Mate Retention Research Articles

When Your Partner is Being Flirted With: The Impact of Unsolicited Attention on Perceived Partner Desirability and Mate Retention Efforts

ABSTRACT When searching for a partner, people often rely on social cues to determine partners’ suitability, finding those who attract attention from others particularly appealing. While people continue to evaluate their partners beyond relationship initiation, existing research has predominantly concentrated on the effects of observing others’ choices during the stage of partner selection, neglecting to consider whether viewing others’ attention toward current partners yields similar effects or instead elicits defensive devaluation. In three experiments, we exposed Israeli participants to situations where their partners received unsolicited flirtatious advances, utilizing visualization, virtual reality, and recall techniques. Participants then rated their desire for their partner and mate retention efforts. Results indicated that attention to partners led to decreased desire for them, subsequently predicting reduced relationship investment. These findings suggest that witnessing current partners receiving attention holds a different meaning than observing potential partners in a similar situation, making salient the risk of losing the partner.

The moderating role of emotional skills between jealousy and mate retention tactics

BackgroundThe purpose of this study was to investigate the moderating role of emotional skills – emotion regulation, emotion under-standing and emotional intelligence – between jealousy in a close relationship and employing mate retention tactics.Participants and procedureThe study involved a group of 196 Polish nationals (111 women and 85 men) aged between 19 and 62, who were involved in romantic relationships of the following types: dating relationship, cohabitating, engaged or married. The following research tools were used: the Emotion Regulation Questionnaire (ERQ), the Emotion Understanding Test, INTE questionnaire, the Mate Retention Inventory – Short Form (MRI-SF) and the Multidimensional Jealousy Scale.ResultsEmotion suppression was identified as a modifier between jealousy and the use of acts linked to the direct guarding tactic, and between jealousy and acts associated with the public signals of possession tactic. The ability to suppress emotion con-tributes to an increased readiness to employ direct guarding at the time of a high jealousy level.ConclusionsThe results showed that the moderators of the relationship between jealousy and mate retention tactics were emotional suppression and emotion understanding. Emotional functioning is important for the well-being of relationships, especially for dealing with jealousy.

An Experimental Test of Jealousy's Evolved Function: Imagined Partner Infidelity Induces Jealousy, Which Predicts Positive Attitude Towards Mate Retention.

Jealousy may have evolved to motivate adaptive compensatory behavior in response to threats to a valued relationship. This suggests that jealousy follows a temporal sequence: A perceived relational threat induces state feelings of jealousy which in turn motivates compensatory behavior, such as mate retention effort. Yet to date, tests of this mediation model have been limited to cross-sectional data. This study is the first to experimentally test this theoretical model. Men and women (N = 222) who were currently in committed romantic relationships were primed with an imagined partner infidelity (versus control) scenario. Participants then completed measures of state jealousy and intended mate retention behavior. Results found that those primed with the infidelity threat scenario experienced an increase in state jealousy, which in turn predicted more intended benefit-provisioning and cost-inflicting mate retention. Findings suggest that jealousy mediated the relationship between infidelity threat and intended mate retention behavior, supporting the evolutionary account of state jealousy.

The Relationship between Jealousy and Mate Retention Strategies in Romantic Relationships among Women during the COVID-19 Pandemic.

Jealousy and mate retention have received attention in research over the last few decades. Despite this, most of the research has examined male jealousy and male mate retention, emphasizing cost-inflicting behavior due to its role in relationships and domestic violence. The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between jealousy and all mate retention strategies in romantic relationships among women during the COVID-19 pandemic. The sample consisted of 772 Croatian women aged 19 to 40 who were in a heterosexual relationship at the time. This study was conducted online, and the participants completed the Multidimensional Jealousy Scale and Mate Retention Inventory. The results showed that cognitive, emotional, and behavioral jealousy were positively correlated with all mate retention strategies, which indicates that a stronger experience of jealousy can be expected to result in more frequent use of all partner retention strategies. We also found that all three dimensions of jealousy and relationship length positively predicted both cost-inflicting and benefit-provisioning mate retention behavior, whereas age was a negative predictor of benefit-provisioning behavior only. The findings of this study suggest that, although jealousy can substantially explain interpersonally risky and damaging behavior in relationships, it can also explain affectionate and attentive behavior, to some extent.

