The Moderating Effect of Mate-Value on the Relationship between Preceived Sex Ratio and Mating Strategies

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

3-19-2019

Publication Title

Personality and Individual Differences

Volume

145

Issue

15

First page number:

39

Last page number:

43

Abstract

This study tested the hypothesis that the impact of sex and sex ratio on mating strategies (where favorable sex ratios increase the likelihood of men moving towards an unrestricted sociosexual orientation and of women moving towards a restricted sociosexual orientation) would be strongest for persons low in mate-value. Further, it was proposed that the effects of mate-value and sex-ratio would be mediated by changes in perceived mating opportunities. To test these hypotheses, male and female participants read a report designed to manipulate perceived sex ratio. The report gave participants the perception that there were either more men or more women available in their current environment. Participants then completed measures of their perceived mate-value and mating strategy (sociosexual orientation). As predicted, the interaction between the sex of the participant and sex ratio was strongest for persons low in mate-value.

Keywords

Mate-value; Sex ratio; Mating strategy

Disciplines

Gender and Sexuality

Language

English

UNLV article access

Search your library

Share

COinS