There is way more evidence one to users dealing with ages 60 and you can earlier appreciated sexual destination below young profiles
We predicted men would value sexual attraction more than women at all ages (Hypothesis 3A). Male users consistently valued sexual attraction more than women did in lifespan and age subgroup analyses (see Table 1 and Figure 1a ). We also predicted women may value companionship more than men at all ages (Hypothesis 3B). A significant age ? gender interaction in the lifespan sample identified larger gender differences in the importance of communication among younger users than among older users ( Figure 1b ). This pattern was driven by the young subgroup. While at age 20, female users were expected to value communication 0.56 units more than male users (SE = 0.16, p < .001), at age 39 the value of communication for male and female users was not significantly different, b = -0.23, SE = 0.16. There were no significant effects of gender among middle age users or the older subgroups. In contrast, women valued companionate characteristics more than men at all ages ( Figure 1c ).
Genuine mean substance scores broke up from the age and sex for education test. Mistake bars portray 95% rely on times within function.
We expected women at all ages to place even more emphasis on companionship versus sexual attraction compared to men (Hypothesis 3C). Indeed, the relative importance of communication compared to sexual attraction, and the importance of individual companionate characteristics compared to sexual attraction, was significantly higher 
for women than men at all ages. At age 50, women rated communication an additional 0.26 higher than sexual attraction compared to men (SE = 0.06, p < .001) and rated individual companionate characteristics an additional .52 higher than sexual attraction compared to men (SE = 0.05, p < .001).
Dialogue
To your education, here is the basic decimal study to look at just what matchmaking pages across the lifespan seek inside the an alternate relationships. Having fun with a mix-sectional society sample more than 5,100 eHarmony profiles aged 20 to 95, we were in a position to evaluate intercourse and you may decades differences over the lifespan inside absolute and you will cousin need for both intimate attraction and companionship (thru social interaction and you will individual companionate characteristics). We discovered that pages consistently cherished communications and characteristics including personality otherwise kindness more sexual appeal. I plus discovered combined support for our forecast many years differences round the the latest lifetime. We’d questioned one to more mature profiles create worth intimate attraction smaller and companionship over more youthful equivalents. There is absolutely nothing research you to definitely old users cherished company a lot more, but this could were on account of a roof impression. Yet not, there were no tall age differences among pages more than 60, as well as however appreciated sexual interest extremely (Yards = 5.seven away from seven). Complete, young-dated and you will dated-old pages got comparable needs contained in this attempt.
Our very own results are much like the discovering that along side lifetime, anyone generally want to feel even more lower stimulation positive emotions (including the love and you may morale company provides) as compared to higher stimulation confident attitude (such as the adventure for the sexual interest), specifically among the elderly as compared to younger grownups (Scheibe mais aussi al., 2013). not, age difference between desire for intimate attraction appears to have middle age users, when you’re decreases for the dependence on higher stimulation confident feelings just weren’t seen up until more 80.
In every analyses, female set a heightened cousin focus on companionship than simply men did. We duplicated past findings one men constantly well worth sexual interest more than just female along side lifespan and discovered the fresh new predicted intercourse variations into the significance of private companionate qualities. not, dependence on interaction simply differed because of the gender among the youngest profiles.
