Uncommitted Sexual Relationships Research Articles

Reliability and Validity of the Chinese Version of the Revised Sociosexual Orientation Inventory.

The Revised Sociosexual Orientation Inventory (SOI-R) is a measurement tool for assessing an individual's willingness to engage in uncommitted sexual relations. Despite its widespread use in various contexts, no studies have validated the use of this instrument in China. Therefore, the current study aimed to assess the reliability and validity of an existing Chinese translation of the SOI-R. A total of 2,209 participants were recruited and randomly divided into two groups: exploratory factor analysis was conducted on one group and confirmatory factor analysis on the other, with 161 participants from the total sample recruited to assess the test-retest reliability. Criterion validity was measured by testing the correlations between sociosexuality and sexual desire, mate value, sexual attitudes, and personality traits. The results confirmed a three-factor structure (sociosexual behaviors, attitudes, and desire) for the SOI-R. Furthermore, the findings demonstrated good reliability (internal consistency and test-retest stability) and validity (criterion validity, convergent validity, and discriminant validity) of the SOI-R, supporting its suitability as an assessment tool for sociosexual orientation in China.

No evidence that sociosexual orientation moderates effects of conception probability on women’s preferences for male facial masculinity

Although many researchers have proposed that women will show stronger preferences for male facial masculinity when conception probability is high, empirical tests of this hypothesis have produced mixed results. One possible explanation for these inconsistent findings is that effects of conception probability on women’s preferences for facial masculinity are moderated by additional factors not typically considered in these empirical tests. One such potential moderator is individual differences in women’s openness to uncommitted sexual relationships (i.e., individual differences in women’s sociosexual orientation); women who are more open to uncommitted sexual relationships might show stronger positive effects of conception probability on masculinity preferences, as their sexuality is more overt and sexual attitudes and behaviours are more diversified. Consequently, we analysed data from three independent samples (N = 2304, N = 483, and N = 339) to assess whether sociosexual orientation moderates the hypothesised positive effect of conception probability on women’s facial masculinity preferences. Analyses showed no evidence that higher conception probability increased preferences for facial masculinity or that sociosexual orientation moderated the effect of conception probability on women’s preferences for facial masculinity. While it remains possible that factors other than sociosexual orientation moderate effects of conception probability on masculinity preferences, our null results suggest that the mixed results for the effects of conception probability on facial masculinity preferences in previous studies are unlikely to be a consequence of failing to consider the moderating role of sociosexual orientation.

Contrapposto posture captures visual attention: An online gaze tracking experiment

ABSTRACT Goddesses of love and beauty are frequently depicted in artwork in a contrapposto posture with one leg relaxing while the other bears the weight. Previous research has indicated that compared to an upright standing pose, a contrapposto pose is considered more attractive with its curviness capturing greater visual attention. Yet, whether a body posed in contrapposto is generally more visually attention-grabbing than an upright body remains unknown. We sought to address this gap and also examined if individual differences in sociosexuality – individual differences in willingness to engage in uncommitted sexual relations – influence attentional allocation. Online gaze-tracking was employed to monitor subjects (n = 71) during image presentation in a preferential looking design (contrapposto verse standing). Participants had a greater proportion of their gaze directed towards female bodies depicted in contrapposto pose compared to a standing posture over an extended period of time but not in the first gaze shift. Moreover, sociosexuality correlated positively with the proportion of gazes towards contrapposto stimuli but fell short of statistical significance. The results of the current study indicate that top-down factors play a role in how people allocate more attention to contrapposto poses.

Adverse childhood experiences and tramadol use in Nigeria: the mediating role of sociosexuality in a predominantly male student sample

ABSTRACT Background: Tramadol is a priority opioid in Nigeria given its widespread use. The enhancement of sexual experience is commonly identified as a driver of tramadol use. Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) are associated with substance use and other high-risk behaviors such as sexual-risk behaviors. In the current study, we examined how the pathway between ACEs and tramadol use is mediated by sociosexuality in a sample of Nigerian students. Method: Three hundred and one students (male, n = 289, 96%; mean age = 22.6 years; SD age = 3.5), were recruited from hostels and living quarters in and around a Nigerian university. Participants completed measures of ACEs, sociosexuality, and tramadol use. Hayes PROCESS macro for SPSS which uses a regression-based, path-analytical framework, was employed in the data analysis. Results: ACEs and the domains of sociosexuality were positively associated with tramadol use. Sociosexual behaviors and desires mediated the relationship between ACEs and tramadol use. Conclusion: ACEs are linked both to TU as well as desiring and engaging in uncommitted sexual relationships. Rehabilitation programs targeting TU may improve if they identify, examine, and address sociopsychological processes that drive the use of tramadol.

