Sex and Mating Strategy Differences in Jealousy

1
Sex and Mating Strategy Differences in Jealousy
Sponsored by funds from the Frances L. Hiatt
School of Psychology, Clark University
Sarah L. Strout, Sarah E. Bush, James D. Laird
Clark University

• Discussion
• Suggests that sex alone is not responsible for
  the differences in type of infidelity most
  upsetting.
• The participants who chose emotional infidelity
  as most upsetting (regardless of sex) preferred
  their mate to be committed, faithful, educated,
  and successful
• Participants who chose sexual infidelity as most
  upsetting did not prefer these qualities.
• It seems that participants who are using a long
  term mating strategy (by preferring mates who are
  successful, educated, faithful and committed) are
  more upset by emotional infidelity.
• It may be that the inconsistencies in the results
  of many previous studies were due to the fact
  that strategy, not sex, was the key variable.
• References
• Buss, D. M., Schmitt, D. P. (1993). Sexual
  Strategies Theory An evolutionary perspective on
  human mating. Psychological Review, 100, 204-232.
• Buss, D. M., Larsen, R., Westen, D.,
  Semmelroth, J. (1992). Sex differences in
  jealousy Evolution, physiology, and psychology.
  Psychological Science, 3, 251-255

• Method
• Participants included 47 undergraduate volunteers
  (18 males, 29 females)
• Questionnaires asked which characteristics
  participants would prefer in an ideal mate (seems
  to suggest a particular type of mating strategy)
  and the classic force choice question regarding
  jealousy
• Results
• The usual sex differences in both mating strategy
  and jealousy response were observed. Men were
  more likely to be upset by sexual infidelity
  whereas women were more likely to be upset by
  emotional infidelity.
• However the best prediction of which kind of
  infidelity would be most upsetting was what
  mating strategy the participants used.
• Men and women who chose emotional infidelity as
  most upsetting preferred their long term mate to
  be successful, committed, faithful and educated,
  which suggests a long term mating strategy.
• Men and women who chose sexual infidelity as most
  upsetting did not prefer their mate to have these
  qualities. This seems to suggest a short term
  mating strategy.

• Abstract
• Previous research focused on sex differences in
  jealousy only The current study assesses sex
  differences and effects of mating strategy on
  jealousy. Results show an interaction between sex
  and mating strategy used.
• Introduction
• Previous research on jealousy focused on sex
  differences in the type of infidelity that evokes
  jealousy (e.g. Buss, Larsen, Westen Semmelroth,
  1992) .
• In past studies, not all men chose sexual
  infidelity as most upsetting and not all women
  chose emotional infidelity as most upsetting. It
  may be that the type of mating strategy used
  contributes to the type of infidelity that is
  most upsetting.
• Even though women often use a long-term strategy
  and men use short term strategy, there are
  undoubtedly some of both sexes who have the
  alternative strategy.
• it makes sense to examine the effects of the type
  of mating strategy used on the types of
  infidelity that evokes jealousy.
• Existing literature suggests a way to measure
  strategy may be through mate-quality preferences
  (Buss Scmitt, 1993).

Committed
Successful
Faithful
2.5
Educated
2.5
3.1
3.0
2.0
2.8
2.0
3.0
2.6
1.5
2.9
1.5
2.4
1.0
2.2
2.8
GENDER
1.0
GENDER
2.0
GENDER
GENDER
Male
.5
2.7
Male
1.8
Male
Male
.5
Female
0.0
Female
Sexual Infidelity Most Upsetting
Emotional Infidelity Most Upsetting
1.6
Female
2.6
Female
Emotional Infidelity Most Upsetting
Sexual Infidelity Most Upsetting
Emotional Infidelity Most Upsetting
Sexual Infidelity Most Upsetting
Sexual Infidelity Most Upsetting
Emotional Infidelity Most Upsetting