bims-chumac Biomed News
on Context effects on human mate choice
Issue of 2023–07–09
ten papers selected by
Thomas Krichel, Open Library Society
  1. A Critical Review of the Literature Regarding the Selection of Long-Term Romantic Partners.
  2. Delicate dining with a date and burger binging with buddies: impression management across social settings and consumers' preferences for masculine or feminine foods.
  3. Hidden faces, altered perceptions: the impact of face masks on interpersonal perception.
  4. Social and Emotional Touch between Romantic Partners is Affectively More Pleasant due to Finely Tuned Contact Interactions.
  5. A Slim Majority: The Influence of Sex Ratio on Women's Body Dissatisfaction and Weight Loss Motivations.
  6. The Influence of Partnership Status on Fertility Intentions of Childless Women and Men Across European Countries.
  7. Listening and responsiveness in getting-acquainted processes.
  8. "How did you stay together so long?" Relationship longevity, a cross-generational qualitative study.
  9. The mechanism of assortative mating for educational attainment: a study of Finnish and Dutch twins and their spouses.
  10. Teen perceptions of adolescent dating violence.
  1. Arch Sex Behav. 2023 Jul 07.
    A Critical Review of the Literature Regarding the Selection of Long-Term Romantic Partners.
    Scott Devenport, Catriona Davis-McCabe, Sam Winter.
      Research regarding how people choose their long-term romantic partners is extensive, but the understanding of the psychological processes behind these choices, and predicting who people choose, is elusive. This review attempts to examine potential reasons for this elusive nature by first outlining the current state of the literature and then highlighting issues within the current paradigm. First among these issues is a focus on singular perspectives and little attempt to integrate these perspectives with others. Second, many studies focus on increasingly complex designs to explore the predictive utility of trait preferences, attempts which have had only limited success. Third, novel findings appear to be unintegrated with established findings, leaving the potential combination of these ideas unrealized. Finally, long-term romantic partner selection is a complex psychological phenomenon, but current theory and research methodologies are not sufficiently addressing this complexity. This review concludes with suggestions for future research direction, including a focus on the psychology behind the partner selection process and the potential of qualitative enquiry to reveal novel pathways behind these psychological processes. There is a need for an integrative framework that permits the coexistence of established and novel ideas, and multiple perspectives, from both current and future research paradigms.
    Keywords:  Evolutionary psychology; Intimate relationships; Mate selection; Romantic relationships; Romantic selection; Trait preference
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1007/s10508-023-02646-y
  2. Front Nutr. 2023 ;10 1127409
    Delicate dining with a date and burger binging with buddies: impression management across social settings and consumers' preferences for masculine or feminine foods.
    Agata Gasiorowska, Michał Folwarczny, Lynn K L Tan, Tobias Otterbring.
      Consumers often use their food choices as an impression management strategy to signal desirable aspects about themselves to others, especially in public places like restaurants and cafeterias, where the presence of others can promote certain consumption choices and preference patterns. In mating contexts, people prefer gender-typical traits and characteristics in a potential partner. Food options can also be classified according to their gender typicality, with certain alternatives perceived as feminine (e.g., salad, seafood) and with other options perceived as more masculine (e.g., steak, burger). Drawing on impression management theories from the drinking and dining domain and literature on sex differences in human mate preferences, we present a high-powered experiment investigating whether consumers' preferences for masculine or feminine foods depend on the social setting in which the food consumption takes place: dining with an attractive date (mating) or meeting and eating with friends (non-mating). Participants (N = 162, 46.9% females, 53.1% males; age M = 41.8  years, SD = 14.5) were randomly assigned to one of the two experimental conditions (mating vs. non-mating) and were asked to indicate their food preferences for 15 dishes that differed markedly in perceived femininity/masculinity. Consistent with our theorizing, females (males) generally had a stronger preference for foods perceived as more feminine (masculine), thereby supporting the gender-typicality thesis at the aggregate level. Furthermore, females in the mating condition-but not females in the non-mating condition-reported significantly stronger preferences for more feminine food alternatives. However, in direct contrast to our theorizing, males preferred more masculine meals in the non-mating condition (i.e., when dining with friends), whereas this gender-typical tendency did not emerge in the mating condition (i.e., when dining with an attractive date). We discuss the theoretical and practical implications of these findings and present a set of fruitful avenues for future research.
    Keywords:  feminine; food preferences; gender image; impression management; masculine; mating; self-presentation; sex differences
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.3389/fnut.2023.1127409
  3. Front Psychol. 2023 ;14 1203442
    Hidden faces, altered perceptions: the impact of face masks on interpersonal perception.
    Shuai Wang, Chengyang Han, Zihan Sang, Xuhui Zhang, Shitao Chen, Haoran Wang, Gang Wang, Yiqian Xu, Xue Lei, Jixu Chen.
