The influence of sex ratio and childhood harshness on male short-term mating preference

Abstract

This research draws on Life History Theory to test the effect of sex ratio and childhood harshness on men's short-term mating preference. It applies three studies that: 1) manipulate perceived sex ratio by referring to two sets of profile photographs (Study 1); 2) require the participant to write an imaginative article that describes the potential situation of male or female-biased sex ratio (Study 2); 3) measure the participant's perception of sex distribution in a real situation (Study 3). The three studies consistently demonstrate that men who grew up in harsh environments are more likely to adopt short-term mating strategies when they see more women (than men) in their environment. But men who grew up in benign environments do not significantly differ in their short-term mating preference when responding to a male or female-biased sex ratio. The second and third study further demonstrate that when male resource acquirement capability is taken into account, it is childhood harshness, rather than ability to acquire resources, that performs a moderating role in the relationship between perceived sex ratio and men's short-term mating preference. Both studies also demonstrate that resource acquirement capability has the most significant effect on men's short-term mating preference.