Online Dating in The U.S. During This Politically Divided Time: Association Among Political Affiliation, Gender Role Beliefs, And Partner Preferences

Abstract

While there has been a surge in popularity of online dating, the current polarized political climate in the U.S. may influence how online daters select a desired partner. The present study examined the relation between political affiliation, partner preferences, and gender beliefs with a sample of 373 online dating users. Democrats (n = 196) showed stronger preference for an intimate partner of the same party compared to Republicans (n = 90). Democrats (particularly women) also identified that having a different political affiliation as a deal-breaker more so than Republicans. Regarding gender role beliefs, Republicans (particularly men) showed significantly higher traditional gender role beliefs than Democrats. However, gender-based differences were not observed among Democrats; both Democratic men and women showed equally less traditional gender role beliefs compared to Republican women and men. Implications for dating prospects, particularly for Republican men, are discussed.