12 research outputs found
Sex differences in human mate preferences vary across sex ratios
This material is based on work supported by the National Science Foundation under grant no. 1845586. The work of T.T.K.H. was supported by grant no. 501.01-2016.02 from the Vietnam National Foundation for Science and Technology Development (NAFOSTED). A.O. was supported by the Ministry of Science and Higher Education (grant no. 626/STYP/12/2017). A.S. and P.S. were supported by National Science Center-Poland (grant no. 2014/13/B/HS6/02644). Marina Butovskaya and D.D. were supported by State assignment project No. 01201370995 of the Institute of Ethnology and Anthropology, Moscow, Russia. P.G., A.L. and N.M. were supported by the Hungarian Scientific Research Fund-(OTKA; grant no. K125437). F.J. was supported by the National Nature Science Foundation of China (grant no. 71971225). G.A. was supported by UKRI/GCRF Gender, Justice, Security Grant (grant no. AH/S004025/1).A wide range of literature connects sex ratio and mating
behaviours in non-human animals. However, research
examining sex ratio and human mating is limited in
scope. Prior work has examined the relationship between
sex ratio and desire for short-term, uncommitted mating
as well as outcomes such as marriage and divorce rates.
Less empirical attention has been directed towards the
relationship between sex ratio and mate preferences,
despite the importance of mate preferences in the human
mating literature. To address this gap, we examined sex
ratio’s relationship to the variation in preferences for attractiveness,
resources, kindness, intelligence and health in a
long-term mate across 45 countries (n = 14 487). We predicted
that mate preferences would vary according to
relative power of choice on the mating market, with
increased power derived from having relatively few competitors
and numerous potential mates. We found that
each sex tended to report more demanding preferences
for attractiveness and resources where the opposite sex
was abundant, compared to where the opposite sex was scarce. This pattern dovetails with those found for mating
strategies in humans and mate preferences across species,
highlighting the importance of sex ratio for understanding
variation in human mate preferences.National Science Foundation (NSF) 1845586National Foundation for Science & Technology Development (NAFOSTED) 501.01-2016.02Ministry of Science and Higher Education, PolandEuropean Commission 626/STYP/12/2017National Science Centre, Poland 2014/13/B/HS6/02644Institute of Ethnology and Anthropology, Moscow, Russia 01201370995Orszagos Tudomanyos Kutatasi Alapprogramok (OTKA) K125437National Natural Science Foundation of China (NSFC) 71971225UKRI/GCRF Gender, Justice, Security Grant AH/S004025/
Affective interpersonal touch in close relationships: A cross-cultural perspective
Interpersonal touch behavior differs across cultures, yet no study to date has systematically tested for cultural variation in affective touch, nor examined the factors that might account for this variability. Here, over 14,000 individuals from 45 countries were asked whether they embraced, stroked, kissed, or hugged their partner, friends, and youngest child during the week preceding the study. We then examined a range of hypothesized individual-level factors (sex, age, parasitic history, conservatism, religiosity, and preferred interpersonal distance) and cultural-level factors (regional temperature, parasite stress, regional conservatism, collectivism, and religiosity) in predicting these affective-touching behaviors. Our results indicate that affective touch was most prevalent in relationships with partners and children, and its diversity was relatively higher in warmer, less conservative, and religious countries, and among younger, female, and liberal people. This research allows for a broad and integrated view of the bases of cross-cultural variability in affective touch
Universality of the Triangular Theory of Love: Adaptation and Psychometric Properties of the Triangular Love Scale in 25 Countries
The Triangular Theory of Love (measured with Sternberg’s Triangular Love Scale–STLS) is a prominent theoretical concept in empirical research on love. To expand the culturally homogeneous body of previous psychometric research regarding the STLS, we conducted a large-scale cross-cultural study with the use of this scale. In total, we examined more than 11,000 respondents, but as a result of applied exclusion criteria, the final analyses were based on a sample of 7332 participants from 25 countries (from all inhabited continents). We tested configural invariance, metric invariance, and scalar invariance, all of which confirmed the cultural universality of the theoretical construct of love analyzed in our study. We also observed that levels of love components differ depending on relationship duration, following the dynamics suggested in the Triangular Theory of Love. Supplementary files with all our data, including results on love intensity across different countries along with STLS versions adapted in a few dozen languages, will further enable more extensive research on the Triangular Theory of Love
