Exploring Attitudes Toward “Sugar Relationships” Across 87 Countries: A Global Perspective on Exchanges of Resources for Sex and Companionship

The current study investigates attitudes toward one form of sex for resources: the so-called sugar relationships, which often involve exchanges of resources for sex and/or companionship. The present study examined associations among attitudes toward sugar relationships and relevant variables (e.g., sex, sociosexuality, gender inequality, parasitic exposure) in 69,924 participants across 87 countries. Two self-report measures of Acceptance of Sugar Relationships (ASR) developed for younger companion providers (ASR-YWMS) and older resource providers (ASR-OMWS) were translated into 37 languages. We tested cross-sex and cross-linguistic construct equivalence, cross-cultural invariance in sex differences, and the importance of the hypothetical predictors of ASR. Both measures showed adequate psychometric properties in all languages (except the Persian version of ASR-YWMS). Results partially supported our hypotheses and were consistent with previous theoretical considerations and empirical evidence on human mating. For example, at the individual level, sociosexual orientation, traditional gender roles, and pathogen prevalence were significant predictors of both ASR-YWMS and ASR-OMWS. At the country level, gender inequality and parasite stress positively predicted the ASR-YWMS. However, being a woman negatively predicted the ASR-OMWS, but positively predicted the ASR-YWMS. At country-level, ingroup favoritism and parasite stress positively predicted the ASR-OMWS. Furthermore, significant cross-subregional differences were found in the openness to sugar relationships (both ASR-YWMS and ASR-OMWS scores) across subregions. Finally, significant differences were found between ASR-YWMS and ASR-OMWS when compared in each subregion. The ASR-YWMS was significantly higher than the ASR-OMWS in all subregions, except for Northern Africa and Western Asia

Validation of the Short Version (TLS-15) of the Triangular Love Scale (TLS-45) Across 37 Languages

Love is a phenomenon that occurs across the world and affects many aspects of human life, including the choice of, and process of bonding with, a romantic partner. Thus, developing a reliable and valid measure of love experiences is crucial. One of the most popular tools to quantify love is Sternberg’s 45-item Triangular Love Scale (TLS-45), which measures three love components: intimacy, passion, and commitment. However, our literature review reveals that most studies (64%) use a broad variety of shortened versions of the TLS-45. Here, aiming to achieve scientific consensus and improve the reliability, comparability, and generalizability of results across studies, we developed a short version of the scale—the TLS-15—comprised of 15 items with 5-point, rather than 9-point, response scales. In Study 1 (N = 7,332), we re-analyzed secondary data from a large-scale multinational study that validated the original TLS-45 to establish whether the scale could be truncated. In Study 2 (N = 307), we provided evidence for the three-factor structure of the TLS-15 and its reliability. Study 3 (N = 413) confirmed convergent validity and test–retest stability of the TLS-15. Study 4 (N = 60,311) presented a large-scale validation across 37 linguistic versions of the TLS-15 on a cross-cultural sample spanning every continent of the globe. The overall results provide support for the reliability, validity, and cross-cultural invariance of the TLS-15, which can be used as a measure of love components—either separately or jointly as a three-factor measure