Bartenders and Customers’ Interactions. Influence on Sexual Assaults in Nightlife

Nightlife establishments are meeting points for what the scientific literature has called “hookups” or “one-night stands”—that is, uncommitted sexual relationships that can sometimes result in unwanted or even violent experiences. The scientific literature has identified that sexual assault has usually been connected with alcohol abuse. Other studies have found that nightlife staff can be an active or passive party to violent events (sexual or otherwise), especially bouncers. However, less attention has been paid to bartenders, and their involvement in such events has not been analyzed in depth. This article presents an exploration of how some male bartenders interact with some male customers in the nightlife context to promote sexual relationships and how their interactions might influence possible sexual assault situations. The results of this study shed light on and help us to understand why sexual assault occurs in these spaces.

Variation in sociosexuality across natural menstrual cycles: Associations with ovarian hormones and cycle phase

Abstract The psychological construct of sociosexuality—one's sexual openness or propensity to engage in uncommitted sexual relationships—has been broadly examined within numerous cultures and mating contexts. Although there is some evidence suggesting that components of sociosexuality, namely behavior, desire and attitude, change within-person, relatively little research has investigated potential sources of such variation. The aim of our study was to explore if the individual components of sociosexuality change across the menstrual cycle, either as a function of cycle phase or ovarian hormones. One hundred and two naturally cycling women, both single and in a committed relationships, completed questions from the the SOI-R (Sociosexuality Revised) questionnaire three times during a menstrual cycle, scheduled to coincide with their early follicular, peri-ovulatory, and luteal phases. Women provided saliva samples and performed luteinizing hormone tests to distinguish between ovulatory and anovulatory cycles. Women reported slightly more openness to uncommitted sexual relationships during the peri-ovulatory session, but significant differences were restricted only to women who exhibited the luteinizing hormone surge. Ovarian hormone concentrations within cycles significantly predicted SOI Attitude and Desire scores, with estradiol positively related, and progesterone negatively related to openness to uncommitted sexuality. These effects were generally modest in size. The results of this study suggest that sociosexuality can vary within short periods of time, such as a single menstrual cycle.

Showing Skin: Tattoo Visibility Status, Egalitarianism, and Personality are Predictors of Sexual Openness Among Women

Research indicates that women with tattoos are evaluated more negatively than women without tattoos on numerous qualities. Further, men perceive better chances for sexual success with tattooed women than those without visible tattoos. Despite these findings, less is known about whether women with visible tattoos are more open to casual sexual encounters than their non-tattooed counterparts, and if so, what variables may predict such openness. The purpose of the present study was to explore whether, and to what extent, stereotyped perceptions of tattooed women as sexually open are accurate, and to explore the possible role of egalitarianism in sexual openness. Measures of personality and sensation-seeking were also examined. A sample of 814 women, both tattooed and non-tattooed, were recruited through a Western Canadian university research pool and various social media outlets to complete an online questionnaire assessing these attributes. Women with tattoos reported greater willingness to engage in uncommitted sexual relations, as well as higher endorsement of egalitarianism and sensation-seeking, relative to non-tattooed women. Among tattooed women alone, several personality and tattooing variables predicted sexual openness. Findings suggesting body tattooing as an indicator of sexual openness are critically discussed in relation to contemporary stereotypes surrounding femininity and sexuality.

The Interactions Among Sexual Orientation, Masculine and Feminine Gender Role Orientation, and Facets of Sociosexuality in Young Heterosexual and Homosexual Men

ABSTRACT The present study investigated the functional relationships among sexual orientation, masculine and feminine gender role orientation, and sociosexual orientation in 282 heterosexual and 282 homosexual young men. Homosexual men reported significantly more pronounced sociosexual behavior (d = 0.65) and desire (d = 0.31). Furthermore, homosexual men were characterized by lower masculine (d =-0.26) and higher feminine (d = 0.38) gender role orientation. Latent variable analyses revealed that homosexual men as well as more masculine men, irrespective of their sexual orientation, had more uncommitted sexual relations and more unrestricted sociosexual attitudes. A similar pattern could be identified for sociosexual desire. While homosexual men were more unrestricted in their sociosexual desire, this also held for more feminine men in general. Overall, findings indicated that homosexual orientation is positively associated with sociosexual orientation. In addition, masculine/feminine gender role orientations exert differential influences on the three facets of sociosexuality independent of sexual orientation.