Sperm Competition Risk: The Connections That Partner Attractiveness and Infidelity Risk Have with Mate Retention Behaviors and Semen-Displacing Behaviors.

The present studies investigated the relationships between men's perceived risk of experiencing sperm competition (i.e., when the ejaculates of two or more men simultaneously occupy the reproductive tract of a single woman), and their use of strategies to detect, prevent, and correct their partner's sexual infidelity. We investigated these associations using self-reports provided by men (Study 1, n = 113), partner-reports provided by women (Study 2, n = 136), and dyadic reports (Study 3, n = 103 couples). The results of these studies indicated that the attractiveness of women was consistently associated with men's use of benefit-provisioning mate retention behaviors (e.g., buying expensive gifts for one's partner, showing signs of physical affection) and semen-displacing behaviors (e.g., deeper copulatory thrusting, more thrusts during copulation), whereas the infidelity risk of women was often associated with men's use of cost-inflicting mate retention behaviors (e.g., threatening to end the relationship, monopolization of partner's free time). Discussion addresses the evolutionary implications of these results, including the possibility that men use both benefit-provisioning mate retention behaviors and semen-displacing behaviors when they perceive their partner to be more attractive, ostensibly as a way to mitigate their risk of sperm competition. Discussion also explores the extent to which these results extend those of previous studies concerning sperm competition risk.

Sexual Communal Strength Partially Mediates the Associations between Mate Retention Behaviors and Relationship Satisfaction

ABSTRACT Mate retention behaviors are associated with several aspects of romantic relationships, but different categories of mate retention behaviors have divergent associations with relationship satisfaction. The present studies examined whether sexual communal strength – which refers to the motivation to meet the sexual needs of one’s partner – mediated the associations that benefit-provisioning and cost-inflicting mate retention behaviors had with relationship satisfaction. We investigated the associations that mate retention behaviors had with relationship satisfaction through sexual communal strength using men’s self-reports (Study 1) and women’s partner-reports (Study 2). We found that sexual communal strength partially mediated the associations that mate retention behaviors had with relationship satisfaction in both studies. Benefit-provisioning mate retention behaviors had a positive indirect association with relationship satisfaction through sexual communal strength in both studies, whereas cost-inflicting mate retention behaviors had a negative indirect association with relationship satisfaction through sexual communal strength in Study 1 but not in Study 2. We explore the reasons why sexual communal strength may play an important role in the connections that mate retention behaviors have with relationship satisfaction.

Cost-Inflicting Mate Retention Tactics Predict the Perpetration of Cyber Dating Abuse

Cyber dating abuse involves the use of electronic communication technology to direct abuse towards a romantic partner. Research has explored the perpetration of cyber dating abuse through an evolutionary lens, suggesting people use technology to perform mate retention tactics. Namely, previous research has found that mate value discrepancy and intrasexual competition predict the perpetration of cyber dating abuse. However, we do not yet know whether there is a direct relationship between cost-inflicting mate retention tactics and cyber dating abuse. Here, we directly explored whether cost-inflicting mate retention behaviours predict the perpetration of cyber dating abuse across two studies (study 1, n = 132; study 2, n = 124), finding strong support. We also explored the role of the Dark Triad in the perpetration of cyber dating abuse, and contrary to previous literature, we found no support. Our research furthers our understanding of the factors that drive cyber dating abuse from an evolutionary perspective.

Assessment of the Mate Retention Inventory-Short Form Using Item Response Theory.

The mate retention inventory (MRI) has been a valuable tool in the field of evolutionary psychology for the past 30 years. The goal of the current research is to subject the MRI to rigorous psychometric analysis using item response theory to answer three broad questions. Do the individual items of the MRI fit the scale well? Does the overall function of the MRI match what is predicted? Finally, do men and women respond similarly to the MRI? Using a graded response model, it was found that all but two of the items fit acceptable model patterns. Test information function analysis found that the scale acceptably captures individual differences for participants with a high degree of mate retention but the scale is lacking in capturing information from participants with a low degree of mate retention. Finally, discriminate item function analysis reveals that the MRI is better at assessing male than female participants, indicating that the scale may not be the best indicator of female behavior in a relationship. Overall, we conclude that the MRI is a good scale, especially for assessing male behavior, but it could be improved for assessing female behavior and individuals lower on overall mate retention behavior. It is suggested that this paper be used as a framework for how the newest psychometrics techniques can be applied in order to create more robust and valid measures in the field of evolutionary psychology.