Predictors of Enhancing Human Physical Attractiveness: Data from 93 Countries

People across the world and throughout history have gone to great lengths to enhance their physical appearance. Evolutionary psychologists and ethologists have largely attempted to explain this phenomenon via mating preferences and strategies. Here, we test one of the most popular evolutionary hypotheses for beauty-enhancing behaviors, drawn from mating market and parasite stress perspectives, in a large cross-cultural sample. We also test hypotheses drawn from other influential and non-mutually exclusive theoretical frameworks, from biosocial role theory to a cultural media perspective. Survey data from 93,158 human participants across 93 countries provide evidence that behaviors such as applying makeup or using other cosmetics, hair grooming, clothing style, caring for body hygiene, and exercising or following a specific diet for the specific purpose of improving ones physical attractiveness, are universal. Indeed, 99% of participants reported spending \u3e10 min a day performing beauty-enhancing behaviors. The results largely support evolutionary hypotheses: more time was spent enhancing beauty by women (almost 4 h a day, on average) than by men (3.6 h a day), by the youngest participants (and contrary to predictions, also the oldest), by those with a relatively more severe history of infectious diseases, and by participants currently dating compared to those in established relationships. The strongest predictor of attractiveness-enhancing behaviors was social media usage. Other predictors, in order of effect size, included adhering to traditional gender roles, residing in countries with less gender equality, considering oneself as highly attractive or, conversely, highly unattractive, TV watching time, higher socioeconomic status, right-wing political beliefs, a lower level of education, and personal individualistic attitudes. This study provides novel insight into universal beauty-enhancing behaviors by unifying evolutionary theory with several other complementary perspectives

Do vitamin D and high-sensitivity-C reactive protein levels differ in patients with hyperemesis gravidarum? A preliminary study.

The high sensitivity-C reactive protein (hs-CRP) is an inflammatory marker and vitamin D is an immune modulator that might play a critical role in the pathogenesis of hyperemesis gravidarum. Therefore, in the current study, we tested the hypothesis that suggests women with hyperemesis gravidarum have lower 25-hydroxyvitamin D levels and higher hs-CRP levels, compared to controls

Üniversite ve Meslek Seçimini Etkileyen Etmenler

Meslek seçimi, genç bireylerin yaşamını pek çok açıdan etkileyecek en önemli kararlardan biridir. Bu kararın en doğru şekilde verilmesi, onların gelecek hayatındaki başarısına, yaşamdan alacağı doyuma, fiziksel ve ruhsal sağlığına kadar pek çok alan üzerinde etkili olmaktadır. Bireylerin kariyer seçiminde sadece meslek seçimi değil, aynı zamanda üniversite tercihi de önemli rol oynamaktadır. Zira üniversite tercih aşamasına gelen adayların, kariyer gelişimine farklı bir açıdan bakarak eğitim almak istedikleri üniversitenin pek çok özelliğine dikkat ettikleri görülmektedir. Öğrencilerin üniversite ve bölüm tercihlerinde öğrencinin özellikleri (sosyoekonomik düzey, yeterlilikler vb.) ve dış etkiler (aile, arkadaş, öğretmen, uzaklık, kampüs özellikleri ve tanıtım faaliyetleri vb.) önemli rol oynamaktadır. Türkiye’deki mevcut yapı incelendiğinde meslek kazanımının meslek liseleri ya da üniversite lisans eğitimi ile kazanıldığı görülmektedir. Bu nedenle adayların üniversite ve üniversitede okuyacağı bölümü seçmeleri bir anlamda gelecekte yapacakları mesleği belirlemeleri anlamına gelmektedir. Bu çalışma, bilindiği kadarıyla Türkiye’de “Üniversite ve Meslek Tercihi” konusunda yapılan en kapsamlı çalışmadır. Bu çalışmanın sonuçları, adayların üniversite ve meslek tercihinde hangi faktörlere dikkat etmeleri gerektiği, ebeveynlerin ve psikolojik danışmanların öğrencilere yol gösterirken nelere dikkat etmeleri gerektiği ve üniversite yönetimlerinin başarılı öğrencileri kazanmaları için ne gibi stratejiler geliştirebileceği konularında oldukça yararlı bilgiler verecektir. Hacettepe Üniversitesi üst yönetiminin olağanüstü destekleri ile yürüttüğümüz çalışmamızda başta Rektörümüz Sayın A. Murat Tuncer olmak üzere, emeği geçen tüm araştırmacı ve öğrenci asistanlarımıza, Ankara’daki çeşitli okulların yetkililerine ve anketlerimizi samimi bir şekilde dolduran tüm lise son sınıf öğrencilerimize şükranlarımı sunuyorum