Individual Preferences, Personality Traits, and Attachment Styles in Indian Mate Selection: A Systematic Review of Psychological and Psychosocial Correlates

Abstract

Background: Mate selection in Indian contexts operates within distinctive cultural environments emphasizing collectivism and family involvement. This systematic review synthesizes empirical evidence on personality traits, attachment styles, and self-esteem as psychological correlates of mate selection among Indian populations. Methods: PRISMA-ScR systematic review searching PubMed, PsycINFO, Scopus, and Web of Science (January 2011-October 2024). Two independent reviewers (κ = 0.82-D0.79) screened 847 records; 12 studies met the inclusion criteria. Quality assessed using the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale. Results: Personality dimensions predicted gender-differentiated preferences (males: attractiveness r = 0.72; females: financial stability r = 0.65). Secure attachment facilitated personal-family preference navigation (r = 0.61, p < 0.001). Collectivism moderated personality-preference relationships (β = 0.38, p < 0.001). Conclusion: Personality and attachment patterns predict mate selection in Indian contexts, substantially moderated by cultural collectivism. Integrating personality-attachment assessment into premarital counselling and psychology-informed matchmaking enhances relationship outcomes. Future research should prioritize counselling effectiveness trials, longitudinal studies, and Indian-specific attachment validation.