Valence Asymmetries of Traits in Dating Contexts

ABSTRACT Research on traits in dating contexts has typically focused on trait content. We instead examined structural differences in trait frequency and similarity. Prior work suggests that positive information is more frequent, whereas negative information is more diverse and less similar. Across four studies ( N = 1074), we tested whether these valence asymmetries extend to traits relevant in dating contexts and whether they influence hypothetical dating decisions. Participants listed more positive than negative traits (Studies 1a–1c). However, negative traits were both more diverse and semantically more distant than positive traits (Studies 1 and 2), indicating greater consensus about desirable than undesirable partner characteristics. Traits most similar to others were rated as most important for dating (Study 3), and both importance and similarity of negative traits predicted hypothetical dating decisions (Study 4). These findings introduce a structural perspective on traits, identify key dealmakers and dealbreakers and underscore the importance of undesirable traits in dating decisions.