Reasons to Pretend Orgasm, Mate Retention, and Relationship Satisfaction in Brazilian Women.

We investigated the relationship between Brazilian women's reported reasons for pretending orgasm, their performance of mate retention behaviors, and their relationship satisfaction. Additionally, we secured evidence of the validity and reliability of a Brazilian-Portuguese adaptation of the Reasons to Pretend Orgasm Inventory (RPOI). Participants were 295 Brazilian women in a heterosexual relationship (Mage = 24.9 years, SDage = 5.4 years). Participants completed a Brazilian-Portuguese adaptation of the Mate Retention Inventory-Short Form, and the translated RPOI (the Escala de Razões para Fingir Orgasmo; ERFO). The resulting 47-item ERFO represents well the original 63-item RPOI. The frequency with which Brazilian women pretend orgasm was negatively associated with their relationship satisfaction. Our sample size may not be sufficient to detect small effects. In addition, due to the exploratory nature of the study, the results should be interpreted with caution and future research may attempt to replicate these findings with larger samples and in other countries.

Correlations of Fundamental Social Motives with Personality Measures and Life History Variables

Background: In response to the replication crisis in the field of psychology, the authors conduct a replication of the Neel et al. (2016) (1) study examining individual differences in fundamental social motives. Methods: Using the Fundamental Social Motives Inventory, we explore the relationships of the fundamental social motives to other individual differences and personality measures and the extent to which life history variables (e.g., age, sex, childhood environment) predict individual differences in the fundamental social motives. In addition to the replication study, the authors also incorporate the Behavioral Inhibition/Activation Scale (BIS/BAS) as a new variable to determine this measure of personality’s correlation with all seven fundamental social motives of Self-Protection, Disease Avoidance, Affiliation, Status, Mate Seeking, Mate Retention, and Kin Care. A total of 34 participants are recruited from Amazon Mechanical Turk to complete the measures of personality under question. The replication criteria are set at ±0.15 r/β-units from the original study results and effect sizes greater than or equal to r/β=0.5 have to demonstrate statistical significance at the p<0.05 level.Results: Results demonstrate that between a third and a half of all effect sizes replicate Neel et al.’s (1) findings.Limitations: These results should be considered carefully with respect to the low sample size of our study.Conclusion: The BIS/BAS variable proves to be most informative, indicating that the seven motives cluster under either the BIS or BAS factors with medium to large strengths of correlation. These findings contribute to discussions on considering the most accurate measures of social motivation and the implications of individual differences in psychology’s understanding of such motivational systems.

The Relationship between Perceived Sexual Infidelity, the Use of Mate Retention Tactics and Attitudes towards Condoms among African American College Women

The Relationship between Perceived Sexual Infidelity, the Use of Mate Retention Tactics and Attitudes towards Condoms among African American College Women

Dark Triad Traits and Mate Retention Behaviors in Romantic Couples: The Actor-Partner Interdependence Model.

By using actor-partner interdependence modeling (APIM), we examined the effects of the Dark Triad traits, psychopathy, narcissism, and Machiavellianism on two mate retention (MR) domains, cost-inflicting (C-I B) and benefit-provisioning behaviors (B-P B) as well as overall mate retention (OMR) on the sample of 100 heterosexual romantic couples. These effects were examined first without and then with the control of the overlap between the traits. The results show that actor effects of the Dark Triad traits on MR were stronger in men, and regarding partner effects, the Dark Triad traits in men exerted more frequent MR in women than women's Dark Triad traits in men. In line with our prediction, psychopathy had the strongest actor and partner effects on MR behaviors, both in men and women. Considering MR domains, we found actor effects on C-I B only in men, whereas actor effects on B-P B in both men and women. The Dark Triad traits, especially in men, exerted stronger partner effects on C-I B than on B-P B domain. Almost all actor and partner effects of psychopathy and narcissism remained significant after the control for the overlap between the traits, whereas all actor effects of Machiavellianism became nonsignificant. In both sets of analyses, without and with the control for the overlap between these traits, the most frequent plausible dyadic patterns were actor-only and couple pattern.

