Demographics, Personality and Substance-Use Characteristics Associated with Forming Romantic Relationships

Eilin K Erevik,Amandeep Dhir,Øystein Vedaa,Ståle Pallesen,Anders Skogstad,Torbjørn Torsheim,Cecilie S Andreassen

doi:10.1007/s40806-019-00203-2

Abstract

The current study aimed to identify demographic, personality and substance-use characteristics associated with forming romantic relationships. Data were collected by two online surveys among students in Bergen, Norway, during the autumn of 2015 (T1) and by a follow-up survey that was conducted 12 months later (T2). The current sample consists of the 2404 participants who reported being single at T1 (mean age 23.2) and who participated in both waves of the survey. Binary logistic regression analyses were conducted. Separate analyses were conducted for both sexes and for the entire sample of participants. High extroversion scores predicted relationship formation. For women, having a child/children, higher scores on neuroticism, alcohol use and illegal substance use positively predicted relationship formation, while for men, age and openness were positive predictors. The study contributes with several novel findings. In general, characteristics related to a need for support predicted romantic relationship formation among women, while characteristics associated with increased resource acquisition potential predicted relationship formation among men. The general pattern of findings is in line with established evolutionary theories such as the sexual strategies theory and the parental investment theory.

Highlights

The current study aimed to identify demographic, personality and substance-use characteristics associated with forming romantic relationships
Female students who had children were more likely to have entered into a romantic relationship at T2 compared to female students without children
Extroversion was positively associated with having formed a romantic relationship at T2 for both female and male students

Summary

Introduction

The current study aimed to identify demographic, personality and substance-use characteristics associated with forming romantic relationships. Sex is the most studied individual characteristic associated with relationship outcomes, where sex is theorised and found to affect both choice of mating strategy and attractiveness judgements (Buss 1989). Sex differences in mating strategies and attractiveness judgements are commonly attributed to women’s increased parental investment and limited reproductive capacity and to men’s uncertainty regarding paternity and their extensive reproductive potential (Buss 1989; Trivers 1972). A range of other demographic characteristics may predict romantic relationship formation through influencing mate value, mating strategy and/or capacity for same-sex competition

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