Date of Award

1979

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

Department

Psychology

Abstract

Problem. The purpose of this study was to investigate the criteria for Black single college females' choice of a preferred mate. This study compared responses of Black single college females who stated they preferred for mates men perceived as having scholastic aptitude greater than, less than, or the same as their own to selected variables relative to mate selection. The major research question was: Is there a relationship between preference criteria and selected variables employed by Black single college females in selecting a mate? This study examined the preferences of this female population in regard to their: (1) prospective partners in marriage, (2) alternative life style strategies other than a monogamous marriage, and (3) racial diversity in mate selection. Method. A self-report questionnaire was designed to collect responses from the female students relative to their preferences concerning scholastic aptitude level of prospective mate (greater than, less than or the same as) and to other selected variables relative to mate selection. Subjects for the study were Black single (never been married) college females attending Texas Southern University and Prairie View A & M University during the spring and summer terms of 1977. No differentiation was made between those living on campus and those living off campus. Black female full-time students (enrolled in 12 or more semester hours) who were freshmen, ages 17 1/2-19 (0-29 hours completed) and seniors, ages 21-23 (90 or more hours completed) were used. Two hundred freshmen and two hundred seniors from Texas Southern University and two hundred freshmen and one hundred and twenty-six seniors from Prairie View A & M University were initially contacted by letter, requesting their participation. The sample consisted of those who completed the questionnaire: 192 freshmen (96%) and 196 seniors (98%) from Texas Southern University and 189 freshmen (95%) and 120 seniors (95%) from Prairie View A & M University. In analyzing the subjects' responses to the independent variable (scholastic aptitude preference), the number of frequencies falling into the "less than" category were too few to allow that category to be used. Consequently, the independent variable for all freshmen and seniors was divided into two mate-preference categories of scholastic aptitude, "same as" and "greater than." . . . (Author's abstract exceeds stipulated maximum length. Discontinued here with permission of author.) UMI

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