An analysis of spousal strategies in terms rejection sensitivity and ambi̇valent sexism

This study aims to examine mate selection preferences in terms of rejection sensitivity and ambivalent sexism. Additionally, the study aims to investigate whether there are gender differences in the mate selection preferences of the participants The study group consisted of 272 university students at the undergraduate, master's, and doctoral levels across Turkey during the 2023-2024 academic year. The study utilized a Personal Information Form created by the researcher, the Mate Selection Strategies Scale, the Rejection Sensitivity Scale, and the Ambivalent Sexism Scale. In line with the hypotheses of the study, the research data were analyzed using correlation analysis, regression analysis, one-way ANOVA, and t-tests. The results of the study indicated that the rejection sensitivity variable predicted the family institution and trust sub-dimension of mate selection strategies, while it did not predict the socioeconomic status, religious and political similarity, physical characteristics, virginity, childcare, and love sub-dimensions. The benevolent sexism variable predicted the family institution and trust, socioeconomic status, religious and political similarity, virginity, childcare, and love sub-dimensions, while it did not predict the physical characteristics sub-dimension. Hostile sexism was found to only predict virginity sub-dimension of mate selection strategies. The t-test conducted to determine whether mate selection strategies differed according to gender showed that the family institution and trust, socioeconomic status, religious and political similarity, childcare, and love sub-dimensions significantly differed by gender, with women scoring higher than men. The virginity and physical characteristics sub-dimensions did not significantly differ by gender.