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Concluding that romantic relationships matter more to men than to women is too simple

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  01 June 2026

Hannah S. Elizabeth Open the ORCID record for Hannah S. Elizabeth [Opens in a new window]  and
Margaret S. Clark Open the ORCID record for Margaret S. Clark [Opens in a new window]
Hannah S. Elizabeth
Affiliation:
Department of Psychology, Yale University, New Haven, USA hannah.savitz@yale.edu margaret.clark@yale.edu
Margaret S. Clark*
Affiliation:
Department of Psychology, Yale University, New Haven, USA hannah.savitz@yale.edu margaret.clark@yale.edu
*
*Corresponding author.
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Abstract

Wahring et al. do an impressive job of documenting existing evidence for concluding that romantic relationships matter more to men than to women. Yet, their conclusion seems too simple to us. A consideration of more motivations for forming romantic relationships, use of more operational indices of mattering, and consideration of additional populations of people will paint a more complex picture of how, why, and for whom romantic relationships matter.

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Type
Open Peer Commentary
Information
Behavioral and Brain Sciences , Volume 49 , 2026 , e101
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Copyright
© The Author(s), 2026. Published by Cambridge University Press

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