Buss (1989) Procedures

The rating scale assessed biographical data, e.g. age, sex, religion, marital status, number of brothers and sisters.

It also assessed mate preferences such as the age at which respondents preferred to marry, age difference between respondent and spouse, how many children were desired.

And also included a scale with 18 characteristics including the four target variables: good financial prospects; good looks; chastity; and ambition and industriousness.

A second questionnaire required participants were asked to place 13 characteristics in rank order based on their desirability in someone they might want to marry. Rank 1 was given to the most desirable characteristic, 13 to the least desirable characteristic in a potential mate. Among these 13 characteristics were the two target variables: good earning capacity and physical attractiveness.

The questionnaire was translated into native languages by three bilingual speakers: one translated the questionnaire from English into their native language; the second translated the answers back into English; and the third resolved any discrepancies. The translators were instructed to make sure all the terms were neutral rather than using words that might be linked to a specific sex.

Occasionally, questionnaires sometimes needed to be amended to reflect cultural differences e.g. in Sweden, many couples do not get married but just live together and in Nigeria, polygyny is practised.