertisers are maximising their rewards and minimising their costs.
Most research conducted into personal advertisements after the Harrison and Saeed (1977) study has proposed hypotheses based on exchange theory. Deaux and Hanna (1984) reported that men seek physical attractiveness and offer financial security, whereas women offer physical attractiveness and seek financial security. Additionally, Koestner and Wheeler (1988) demonstrated exchange: Men offered expressive traits (traditionally feminine traits, e.g., caring, affectionate) and sought instrumental traits (traditionally masculine traits, e.g., intelligent, ambitious) whereas women’s advertisements showed the reverse pattern.
Repetition and replication of this research is necessary to document any changes in the characteristics deemed valuable in interpersonal relationships. Hence, the purpose of the current study is to conduct a content analysis similar to those that have been done in search for evidence of the exchange theory and, for confirmation of previous finding. Cicerello (1995)
Overall, the results indicate that gender-stereotypic behaviour persists as evidenced by exchange of physical characteristics, attractiveness, personality, and the age desired in a partner. In addition, the results indicate that men and women are becoming more confident in expressing those traits traditionally more common in the opposite sex.
Future research should investigate whether evidence of exchange across attractiveness, personality, and age desired in a partner may be limited to British culture. Additionally, the variable of race needs to be assessed; it was not addressed here due to the small number of advertisers who were not Caucasian.
In conclusion, although not representative of the population as a whole, personal advertisements supply researchers with an abundance of easily accessible data that allow for a better understanding of gender issues and interpersonal attraction. Cicerello (1995)
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36. Gonzales, M. H., & MEYERS, S. A. (1993). “Your mother would like me”: Self-presentation in the personal ads of heterosexual and homosexual men and women. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 19, 131-142.
37. Harrison, A., & Saeed, L. (1977). Let’s make a deal: An analysis of revelations and stipulations in lonely-hearts advertisements. Journal of personality and social psychology, 35, p257-264
38. Deaux, K., & Hanna, R. (1984). Courtship in the personal column: The influence of gender and sexual orientation. Sex Roles, 11, 363-375.
39. Kestner, R., & Wheeler, L. (1988). Self-presentation in the personal advertisements: The influence of implicit notions of attraction and role expectations. Journal of Social and Personal Relationships, 5, 149-160.
40. Cicerello, A. & Sheehan, E. P. (1995). Personality Advertisements: A Content Analysis. Journal of Social Behaviour and Personality, Vol. 10, No 4, 751-756. Select Press, Corte Madera. p752.
Bibliography.
Basow, S. (1986). Gender stereotypes: Traditions and alternatives, Brooks/Cole Publishing Co.
Bereczkei, T., Voros, S., Gal., A. & Bernath, L. (1997) Resources, attractiveness, family commitment; reproductive decisions in human mate choice. Ethology 103
Buss, D. M. (1987) Sex differences in human mate selection criteria: An evolutionary perspective. In: Sociobiology and Psychology: Ideas, Issues, and Application (Crawford, D., Krebs, D.& Smith, M.,eds) Erlbaum, Hillsdale, pp. 335-352.
Buss, D. M. (1989) Sex differences in human mate preferences: evolutionary hypotheses tested in 37 cultures. Behaviour. Brain Sci. 25, 1-15.
Buss, D. M. (1994). The evolution of desire. New York: Basic books
Buss, D. M. & Barnes, M. (1986). Preferences in human mate selection. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 50, 559-570.
Buss, D. M. & Schmitt, D. P. (1993). Sexual Strategies Theory: An evolutionary perspective on human mating Vol. 100, No, 2.
Cattell, R. B., & Nesselroade, J. R. (1967). “Likeness” and “Completeness” theories examined by 16 personality factor measures on stably and unstably married couples (Advanced Publication No. 7). Urbana: University of Illinois, The laboratory of Personality and Group Analysis.
Chappell, K. D. & Davis, K. E. (1993). `Working Models of Attachment and partner choice; Effects of Partner and Attachment Style’.
Cicerello, A. & Sheehan, E. P. (1995). Personality Advertisements: A Content Analysis. Journal of Social Behaviour and Personality, Vol. 10, No 4, 751-756. Select Press, Corte Madera.
Curry, T., & Hock, R. (1981). Sex differences in sex role ideas in early adolescence. adolescence, 16,
Daly, M.& Wilson, M. (1983) Sex, Evolution, and Behaviour. Willard Grant Press, Boston.
Davis, S. (1990). Men as Success Objects and Women as Sex Objects: A Study of Personal Advertisements. p43-44. Plenum Publishing Corp.
Davis, K. E. & Latty-Mann, H. (1987). `Love Styles and Relationship Quality: A Contribution to Validation’, Journal of Social and Personal Relationships 4:
Dawkins, R. (1976). The selfish Gene. Oxford Univ. Press, London.
Deaux, K., & Hanna, R. (1984). Courtship in the personal column: The influence of gender and sexual orientation. Sex Roles, 11, 363-375.
Eckland, B. (1968) Theories of mate selection. Social Biology, 15,
Farrell, W. (1986). Why men are the way, they are. New York: berkley Books.
Gonzales, M. H., & MEYERS, S. A. (1993). “Your mother would like me”: Self-presentation in the personal ads of heterosexual and homosexual men and women. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 19, 131-142.
Harrison, A., & Saeed, L. (1977). Let’s make a deal: An analysis of revelations and stipulations in lonely-hearts advertisements. Journal of personality and social psychology, 35,
Hewlett, B. S. (1992) Father-Child Relations: Cultural and Biosocial Contexts. Aldine de Gruyter, New York.
Hite, S. (1987) Women and love: A cultural revolution in progress. New York; Alfred A. Knopf
Kestner, R., & Wheeler, L. (1988). Self-presentation in the personal advertisements: The influence of implicit notions of attraction and role expectations. Journal of Social and Personal Relationships, 5, 149-160.
Latty-Mann, H. & Davis, K. E. (1990). Attachment Theory and Partner Choice: Preference and Actuality; Journal of Social and Personal Relationships Vol 13:
Lindsey, L. L. (1994). Gender Roles. A Sociological Perspective: 2nd (ed). Prentice-Hall International (UK). London
Murray, J. P. Rubinstein, E. A. & Comstock, G. A. (1972). Television and social behaviour, Vol2: Television and social learning- Washington; US Government Printing Agency.- Cited in - Manstead, A. S. R.& McCulloch, C. (1981). Sex-Role stereotyping in British television advertisements British Journal of Social Psychology
Symons, D. (1979) The Evolution of Human Sexuality. Oxford Univ. Press, New York
Townsend, J. M. (1989) Mate selection criteria: A pilot study. Ethol. Sociobiol. 10, 241-254.
Trivers, R. (1985) Mate selection criteria: A pilot study. Ethol. Sociobiol. 10, 241-254.
Winch, R. (1958). Mate selection. New York: Harper & Row.