      The pandemic has made wearing masks commonplace, prompting researchers to investigate their effects on interpersonal perception. Findings indicate masks obstruct face identification and expression recognition, with lower face cues being most affected. When judging attractiveness, masks can enhance the appeal of less attractive faces, but reduce the appeal of more attractive faces. Trust and speech perception outcomes are inconclusive. Future studies could focus on individual differences in how masks influence our perception of others.
    Keywords:  face mask; face recognition; facial attractiveness; speech perception; trustworthy judgment
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2023.1203442
  4. IEEE Trans Haptics. 2023 Jul 06. PP
    Social and Emotional Touch between Romantic Partners is Affectively More Pleasant due to Finely Tuned Contact Interactions.
    Shan Xu, Chang Xu, Gregory J Gerling.
      Our daily observations tell us that the delivery of social sentiments and emotions differs between strangers and romantic partners. This work explores how relationship status influences our delivery and perception of social touches and emotions, by evaluating the physics of contact interactions. In a study with human participants, strangers and romantically involved touchers delivered emotional messages to receivers' forearms. Physical contact interactions were measured using a customized 3D tracking system. The results indicate that strangers and romantic receivers recognize emotional messages with similar accuracy, but with higher levels of valence and arousal between romantic partners. Further investigation into the contact interactions which underlie the higher levels of valence and arousal reveals that a toucher tunes their strategy with their romantic partner. For example, when stroking, romantic touchers use velocities preferential to C-tactile afferents, and maintain contact for longer durations with larger contact areas. Notwithstanding, while we show that relationship intimacy influences the deployment of touch strategies, such impact is relatively subtle compared to distinctions between gestures, emotional messages, and individual preferences.
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1109/TOH.2023.3293070
  5. Arch Sex Behav. 2023 Jul 05.
    A Slim Majority: The Influence of Sex Ratio on Women's Body Dissatisfaction and Weight Loss Motivations.
    Tania A Reynolds, Jon K Maner, David A Frederick, K Jean Forney, Justin R Garcia.
      The current investigation examined whether women's perceptions of the sex ratio (ratio of women to men) in the local population influence their body dissatisfaction and weight loss motivations. A higher ratio of women to men in a given population signifies a relative abundance of same-sex mating competitors, intensifying female intrasexual competition. Five studies (N = 1,776) tested the hypotheses that women's perceptions of a female-skewed sex ratio would correspond to increased feelings of intrasexual competitiveness and perceptions of unfavorable mating prospects, which would, in turn, be associated with heightened body dissatisfaction and weight loss motivations. Among university and community women (Studies 1and 2), perceptions of a female-skewed sex ratio corresponded to greater intrasexual competitiveness, increased body dissatisfaction, and increased dieting inclinations. Among single women, assessments of a female-skewed sex ratio corresponded to perceptions of unfavorable mating prospects, increased romantic pressure to alter their appearance, and higher body dissatisfaction (Study 3). Studies 4 and 5 experimentally manipulated perceived sex ratio. Women in the female-skewed condition felt less satisfied with their weights and shapes, but only if they believed the manipulation (Study 4). In Study 5, using a within-subjects design, women who evaluated a male-skewed (vs. female-skewed) dating profile array subsequently desired to lose less weight. Findings suggest women's perceptions of their social environments may contribute to body image and dieting motivations.
    Keywords:  Body dissatisfaction; Dieting; Intrasexual competition; Sex ratio; Weight restriction
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1007/s10508-023-02644-0
  6. Eur J Popul. 2023 Jul 03. 39(1): 20
    The Influence of Partnership Status on Fertility Intentions of Childless Women and Men Across European Countries.
    Nadia Sturm, Judith C Koops, Roberta Rutigliano.
      The absence of a suitable partner is the most frequently given reason for unmet fertility intentions across European countries while having a partner is positively associated with the intention to have a child. However, once this relationship is framed within a life-course approach, existing evidence is mixed and inconclusive. The norm to have children within a stable relationship and norms regarding the timing of childbirth are acknowledged in many contemporary societies. Therefore, the presence of a partner might have a stronger effect on fertility intentions around the social deadline for fertility, which could explain the mixed findings in previous research. This article analyses how fertility intentions are influenced by partnership status and how this relationship varies by age and across countries. We use data from the first wave of the Generations and Gender Survey to analyse a sample of childless men and women aged 18-45 years from 12 European countries. We implement logistic regression models to investigate the influence of having a partner on fertility intentions during the life course. Previous studies found that the positive influence of having a partner either decreases across the life course or does not vary significantly. This study reveals that the positive association between partnership and fertility intentions increases from the age of 18, proving that whether someone is in a partnership becomes more influential at later stages in life. After a certain age threshold, which varies across countries and gender, this positive association either turns insignificant, remains positive, or reverses.
    Keywords:  Cross-national; Europe; Fertility intentions; Partnership status; Theory of conjunctural action
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1007/s10680-023-09664-5
  7. Curr Opin Psychol. 2023 Jun 23. pii: S2352-250X(23)00090-8. [Epub ahead of print]52 101645
    Listening and responsiveness in getting-acquainted processes.
    Susan Sprecher.
