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Abstract

The current study investigates the theory of political assortative mating, which is the theory that people with similar political preferences are more likely to mate together. The current study broadens the research on political assortative mating by studying potential couples before they actually begin dating, rather than studying married couples as most previous research has done. Participants were asked to look at a fictitious dating profile in which political affiliation was manipulated and rate how likely they would be to contact, respond, and be a good match with the person represented. Results showed that politics do have a significant impact on young adults' mating decisions, in that they are more likely to favor people who have the same political preference as themselves. Knowledge on this topic could make people more aware of their decision making processes. Some research suggests that political homophily in relationships leads to more stable, longer lasting relationships. However, political assortative mating could also lead to more politically homogenous households and decreased tolerance for differing political views.

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