Sex differences in responses to relationship threats in England and Romania

Abstract

Prior research on sex differences in relationship jealousy and on reactions to third-party rivals has been conducted primarily within the U.S., Central Europe, and Asia. As these effects vary in magnitude across cultures, it is important to investigate both how these patterns differ across a wider range of cultures and the key mediating cultural variables. One hundred and fourteen English and 202 Romanian participants provided their reactions to hypothetical relationship infidelity situations and to various traits that a mate rival could possess. In both samples, males were more upset than females by sexualinfidelity, as compared with emotional infidelity, but this effect was much smaller for the Romanian sample. In line with evolutionary predictions, men were more upset by a rival who had better financial prospects, greater status and prestige, and was physically stronger, whereas women were more upset by a rival with a more attractive body and face. Additional, unpredicted, sex differences in the evaluation of rival traits were also found. Finally, different correlations were found (both across cultures and across sexes) between reported reactions to infidelities and to specific mate rival traits.