Influence of personality, attachment and mate value on heterosexual and non-heterosexual romantic relationship satisfaction

Highlights

• Personality traits and romantic attachment influence relationship satisfaction.

• Self-perceived mate value does not affect relationship satisfaction.

• Perception of the partner mate value is a predictor of relationship satisfaction.

Abstract

In recent decades, the constructs of individual differences have become important in the context of human romantic relationships. The present study aimed to investigate whether the personality, romantic attachment and mate value of couples can predict their relationship satisfaction. The sample consisted of 83 couples in long-term relationships and all the participants completed a set of questionnaires in person. The results indicate that the dimensions of romantic attachment are the constructs most able to predict satisfaction in a heterosexual relationship, while personality traits are the best predictors of relationship satisfaction for non-heterosexuals. In addition, the greater the differences in neuroticism and the lower in openness, the higher the relationship satisfaction, irrespective of sexual orientation. Thus, we can conclude that satisfaction in heterosexual and non-heterosexual relationships seems to be linked to different individual characteristics, but similarities and differences between the characteristics of the individuals in the couple appear to be important in relationship satisfaction for both heterosexuals and non-heterosexuals.

Introduction

Personality is a set of psychological, behavioral and physiological differences that remain stable in different contexts and over the course of an individual’ life (Buss, 2009; Gosling & John, 1999). These differences are genetically based and influenced by the development environment of the individual (Buss, 2009; Plomin et al., 2008). The Big Five is one of the most widely disseminated models in the study of personality (Atari et al., 2019; Back, Penke, Schmukle, & Asendorpf, 2011; Figueiredo et al., 2006; Valentova et al., 2016; Whyte et al., 2019). In this model, personality is assessed in five traits: openness, extroversion, agreeableness, conscientiousness and neuroticism (versus emotional stability).

Studies show that the Big Five traits are observed consistently in several cultures (Atari et al., 2019; Smaldino et al., 2019; Valentova et al., 2016; Whyte et al., 2019), and Buss (2009) argues that this may be a sign that these traits emerged in the ancestral human population and spread throughout the world. One of the hypotheses for the evolution of personality traits that can be found in current populations is that they may have been selected to provide competitive (Hogan & Sherman, 2020) or reproductive advantages (Atari et al., 2019; Whyte et al., 2019) to those who display them.

In romantic relationships, not only preferences, but also the characteristics of each person may be important for the satisfaction of the individuals involved (Najarpourian et al., 2012; O'Meara & South, 2019; Taggart et al., 2019). For example, the similarity between a couple's characteristics seems to be important for satisfaction in the relationship, and individuals whose mates have a similar personality deem their relationships to be better (Silva et al., 2010). In addition, there is a negative association between the neuroticism of an individual and the satisfaction in a relationship (Najarpourian et al., 2012; Stroud et al., 2010; Zoby, 2005). In addition to personality, other differences such as the mate value of individuals seem to influence the success of a relationship (Nowak & Danel, 2014).

The mate value of an individual in the reproductive context can be defined according to the characteristics displayed and desired by potential mates and their comparison with competitors (Howie & Pomiankowski, 2018; Pawlowski, 2000). In heterosexual couples with discrepant mate value, individuals with a higher mate value than that of their mate exhibit low relationship satisfaction (Nowak & Danel, 2014). In non-heterosexual couples, we have found no evidence of this association to date.

Studies show that satisfaction in a relationship is also influenced by romantic attachment (Candel & Turliuc, 2019; Gómez-Zapian et al., 2011). Attachment is created in early childhood and can be defined as the set of behavioral tendencies that help individuals in their relationship with their primary caregiver (Bowlby, 2002). Among attachment behaviors are crying, hugging and smiling, which are directed towards the main caregivers, thereby helping maintain proximity between them and the individual (Bowlby, 2002). In adulthood, attachment has a role in the life of individuals and their attachment is no longer to the primary caregiver, but rather the romantic partner (Doherty & Feeney, 2004). Romantic attachment can be measured in two dimensions: anxiety, with persons scoring high in this dimension requiring more care from their partner, and avoidance, which is linked to low levels of emotional attachment (Del Giudice, 2018; Del Giudice & Angeleri, 2015). High anxiety indices and/or avoidance of attachment are linked to low satisfaction levels in the relationship (Candel & Turliuc, 2019; Gómez-Zapian et al., 2011).

Given these factors, the present study aims at investigating the relationships between attachment, personality, mate value and satisfaction in a relationship. We expect that the characteristics of the individuals and the personality and mate value differences between people and their partner can predict satisfaction in a relationship.