| Although previous research on partner selection has identified cultural differences with regard to partner preferences, little research has investigated the implications of these disparities for people in romantic relationships. In addition, research on the Ideal Standards Model (Fletcher & Simpson, 2000) has established a negative relationship between flexibility of ideal standards and relationship satisfaction, as well as a negative relationship between ideal-actual partner discrepancies and relationship satisfaction (e.g., Campbell, Simpson, Kashy, & Fletcher, 2001); however, these theory-driven studies have typically neither examined nor attempted to account for cultural differences. Other studies suggest that conceptions of love vary greatly by cultural values and orientation (e.g., Dion & Dion, 1996), and are likely to influence not only partner preferences, but dynamic processes such as interactions between flexibility of ideal standards, ideal-actual partner discrepancies, and relationship satisfaction (Robins & Boldero, 2003). In an effort to explore these possibilities, the proposed study examined interrelationships among ideal partner standards, flexibility of standards, ideal-actual partner discrepancies, familial individualism-allocentrism (i.e., family connectedness or individualistic/collectivist cultural orientation), and relationship satisfaction within an ethnically diverse sample of approximately 200 college students who were currently involved in an intimate relationship. Findings were generally consistent with previous research, indicating no significant differences on any ideal partner subscales with regard to student ethnicity, and suggesting that the qualities that individuals look for in potential romantic partners are indeed relatively similar, regardless of ethnicity. In addition, no interaction effects were found between flexibility and family allocentrism, or between ideal-actual partner discrepancy and family allocentrism, when predicting relationship satisfaction. Implications of study findings to counseling practice are discussed. |
