PERSONAL ADVERTISEMENTS - A CONTENT-ANALYSIS

One hundred sixty-three heterosexual personal advertisements from a Rocky Mountain Region newspaper were content-analyzed. the advertisements were coded for offers of, and appeals for, physical descriptors, attractiveness, financial security, sincerity, expressiveness, instrumentality, Type A traits, Type B traits, health consciousness, interests, and desired age of a partner. The findings demonstrate that men were more likely to mention their specific physical characteristics, offer financial security, and seek attractiveness and a younger partner. Women, in a complimentary fashion, were more likely to offer attractiveness, request certain physical characteristics, and seek financial security and an older partner. Additionally, men more often offered expressive traits (traditionally feminine traits) and women more often offered instrumental traits (traditionally masculine traits).