Confirmatory Factor Analysis of the Coalitional Mate Retention Inventory (CMRI) and Evidence for Two Superordinate Domains

Abstract. The Coalitional Mate Retention Inventory (CMRI; Pham, Barbaro, Mogilski, & Shackelford, 2015 ) assesses the frequency with which individuals solicit allies to assist with mate retention efforts. The current study subjected the CMRI to confirmatory factor analyses (CFAs). A model comparison approach was employed using data from a large community sample of participants currently in a heterosexual romantic relationship ( n = 1,003, 54% male). The seven-factor structure of the CMRI demonstrates good model fit and provides significantly better fit than an alternative single-factor structure. The results also demonstrate that the seven tactics of the CMRI are subsumed by two superordinate domains of Benefit-Provisioning and Cost-Inflicting coalitional mate retention. Correlational analyses with the superordinate domains of coalitional mate retention are presented and highlight their predictive utility. We recommend the continued use of the CMRI in psychological research.

Deceptive Affectionate Messages: Mate Retention Deployed Under the Threat of Partner Infidelity.

Deceptive affectionate messages (DAMs) have been proposed to act as relational maintenance techniques and, as such, might be part of a greater repertoire of mate retention behaviors. We analyzed data from 1,993 Mechanical Turk participants to examine the relations between DAMs and mate retention, and whether these relations were mediated by the perceived risk of partner infidelity. In line with predictions, frequency of DAMs positively predicted general mate retention and cost-inflicting mate retention through the perceived risk of partner infidelity. In line with our nondirectional prediction, we also found that frequency of DAMs negatively predicted benefit-provisioning mate retention behaviors. In an exploratory mediation analysis of DAMs on benefit-provisioning mate retention via perceived partner infidelity, we surprisingly found that DAMs negatively predicted benefit-provisioning behavior due to the perceived risk of partner infidelity, suggesting that DAMs-but not benefit-provisioning mate retention-are deployed under the threat of partner infidelity. Overall, these findings suggest that DAMs might belong to a greater repertoire of mate retention (especially cost-inflicting) behaviors to thwart the possibility of partner infidelity.

Adaptation and Psychometric Properties of the Persian Version of the Coalitional Mate Retention Inventory (CMRI).

Mate retention behaviors are designed to reduce the likelihood of partner infidelity and relationship withdrawal. We investigated the psychometric properties of the Persian translation of The Coalitional Mate Retention Inventory (CMRI) in Iran and explored the sex differences in the performance frequencies of these behaviors. Participants in a committed heterosexual romantic relationship (n = 508, 270 female and 238 male) were drawn from a community sample. Participants reported demographic information (including age, duration of relationship), the Persian translation of CMRI, and the Persian translation of the Mate Retention Inventory-Short Form. The results of the confirmatory factor analyses demonstrated a good fit of the CMRI seven-factor model and achieved good reliability for CMRI and its subscales. We further documented sex differences in the frequency with which coalitional mate retention behaviors were performed. The results revealed that CMRI is a valuable instrument for assessing mate retention across diverse cultures.

Mate retention Strategies, Self-Esteem, Mate Value and Facial Attractiveness Disparity in Brazil and in the UK

This study compared mate retention strategies (MRS) in Brazil and in the UK, testing whether culture moderates the association between MRS and self-evaluated variables (e.g. mate value). Our findings demonstrated that women’s MRS varied cross-culturally, with Brazilian women reporting to perform MRS more often than British women. Men’s MRS did not vary between cultures. Additionally, culture moderated the association between MRS frequency and facial attractiveness disparity (the difference in attractiveness between partners) and mate value. This study presents initial evidence on the influence of culture on the frequency of MRS and its role in the association between self-evaluation and strategies designed to retain a partner.

Sexual Coercion, Mate Retention, and Relationship Satisfaction in Brazilian and American Romantic Relationships.

