Relationship between sexism and romantic courtship styles

Abstract

The relationship between sexism and mate preference was investigated to elucidate characteristics of sexist courtship styles. A relationship with an opposite-sex partner is a contradiction for sexist individuals because they seek an opposite-sex partner despite their discriminatory attitudes and beliefs regarding the opposite sex. Therefore, this study hypothesized that there would be a tendency for sexist individuals not to seek emotional bonds with their partners, but to seek egocentric and instrumental relationships. Questionnaires were administered to university students (n=400). The results indicated that male sexists tended to emphasize the partner's physical attractiveness and female sexists tended to emphasize the partner's financial situation, physical attractiveness, and the desire for short-term relationships. These results were discussed in terms of sexist adaptation to opposite-sex relationships.