Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

The Psychology Of Romantic Relationships, Darby Dietrich

Honors Theses

Prior research on self-monitoring suggests that high self-monitors are more likely to choose a romantic partner based on status and appearance. Conversely, low self-monitors put a greater emphasis on shared values and interests. In the current research, we examined the self-monitoring differences in both dating relationships and marriages. Participants were given a survey in which they answered personal questions, questions about their past relationships, qualities that are important in potential dating and marriage partners, and the Snyder and Gangestad (1986) 18-item Self-Monitoring scale. Trends were consistent with previous research, such that high self-monitors were more likely to divorce than low …