      Listening and being responsive to another's turns at disclosure are essential processes that occur at all stages of a relationship, including and perhaps particularly at the formation stage. This article discusses research on the role of responsiveness and listening in contributing to positive outcomes from getting-acquainted interactions. Integral to listening and responsiveness in the getting-acquainted process is asking questions, which is also discussed in this article. Because getting-acquainted interactions can occur in different communication modalities and also with artificial intelligence (AI), variation in the degree to which listening and responsiveness occur as a function of the context will be considered. Although listening skills and responsiveness are desired in a romantic partner, these skills are difficult to assess in online profiles and dating apps, which have become common ways for meeting partners.
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1016/j.copsyc.2023.101645
  8. J Marital Fam Ther. 2023 Jul 07.
    "How did you stay together so long?" Relationship longevity, a cross-generational qualitative study.
    Christian Heim, Caroline Heim.
      This global qualitative study adopted a cross-generational approach considering key factors contributing to relationship longevity. Relatively few studies consider factors leading to relationship longevity as articulated by couples themselves, and there is a paucity of research considering young couples' questions regarding relationship longevity. This study has two sample groups. In sample one (n = 137) we asked individuals in relationship of 3-15 years questions they would ask couples in marriages of 40+ years. We then asked our second sample of coupled individuals married 40+ years (n = 180) these questions. The primary question from the younger couples to couples in long-term marriages regarded their "secret" to relationship longevity. This study focuses on this one question and coupled individuals' self-articulation of their "secrets" to relationship longevity. The top seven were (1) commitment, (2) altruism, (3) shared values, (4) good communication, (5) compromise: give and take, (6) love, and (7) never give up. The clinical implications for couple therapists are discussed.
    Keywords:  Interpretive Phenomenological Analysis; altruism; commitment; couples; cross-generational; long-term marriage; long-term relationships; relationship longevity; shared values
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1111/jmft.12656
  9. Front Genet. 2023 ;14 1150697
    The mechanism of assortative mating for educational attainment: a study of Finnish and Dutch twins and their spouses.
    Bodine M A Gonggrijp, Karri Silventoinen, Conor V Dolan, Dorret I Boomsma, Jaakko Kaprio, Gonneke Willemsen.
      Introduction: Assortative mating refers describes a phenomenon in which individuals with similar phenotypic traits are more likely to mate and reproduce with each other; i.e. assortative mating occurs when individuals choose partners based on their similarity or dissimilarity in certain traits.to patterns of non-random mating of spouses leading to phenotypic resemblance. There are various theories about the its underlying mechanisms, which have different genetic consequences. Methods: We analyzed examined two possible mechanisms underlying assortative mating - phenotypic assortment and social homogamy - for educational attainment in two countries utilizing data of mono- and dizygotic twins and their spouses (1,451 Finnish and 1,616 Dutch twin-spouse pairs). Results: The spousal correlations were 0.51 in Finland and 0.45 in the Netherlands, to which phenotypic assortment contributed 0.35 and 0.30, and social homogamy 0.16 and 0.15, respectively. Conclusion: Both social homogamy and phenotypic assortment are important processes in spouse selection in Finland and the Netherlands. In both countries, phenotypic assortment contributes to a greater degree to the similarity of spouses than social homogamy.
    Keywords:  assortative mating; education; phenotypic assortment; social homogamy; twins
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.3389/fgene.2023.1150697
  10. J Adolesc. 2023 Jul 06.
    Teen perceptions of adolescent dating violence.
    Katheryn E Morrison, Shelley Hymel, Wendy Craig, Melanie Dirks, Brett Holfeld.
       INTRODUCTION: Previous research shows that adolescents who experience dating violence most often disclose their victimization to a peer or friend, more so than to other sources of support. However, surprisingly little research has explored how adolescents respond to peer disclosures of dating violence. Addressing this gap, the present study assessed variations in adolescents' perceptions of blame, interpretations of the incident as violence, and intentions to respond across physical, psychological, sexual, cyber-psychological, and cyber-sexual dating violence scenarios.
    METHODS: As part of a national research project across Canada, 663 high school adolescents (432 girls, 65.2%) between the ages of 14-17 were randomly assigned to complete a questionnaire which included one of five different hypothetical dating violence scenarios. Next, participants responded to questions about their perceptions of the incident, as well as victim and perpetrator blame and responsibility, and their intentions to respond.
    RESULTS: Results indicated that the type of dating violence experienced and the age and gender of participants all played a role in perceptions of blame, understandings of violence, and intentions to respond.
    CONCLUSIONS: As one of the first studies to explore how adolescents perceived and responded to dating violence, considering both in-person and cyber forms of dating violence, this study fills an important gap in the literature. Findings underscore the uniqueness of cyber forms of dating violence and how pre/intervention programs must address the specific contexts and issues unique to each type of dating violence.
    Keywords:  adolescent; cyber dating violence; disclosure of dating violence; domestic violence; intimate partner violence; perceptions of dating violence; teen dating violence
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1002/jad.12206
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