Birds of odd feather flock together? Assortative partner preferences, and attractiveness of schizotypy in long and short term partners

Publication date: 1 February 2019Source: Personality and Individual Differences, Volume 138Author(s): Minna Lyons, Millie WitcherAbstractAlthough schizotypy has received much research interest, studies have largely ignored attractiveness and assortative mating for this trait. In an on-line study, participants (N = 170) rated high and low schizotypy vignettes for long and short term attractiveness. They also filled in the O-LIFE measure of schizotypy (Mason et al., 2005). For Unusual Experiences, and Cognitive Disorganisation, high vignettes received significantly lower ratings than the low vignettes in both short and long term mating context. In comparison to the low vignettes, high Impulsive Nonconformity vignettes had higher ratings as short term partners. We also found assortative preferences for Introvertive Anhedonia and Unusual Experiences. The findings support the idea that some of the schizotypy sub-traits could be part of an adaptive fast life history strategy.

Source: Personality and Individual Differences - November 2, 2018 Category: Psychiatry & Psychology Source Type: research