Coparenting and Relationship Satisfaction in Mothers: The Moderating Role of Sociosexuality.

This study explored the moderating effect of sociosexual orientation on the association between coparenting alliance/coparenting conflict and relationship satisfaction in mothers in a romantic relationship. Sociosexuality is defined as a personality trait that reflects the individual difference in willingness to engage in uncommitted sexual relations. The study examined a community sample of 635 Portuguese mothers with a monogamous heterosexual relationship. Data on coparenting, relationship satisfaction, and sociosexual orientation were collected. The results revealed the moderating effect of sociosexuality on the significant associations between both coparenting alliance and coparenting conflict predicting relationship satisfaction. For the association between coparenting alliance and relationship satisfaction, mothers with a more restricted sociosexual orientation reported the highest levels of satisfaction when their coparenting alliance was high, but the lowest levels of satisfaction when coparenting alliance was low. For the association between coparenting conflict and relationship satisfaction, mothers with a more restricted sociosexual orientation reported the highest levels of satisfaction when their coparenting conflict was low, but the lowest levels when coparenting conflict was high. Together, the results suggest that especially for women with a more restricted sociosexual orientation, coparenting quality explains significant interindividual variability in relationship satisfaction.

Influences of Sociosexuality and Commitment on Online Sexual Activities: The Mediating Effect of Perceptions of Infidelity

The perceived infidelity of online sexual activity (OSA) has been noted as an important factor contributing to individual differences in OSA among people in romantic relationships. We proposed that two major factors related to infidelity—sociosexuality (willingness to engage in uncommitted sexual relationships) and commitment—might be associated with engaging in OSA via the perceived infidelity of OSA among individuals in romantic relationships. OSAs were classified as viewing sexually explicit material, seeking sexual partners, cybersex, and flirting. Participants were 313 heterosexuals in romantic relationships who completed measures of OSA experience, sociosexuality, commitment, and perceptions of infidelity. The results showed that more unrestricted sociosexuality and less commitment were associated with more frequent engagement in OSAs. Moreover, perceptions of infidelity mediated these associations of sociosexuality and commitment with OSA. These findings suggest that perceived infidelity is important for understanding the mechanism underlying people’s engagement in OSA.

Life history theory and human behavior: Testing associations between environmental harshness, life history strategies and testosterone

This study was a test of associations between measures of harsher environments and indicators of a “faster” life history strategy, including higher aggression, risk taking and a sociosexuality preference for short term and uncommitted sexual relationships. Hypotheses were derived from previous literature in evolutionary psychology proposing that harsher environments promote these faster life history strategies. Additionally, due to the potential for testosterone to act as a hormonal mechanism calibrating life history strategies, associations were tested between salivary testosterone and harsher environments and faster life history strategy indicators. Based on a sample of young adult male undergraduates (n = 99), the results of this study do not support hypothesized associations between harsher environments and faster life history strategies.The majority of tests between environmental harshness and life history strategy indicators were non-significant, with two being significant in the expected direction and one being significant in the unexpected direction. However, none of these remained significant after adjustment for multiple comparisons. There were no significant associations between testosterone and environmental harshness or life history strategy indicators. The results of this study suggest reconsideration of current uses of life history theory within evolutionary psychology intended to explain relationships between environments and psychology and behavior.

General sexual desire, but not desire for uncommitted sexual relationships, tracks changes in women’s hormonal status

Several recent longitudinal studies have investigated the hormonal correlates of both young adult women's general sexual desire and, more specifically, their desire for uncommitted sexual relationships. Findings across these studies have been mixed, potentially because each study tested only small samples of women (Ns = 43, 33, and 14). Here we report results from a much larger (N = 375) longitudinal study of hormonal correlates of young adult women's general sexual desire and their desire for uncommitted sexual relationships. Our analyses suggest that within-woman changes in general sexual desire are negatively related to progesterone, but are not related to testosterone or cortisol. We observed some positive relationships for estradiol, but these were generally only significant for solitary sexual desire. By contrast with our results for general sexual desire, analyses showed no evidence that changes in women’s desire for uncommitted sexual relationships are related to their hormonal status. Together, these results suggest that changes in hormonal status contribute to changes in women's general sexual desire, but do not influence women's desire for uncommitted sexual relationships.

