Across both samples of participants, women consistently were more
exacting on the Surgency and Intellect-Openness factors. An analysis
of the individual adjective scales composing Surgency was particularly
revealing. Significant sex differences were found in preferences
for mates who were dominant (? = −4.33, jcx.OOOl; f = −3.46,
p < .001, for dating couples and newlywed couples, respectively). In
contrast, no significant differences were found at the item level for
sociable, talkative, or proud. These results suggest that the power,
ascendance, or dominance theme of Surgency was especially valued by
women, whereas the sociable theme showed no sex difference (see Wiggins,
1991). These findings support the hypothesis that the sexes differ
on personality attributes known to be linked with resource acquisition.
These results would be more probable if women cared more than men about avoiding “pushovers.”
For some evidence about people being into pushovers, check out the results of this study by Botwin and Buss
These results would be more probable if women cared more than men about avoiding “pushovers.”