• DOI:10.1037/0022-3514.76.1.72
• Corpus ID: 2494687

Ideals in intimate relationships.

@article{Fletcher1999IdealsII,
  title={Ideals in intimate relationships.},
  author={Garth J. O. Fletcher and Jeffry A. Simpson and Geoff Thomas and Lynne Giles},
  journal={Journal of personality and social psychology},
  year={1999},
  volume={76 1},
  pages={
          72-89
        }
}

• G. Fletcher, J. Simpson, +1 author L. Giles
• Published 1999
• Psychology, Business
• Journal of personality and social psychology

This research examined lay relationship and partner ideals in romantic relationships from both a social-cognitive and an evolutionary perspective. Studies 1 and 2 revealed that the qualities of an ideal partner were represented by 3 factors (partner warmth-trustworthiness, vitality-attractiveness, and status-resources), whereas the qualities of an ideal relationship were represented by 2 factors (relationship intimacy-loyalty and passion). A confirmatory factor analysis in Study 3 replicated these factor structures but found considerable overlap across the partner and relationship dimensions. Studies 4 and 5 produced convergent and discriminant validity evidence for all 5 factors. Study 6 indicated that the higher the consistency between the ideals and related assessments of the current partner and relationship, the more positively the current relationship was evaluated.