Indywidualne różnice w socjoseksualności: dowody na trafność konwergencyjną i dyskryminacyjną

Individual differences in willingness to engage in uncommitted sexual relations were investigated in 6 studies. In Study I, a 5-item Sociosexual Orientation Inventory (SOl) was developed. Studies 2, 3, and 4 provided convergent validity evidence for the SOI, revealing that persons who have an unrestricted sociosexual orientation tend to (a) engage in sex at an earlier point in their relationships, (b) engage in sex with more than 1 partner at a time, and (c) be involved in relationships characterized by less investment, commitment, love, and dependency. Study 5 provided discriminant validity for the SOI, revealing that it does not covary appreciably with a good marker of sex drive. Study 6 demonstrated that the SOI correlates negligibly with measures of sexual satisfaction, anxiety, and guilt. The possible stability of, origins of, and motivational bases underlying individual differences in sociosexuality are discussed.

Female undergraduate's perceptions of intrusive behavior in 12 countries.

The present study examines young women's (N = 1,734) perceptions of the unacceptability of 47 intrusive activities enacted by men. Female undergraduate psychology students from 12 countries (Armenia, Australia, England, Egypt, Finland, India, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, Portugal, Scotland, Trinidad) indicated which of 47 intrusive activities they considered to be unacceptable. Responses were compared with parasite-stress values, a measure of global gender equality and Hofstede's dimensions of national cultures. There was no unanimous agreement on any of the items, even for those relating to forced sexual violence. Cluster analysis yielded four clusters: "Aggression and surveillance" (most agreement that the constituent items were unacceptable), "Unwanted attention," "Persistent courtship and impositions," and "Courtship and information seeking" (least agreement that the constituent items were unacceptable). There were no significant relationships between the "Aggression and surveillance" or "Courtship and information seeking" clusters and the measure of gender equality, Hofstede's dimensions of national cultures or the measure of parasite stress. For the "Unwanted attention" and "Persistent courtship and impositions" clusters, women residing in countries with higher gender inequality and higher parasite-stress were less accepting of behavior associated with uncommitted sexual relations, and women in more individualistic societies with higher levels of gender equality were less accepting of monitoring activities. Culture may take precedence over personal interpretations of the unacceptability of intrusive behavior that is not obviously harmful or benign in nature.

The new avenue of online sexual activity in China: The smartphone

We investigated the prevalence of online sexual activity (OSA) via smartphone and personal computer (PC), as well as the psychological mechanisms underlying OSA via smartphone and PC. OSAs were categorized as viewing sexually explicit material (SEM), sexual partner seeking, cybersex, and flirting. Participants (N = 505) completed measures of OSA experience via smartphone and PC within the past 12 months. Sexual sensation seeking (the propensity to attain optimal levels of sexual excitement and to engage in novel sexual experiences) and sociosexuality (openness to uncommitted sexual relations) were assessed to examine the psychological mechanisms underlying OSA. The reported prevalence of OSA via smartphone and PC was high (88.32% and 86.34%, respectively). There was no significant difference in the prevalence and frequency of solitary-arousal OSA (i.e., viewing SEM) between smartphone and PC access, while in partnered-arousal OSA (i.e., partner seeking, cybersex, and flirting) the prevalence and frequency via smartphone was higher than via PC. Men reported a higher prevalence and frequency of OSA than women via both smartphone and PC. In addition, sexual sensation seeking and sociosexuality were positively related to OSA via smartphone and PC. The results indicate that the smartphone has become an important avenue to access sexuality online.

Is women's sociosexual orientation related to their physical attractiveness?

Although many researchers have suggested that more physically attractive women report less restricted sociosexual orientations (i.e., report being more willing to engage in short-term, uncommitted sexual relationships), evidence for this association is equivocal. Consequently, we tested for possible relationships between women's scores on the revised version of the Sociosexual Orientation Inventory (SOI-R) and women's body mass index (N=212), waist-hip ratio (N=213), ratings of their facial attractiveness (N=226), and a composite attractiveness measure derived from these three intercorrelated measures. Our analyses suggest that more attractive women report less restricted sociosexual orientations. Moreover, we show that this link between attractiveness and sociosexual orientation is not simply a consequence of women's scores on the behavior subscale of the SOI-R. Importantly, however, the correlations between measures of women's physical attractiveness and their reported sociosexual orientation were very weak, suggesting that perceptions of these potential cues of women's sociosexual orientation are unlikely to provide accurate, socially relevant information about others during social interactions.

