Sex Differences and Individual Differences in Human Facilitative and Preventive Courtship

Steven Arnocky,Graham Albert,Kate Norris,Shafik Sunderani

doi:10.5964/ijpr.v8i2.159

Abstract

Although cooperative mating strategies have been observed in other species, the extent to which men and women act to facilitate the mating success of others has been under-researched, especially among unrelated individuals. The present study addressed this gap in knowledge by exploring potential sex differences and individual differences in attitudes toward facilitating and preventing friends’ mating among 256 heterosexual undergraduate men and women. Results showed that women were more likely than men to express attitudes toward preventing the sexuality of friends, whereas no sex difference existed in facilitative mating. For both men and women, positive reciprocity beliefs and high self-perceived mate-value predicted positive attitudes toward facilitative mating. Among women, preventive mating was predicted by low sociosexuality and high intrasexual (within-sex) competitiveness.

Highlights

Cooperative mating strategies have been observed in other species, the extent to which men and women act to facilitate the mating success of others has been under-researched, especially among unrelated individuals
Some researchers have suggested that courtship-influencing behaviors exist outside of kin relations, where individuals do not stand to benefit in terms of vicarious reproductive success through interfering in another person’s mating behavior (Wright & Sinclair, 2012)
Hypothesis 2: Individual Differences in Facilitative Courtship linear regression analyses were performed for men and women in examining individual differences in these behaviors

Summary

Introduction

Cooperative mating strategies have been observed in other species, the extent to which men and women act to facilitate the mating success of others has been under-researched, especially among unrelated individuals. Results showed that women were more likely than men to express attitudes toward preventing the sexuality of friends, whereas no sex difference existed in facilitative mating. Results showed that individuals’ approval or disapproval predicted whether they engaged in relationship-facilitating (positive influence) or relationship-damaging (negative influence) behaviors These actions correlated with the belief that the participant had influenced the outcome of the relationship in a meaningful way. Research has found that approval from friends is related to satisfaction and stability within the romantic dyad (e.g., Parks, Stan, & Eggert, 1983; Sprecher & Felmlee, 2000) Taken together, these findings suggest that courtship (i.e., the process of romantic or mating relationship formation) is susceptible to the influence of peers. We examine whether men and women differ in the ways in which they attempt to influence others’ courtship processes, and we test hypotheses as to why men and women might engage in these behaviors in the absence of any direct inclusive fitness benefits

Methods

Results

Discussion

Conclusion