Instrumental and Expressive Values in Mate Selection of Black and White College Students

Authors

Willie Melton, Michigan Technological University
Darwin L. Thomas, Brigham Young University

Keywords

college students, mate selection, black. white, instrumental and expressive values

Abstract

The objective of this study is to investigate differences between black and white college students' values concerning mate selection. The relative importance of 12 desired traits in a potential mate, divided equally into what are termed instrumental and expressive traits, is examined. The general conclusions are: (1) black respondents tend to attach greater importance to the instrumental dimension than white respondents; (2) there is little difference between black and white respondents in the degree of importance of the expressive dimension; (3) black males place considerably more emphasis on instrumental traits that white males; and (4) the importance of instrumental traits is inversely related to socioeconomic status.

Original Publication Citation

"""Instrumental and Expressive Values in Mate Selection of Black and White College Students,"" Journal of Marriage and the Family 38 (August):509-517 (with W. Melton)."

BYU ScholarsArchive Citation

Melton, Willie and Thomas, Darwin L., "Instrumental and Expressive Values in Mate Selection of Black and White College Students" (1976). Faculty Publications. 5705.
https://scholarsarchive.byu.edu/facpub/5705

Document Type

Peer-Reviewed Article

Publication Date

1976

Permanent URL

http://hdl.lib.byu.edu/1877/8435

Publisher

Journal of Marriage and the Family

Language

English

College

Family, Home, and Social Sciences

Department

Sociology

University Standing at Time of Publication

Full Professor

Copyright Use Information

https://lib.byu.edu/about/copyright/