Female Genital Cutting Restricts Sociosexuality Among the Igbo People of Southeast Nigeria

Female genital cutting (FGC) involves partial or total removal of the external female genitalia and causes detrimental effects on woman’s physical and psychological health. Estimates suggest that 130 million women and girls have experienced FGC worldwide. A frequently cited reason for performing this procedure is to restrict female sexuality. To test this idea, we examined women’s willingness to engage in uncommitted sexual relations (sociosexuality) among the traditional Igbo community in Southeastern Nigeria, a region in which FGC is prevalent. Women with FGC reported more restricted sociosexuality in all three domains (attitude, behavior, and desire) compared to women without FGC. Our results suggest that FGC significantly restricts female extra-pair behavior. We provide evidence that this practice is partially attributable to sexual conflict over reproduction by decreasing paternity uncertainty and increasing the reproductive costs to women.

2. The Effects of Sociosexual Orientation, Gender and Relationship Context Cues in Audio Narratives on Heterosexual Men's Genital and Subjective Sexual Response.

Past research suggests that heterosexual men show a category-specific pattern of sexual arousal, showing greater arousal to stimuli depicting women than those depicting men.Gender is not, however, the only factor affecting sexual arousal in men. Research has shown that men regard relationship context as an important factor in sexual arousal.Additionally, men show greater sexual arousal to novel than to familiar sexual stimuli. Sociosexuality, the preference for committed or uncommitted sexual relationships,affects behaviour and partner preferences. The current study investigates the relationship between sociosexuality, gender cues, relationship context cues, and sexual arousal in menby assessing 25 heterosexual men’s genital and subjective sexual arousal to 18 audio narratives describing sexual or neutral encounters with female and male strangers,friends, or long-term relationship partners. I expect that heterosexual men will show greater subjective and genital arousal in response to stimuli depicting a sexual encounter with a woman than to stimuli depicting a sexual encounter with a man, replicating previous research. I hypothesize that there will be an interaction between gender cues and relationship context, such that men will show greater sexual arousal to stimuli depicting novel female sexual partners (strangers and friends) than to stimuli depicting familiar female sexual partners (long-term partners). I predict that higher sociosexuality scores, indicating a greater preference for uncommitted sexual relationships, will correlate with greater sexual arousal to uncommitted relationship contexts (strangers or friends), whereas lower sociosexuality scores, will correspond with greater sexual arousal to the committed relationship context (long-term partner).

Measuring sociosexuality: Japanese translation of the revised Sociosexual Orientation Inventory

The term sociosexuality is used to describe individual differences in people’s willingness to engage in uncommitted sexual relationships. The authors developed the revised Sociosexual Orientation Inventory in Japanese (SOI-J) to assess sociosexuality. In addition, we examined the effect of sociosexuality on flirting behaviors. In study 1 and study 2, we translated the revised Sociosexual Orientation Inventory into Japanese and confirmed its reliability and validity. The results of study 3 showed that male sociosexuality had an effect on male and female flirting behaviors. On the other hand, the results showed that female sociosexuality had no effect on male and female flirting behaviors. These results suggest that relationship initiation is controlled by females.

Scarcity of female mates predicts regional variation in men's and women's sociosexual orientation across US states

Previous studies have linked regional variation in willingness to engage in uncommitted sexual relationships (i.e., sociosexual orientation) to many different socio-ecological measures, such as adult sex ratio, life expectancy, and gross domestic product. However, these studies share a number of potentially serious limitations, including reliance on a single dataset of responses aggregated by country and a failure to properly consider intercorrelations among different socio-ecological measures. We address these limitations by (1) collecting a new dataset of 4,453 American men's and women's sociosexual orientation scores, (2) using multilevel analyses to avoid aggregation, and (3) deriving orthogonal factors reflecting US state-level differences in the scarcity of female mates, environmental demands, and wealth. Analyses showed that the scarcity of female mates factor, but not the environmental demand or wealth factors, predicted men's and women's sociosexual orientation. Participants reported being less willing to engage in uncommitted sexual relationships when female mates were scarce. These results highlight the importance of scarcity of female mates for regional differences in men's and women's mating strategies. They also suggest that effects of wealth-related measures and environmental demands reported in previous research may be artifacts of intercorrelations among socio-ecological measures or, alternatively, do not necessarily generalize well to new datasets.