Deficits in sexual access versus deficits in emotional access and relationship termination decisions

Abstract

Evolutionary theory based research has examined how sexual access and emotional access affect mate selection. However, evolutionary theory based research has not examined how deficits in sexual access and emotional access affect relationship termination decisions. The present research sought to fill this void with two studies examining the questions of whether or not: a lack of sexual access is more likely to lead men to end a relationship, and whether or not a lack of emotional access is more likely to lead women to end a relationship. Based on prior research investigating divorce, sexual infidelity, and male and female mate selection preferences, men were expected to be more likely to end a relationship due to a lack of sexual access while women were expected to be more likely to end a relationship due to a lack of emotional access. The results were consistent with the hypothesis for women. Both men and women were more likely to terminate their relationships due to lack of emotional access. These results are discussed in terms of parental investment concerns, commitment loss, and prior research.