We investigated the relationships among men's sexual coercion, men's performance of mate retention behaviors, and their partner's relationship satisfaction in Brazil (Study 1) and the United States (Study 2). In addition, we adapted the Sexual Coercion in Intimate Relationships Scale (SCIRS) to the Brazilian context (Escala de Coerção Sexual em Relacionamentos Amorosos [ECSRA]; Study 1) and investigated the suitability of the adapted version in the American context (Sexual Coercion in Intimate Relationships Scale-Short Form [SCIRS-SF]; Study 2). Study 1 included 181 Brazilians, aged between 18 and 49 years (M = 23.5; SD = 5.1), mostly female (60.8%). Study 2 included 508 Americans, aged between 19 and 70 years (M = 34.7; SD = 9.7), mostly male (52.6%). Participants were in a heterosexual, romantic relationship for at least 3 months. Participants completed the SCIRS, a 34-item measure assessing how often participants experienced each sexually coercive behavior, the MRI-SF, a 38-item measure assessing how often participants performed each mate retention act, and several items regarding relationship satisfaction. The results indicated that American (but not Brazilian) men's sexual coercion is positively correlated with their performance of cost-inflicting and benefit-provisioning mate retention behaviors. Men's sexual coercion did not affect their partner's relationship satisfaction in either the American or Brazilian contexts. The SCIRS-SF (nine items) reliably represents the SCIRS (34 items) in the American context. We recommend the SCIRS-SF for assessing performance frequency of sexual coercion. The SCIRS-SF may be used as a screening tool to identify patterns of sexual coercion in couples from Brazil and the United States. We highlight limitations of the current research and identify directions for future research.

Disengaged, exhaustive, benevolent: Three distinct strategies of mate retention

Mate retention behaviors are designed to reduce the risk of partner infidelity or relationship defection. In the current research, we used k-means cluster analysis to identify distinct strategies of mate retention behaviors. Participants were 637 individuals (56.3% male) in a romantic relationship with an opposite-sex individual for at least 3 months ( M = 78.7; SD = 95.8) and aged between 18 and 70 years ( M = 29.3, SD = 10.5). Participants completed the Mate Retention Inventory–Short Form. The results suggested three distinct mate retention clusters or strategies: (1) Disengaged (infrequent use of both benefit-provisioning and cost-inflicting behaviors), (2) Exhaustive (frequent use of both benefit-provisioning and cost-inflicting behaviors), and (3) Benevolent (frequent use of benefit-provisioning and infrequent use of cost-inflicting behaviors). The results also indicated, for example, that men more than women use a benevolent strategy, women more than men use a disengaged strategy, and men using an exhaustive strategy report being less physically intimate with their partners than men using a benevolent strategy. We discuss the results with reference to evolutionary hypotheses of mate retention, and we highlight limitations of the current research and important directions for future research.

Sex Differences in Mate Retention and Mate Quality Enhancement: The Effect of Facial Sexual Dimorphism Cues on Willingness to Introduce a New Friend to One's Partner.

Building on previous studies, we investigated the influence of sexual dimorphism cues on mate retention and mate quality enhancement behaviors. A total of 233 participants were presented with facial photographs with varying sexual dimorphism cues that were generated using computer graphic techniques and were asked to rate their behavior tendencies associated with mate retention and quality enhancement. The results showed that (1) female participants utilized mate retention tactics as a function of the sexual dimorphism cues of targets, whereas male participants showed an overall stronger and indiscriminate tendency for mate retention; (2) female participants rated masculine men as more competent and more generally attractive and tended to introduce them to their own partner, a pattern that was consistent with mate quality enhancement strategies, whereas male participants did not exhibit comparable behaviors. Taken together, these results suggest that masculine and feminine facial cues are important, albeit subtle, to one's reproductive value and are closely associated with mate retention and quality enhancement strategies. Limitations and future directions are also discussed.

Mate competition in Pakistan: Mate value, mate retention, and competitor derogation

Mate retention and competitor derogation are two key components of human mate competition. In a conservative, religious sample from Pakistan (N = 255), the current study investigated evolutionarily informed hypotheses regarding a) sex differences in competitor derogation and mate retention, b) the relationship between mate value and mate retention tactics, and c) the role religiosity plays in predicting the type of mate retention behaviors. The results indicated that across both sexes, higher mate value predicted greater use of mate retention tactics and also predicted overall competitor derogation. Men more than women used tactics of resource display, violence, intra-sexual threats, sexual inducements, derogation of mate, possessive ornamentation, and monopolization. The results also showed that greater religiosity predicted increased use of cost-inflicting mate retention behaviors among men and decreased use among women. To our knowledge, the current study is the first to investigate mating psychology in Pakistan from an evolutionary perspective.