Modernization, collectivism, and gender equality predict love experiences in 45 countries
Recent cross-cultural and neuro-hormonal investigations have suggested that love is a near universal phenomenon that has a biological background. Therefore, the remaining important question is not whether love exists worldwide but which cultural, social, or environmental factors influence experiences and expressions of love. In the present study, we explored whether countries’ modernization indexes are related to love experiences measured by three subscales (passion, intimacy, commitment) of the Triangular Love Scale. Analyzing data from 9474 individuals from 45 countries, we tested for relationships with country-level predictors, namely, modernization proxies (i.e., Human Development Index, World Modernization Index, Gender Inequality Index), collectivism, and average annual temperatures. We found that mean levels of love (especially intimacy) were higher in countries with higher modernization proxies, collectivism, and average annual temperatures. In conclusion, our results grant some support to the hypothesis that modernization processes might influence love experiences
Universality of the Triangular Theory of Love: Adaptation and Psychometric Properties of the Triangular Love Scale in 25 Countries
none114The Triangular Theory of Love (measured with Sternberg’s Triangular Love Scale–STLS) is a prominent theoretical concept in empirical research on love. To expand the culturally homogeneous body of previous psychometric research regarding the STLS, we conducted a large-scale cross-cultural study with the use of this scale. In total, we examined more than 11,000 respondents, but as a result of applied exclusion criteria, the final analyses were based on a sample of 7332 participants from 25 countries (from all inhabited continents). We tested configural invariance, metric invariance, and scalar invariance, all of which confirmed the cultural universality of the theoretical construct of love analyzed in our study. We also observed that levels of love components differ depending on relationship duration, following the dynamics suggested in the Triangular Theory of Love. Supplementary files with all our data, including results on love intensity across different countries along with STLS versions adapted in a few dozen languages, will further enable more extensive research on the Triangular Theory of Love.noneSorokowski P.; Sorokowska A.; Karwowski M.; Groyecka A.; Aavik T.; Akello G.; Alm C.; Amjad N.; Anjum A.; Asao K.; Atama C. S.; Atamturk Duyar D.; Ayebare R.; Batres C.; Bendixen M.; Bensafia A.; Bizumic B.; Boussena M.; Buss D. M.; Butovskaya M.; Can S.; Cantarero K.; Carrier A.; Cetinkaya H.; Chabin D.; Conroy-Beam D.; Croy I.; Cueto R. M.; Czub M.; Dronova D.; Dural S.; Duyar I.; Ertugrul B.; Espinosa A.; Estevan I.; Esteves C. S.; Frackowiak T.; Graduno J. C.; Guemaz F.; Ha Thu T.; Halamova M.; Herak I.; Horvat M.; Hromatko I.; Hui C. -M.; Jaafar J. L.; Jiang F.; Kafetsios K.; Kavcic T.; Kennair L. E. O.; Kervyn N.; Kobis N. C.; Kostic A.; Krasnodebska A.; Lang A.; Lennard G. R.; Leon E.; Lindholm T.; Lopez G.; Alhabahba M. M.; Mailhos A.; Manesi Z.; Martinez R.; Sainz Martinez M.; McKerchar S. L.; Mesko N.; Misra G.; Monaghan C.; Mora E. C.; Moya-Garofano A.; Musil B.; Natividade J. C.; Nizharadze G.; Oberzaucher E.; Oleszkiewicz A.; Omar Fauzee M. S.; Onyishi I. E.; Ozener B.; Pagani A. F.; Pakalniskiene V.; Parise M.; Pawlowski B.; Pazhoohi F.; Pejicic M.; Pisanski A.; Pisanski K.; Plohl N.; Ponciano E.; Popa C.; Prokop P.; Przepiorka A.; Quang Lam T.; Rizwan M.; Rozycka-Tran J.; Salkicevic S.; Sargautyte R.; Sarmany-Schuller I.; Schmehl S.; Shahid A.; Shaikh R.; Sharad S.; Simonetti F.; Tadinac M.; Thi Khanh Ha T.; Ugalde Gonzalez K.; Vauclair C. -M.; Vega L. D.; Widarini D. A.; Wojciszke B.; Yoo G.; Zadeh Z. F.; Zatkova M.; Zupancic M.; Sternberg R. J.Sorokowski, P.; Sorokowska, A.; Karwowski, M.; Groyecka, A.; Aavik, T.; Akello, G.; Alm, C.; Amjad, N.; Anjum, A.; Asao, K.; Atama, C. S.; Atamturk Duyar, D.; Ayebare, R.; Batres, C.; Bendixen, M.; Bensafia, A.; Bizumic, B.; Boussena, M.; Buss, D. M.; Butovskaya, M.; Can, S.; Cantarero, K.; Carrier, A.; Cetinkaya, H.; Chabin, D.; Conroy-Beam, D.; Croy, I.; Cueto, R. M.; Czub, M.; Dronova, D.; Dural, S.; Duyar, I.; Ertugrul, B.; Espinosa, A.; Estevan, I.; Esteves, C. S.; Frackowiak, T.; Graduno, J. C.; Guemaz, F.; Ha Thu, T.; Halamova, M.; Herak, I.; Horvat, M.; Hromatko, I.; Hui, C. -M.; Jaafar, J. L.; Jiang, F.; Kafetsios, K.; Kavcic, T.; Kennair, L. E. O.; Kervyn, N.; Kobis, N. C.; Kostic, A.; Krasnodebska, A.; Lang, A.; Lennard, G. R.; Leon, E.; Lindholm, T.; Lopez, G.; Alhabahba, M. M.; Mailhos, A.; Manesi, Z.; Martinez, R.; Sainz Martinez, M.; Mckerchar, S. L.; Mesko, N.; Misra, G.; Monaghan, C.; Mora, E. C.; Moya-Garofano, A.; Musil, B.; Natividade, J. C.; Nizharadze, G.; Oberzaucher, E.; Oleszkiewicz, A.; Omar Fauzee, M. S.; Onyishi, I. E.; Ozener, B.; Pagani, A. F.; Pakalniskiene, V.; Parise, M.; Pawlowski, B.; Pazhoohi, F.; Pejicic, M.; Pisanski, A.; Pisanski, K.; Plohl, N.; Ponciano, E.; Popa, C.; Prokop, P.; Przepiorka, A.; Quang Lam, T.; Rizwan, M.; Rozycka-Tran, J.; Salkicevic, S.; Sargautyte, R.; Sarmany-Schuller, I.; Schmehl, S.; Shahid, A.; Shaikh, R.; Sharad, S.; Simonetti, F.; Tadinac, M.; Thi Khanh Ha, T.; Ugalde Gonzalez, K.; Vauclair, C. -M.; Vega, L. D.; Widarini, D. A.; Wojciszke, B.; Yoo, G.; Zadeh, Z. F.; Zatkova, M.; Zupancic, M.; Sternberg, R. J
