The effects of ideal standards and parental approval on mate selection among Turkish emerging adults

The current study examines how ideal standards and parental approval interplay in Turkish emerging adults' decision to marry via three consecutive studies. The first study explored desirable traits for a potential spouse and participants (N = 309) rated and rank ordered 56 traits. Findings revealed that trustworthiness, honesty, and loyalty were the most desired traits. In Study 2 (N = 331), highly liberal emerging adults were recruited and were randomly assigned to one of the four experimental conditions (2x2 design; ideal standards high vs. low, parents approve vs. disapprove). Each participant read a vignette about a potential partner and responded whether they would be willing to marry that person (yes or no). All vignettes were designed based on the findings of Study 1 and tested via three pilot studies. Analysis revealed that participants were 13.93 times more willing to marry the partner who met ideal standards and 4.24 more willing if the parents approved the partner. Study 3 replicated Study 2 with a conservative sample, using the same experimental design and vignettes. Participants were recruited through theology departments and online religious groups through social media (N = 484). Main effects of both ideal partner [OR = 5.0, CI (2.62, 9.54)] and parental approval [OR = 4.0, CI (2.12, 7.53)] were significant as well as the interaction term [OR= 7.38, CI (2.3, 23.51)]. The current study highlights the importance of parental approval and ideal standards on marriage decisions among secular and conservative Turkish emerging adults.