bims-chumac 2023-01-29 papers

Issue of 2023–01–29
two papers selected by
Thomas Krichel, Open Library Society

Adapt Human Behav Physiol. 2023 Jan 11. 1-18

Self-perceived Mate Value is Predicted by Biological and self-reported Indices of Health in Young Adults.

Steven Arnocky, Brittany Denomme, Carolyn Hodges-Simeon, Jessica K Hlay, Adam C Davis, Hillary Brennan.

Immunocompetence can influence an organism's reproductive fitness, and thus presumably their desirability as a mate (i.e., mate value). In humans, the link between immunocompetence and mate value has found circumstantial support by way of both expressed mate preferences for healthy partners, and via preferences for attractive phenotypes that are ostensibly linked to immune functioning. We examined whether a biological marker of immunocompetence, salivary immunoglobulin A (sIgA), along with self-reported frequency and severity of symptoms of poor health predicted individuals' reported mate value and mating behavior in a sample of 691 young adults. Our measures of immunocompetence (sIgA and symptoms of poor health) correlated significantly with one another, suggesting sIgA is a viable marker of general immune function in young adults. We then examined the independent contributions of these variables to mate value, controlling for age, sex, and body mass index (BMI). Results showed that sIgA (positively) and poor health (negatively) predicted mate value, but not lifetime number of sex partners or current romantic relationship status. These findings suggest that those with better health and immune function report being more desirable as mating partners but support past research showing null links to reported mating behavior. Together, these findings suggest that more comprehensive work on links between immunocompetence and mating is required.

Keywords: Good Genes Hypothesis; Health; Mate Preferences for Health; Mate Value; Mating Success; Salivary Immunoglobulin A (sIgA); Self-reported Health; Sexual History

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s40750-022-00209-4

J Am Coll Health. 2023 Jan 26. 1-10

"Are they into each other?" What drinking alcohol and leaving a party together signal to college students about sexual intent.

Jenna M Bagley, Kathryn Bruchmann.

OBJECTIVE: Misperception of sexual intent is linked to incidence of sexual assault. The present study tested the effects of gender, alcohol consumption, and leaving a party together, in isolation and in interaction, on perceptions of sexual intent.
PARTICIPANTS: Undergraduates (N = 438) completed an online survey between Winter 2017 and Winter 2018.
METHODS: Participants read one of eight versions of a vignette about a social interaction between male and female college-aged acquaintances and rated the targets' sexual interest in each other. Who was consuming alcohol (both targets, female only, male only, or neither) and whether the targets left together were manipulated.
RESULTS: Alcohol consumption and leaving together interacted. Leaving together signified to participants that both targets had greater sexual intent. When targets left separately, participants viewed both targets as less sexually interested in each other when only the female was drinking.
CONCLUSIONS: Implications for sexual assault on college campuses are discussed.

Keywords: Alcohol; college students; gender; sexual assault; sexual intent

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/07448481.2022.2162822