Contrasting Computational Models of Mate Preference Integration Across 45 Countries
Humans express a wide array of ideal mate preferences. Around the world, people desire romantic partners who are intelligent, healthy, kind, physically attractive, wealthy, and more. In order for these ideal preferences to guide the choice of actual romantic partners, human mating psychology must possess a means to integrate information across these many preference dimensions into summaries of the overall mate value of their potential mates. Here we explore the computational design of this mate preference integration process using a large sample of n = 14,487 people from 45 countries around the world. We combine this large cross-cultural sample with agent-based models to compare eight hypothesized models of human mating markets. Across cultures, people higher in mate value appear to experience greater power of choice on the mating market in that they set higher ideal standards, better fulfill their preferences in choice, and pair with higher mate value partners. Furthermore, we find that this cross-culturally universal pattern of mate choice is most consistent with a Euclidean model of mate preference integration
Assortative mating and the evolution of desirability covariation
Mate choice lies close to differential reproduction, the engine of evolution. Patterns of mate choice consequently have power to direct the course of evolution. Here we provide evidence suggesting one pattern of human mate choice\u2014the tendency for mates to be similar in overall desirability\u2014caused the evolution of a structure of correlations that we call the d factor. We use agent-based models to demonstrate that assortative mating causes the evolution of a positive manifold of desirability, d, such that an individual who is desirable as a mate along any one dimension tends to be desirable across all other dimensions. Further, we use a large cross-cultural sample with n = 14,478 from 45 countries around the world to show that this d-factor emerges in human samples, is a cross-cultural universal, and is patterned in a way consistent with an evolutionary history of assortative mating. Our results suggest that assortative mating can explain the evolution of a broad structure of human trait covariation
Sex differences in mate preferences across 45 Countries: A large-scale replication
Considerable research has examined human mate preferences across cultures, finding universal sex differences in preferences for attractiveness and resources as well as sources of systematic cultural variation. Two competing perspectives-an evolutionary psychological perspective and a biosocial role perspective-offer alternative explanations for these findings. However, the original data on which each perspective relies are decades old, and the literature is fraught with conflicting methods, analyses, results, and conclusions. Using a new 45-country sample (N = 14,399), we attempted to replicate classic studies and test both the evolutionary and biosocial role perspectives. Support for universal sex differences in preferences remains robust: Men, more than women, prefer attractive, young mates, and women, more than men, prefer older mates with financial prospects. Cross-culturally, both sexes have mates closer to their own ages as gender equality increases. Beyond age of partner, neither pathogen prevalence nor gender equality robustly predicted sex differences or preferences across countries
Sex Differences in Mate Preferences Across 45 Countries: A Large-Scale Replication.
Considerable research has examined human mate preferences across cultures, finding universal sex differences in preferences for attractiveness and resources as well as sources of systematic cultural variation. Two competing perspectives-an evolutionary psychological perspective and a biosocial role perspective-offer alternative explanations for these findings. However, the original data on which each perspective relies are decades old, and the literature is fraught with conflicting methods, analyses, results, and conclusions. Using a new 45-country sample (N = 14,399), we attempted to replicate classic studies and test both the evolutionary and biosocial role perspectives. Support for universal sex differences in preferences remains robust: Men, more than women, prefer attractive, young mates, and women, more than men, prefer older mates with financial prospects. Cross-culturally, both sexes have mates closer to their own ages as gender equality increases. Beyond age of partner, neither pathogen prevalence nor gender equality robustly predicted sex differences or preferences across countries