title: Is short-term mating the maladaptive result of insecure attachment? A test of competing evolutionary perspectives.
abstract: Different evolutionary perspectives offer competing views on short-term mating and attachment. Some theories argue that short-term mating results from insecure attachment, particularly the maladaptive attachment features of low self-esteem, interpersonal distrust, social avoidance, and emotional instability. Other theories posit that short-term mating is adaptive, having evolved as an ecologically contingent reproductive strategy. In this view, short-term mating has multiple origins-developmental, heritable, and situational-and may not be associated with the maladaptive traits of insecure attachment. Across several different cultures, short-term mating was moderately associated with insecure attachment, and insecure attachment was strongly related to maladaptive personality. However, short-term mating was largely independent of maladaptive personality. In some cases, especially among young men, short-term mating was associated with adaptive personality traits, especially higher self-esteem. It is argued that although insecure romantic attachment is somewhat associated with short-term mating, the causal links between early parent-child attachment and short-term mating are rather limited.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, Bradley University, Peoria, IL 61625, USA. dps@bradley.edu
authors.forename: David P
authors.initials: DP
authors.lastname: Schmitt
mesh_terms: D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D005075:Biological Evolution; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009769:Object Attachment; D010287:Parent-Child Relations; D010551:Personality; D011582:Psychological Theory; D012737:Sex Factors; D012725:Sexual Behavior / Q000208:ethnology / Q000523:psychology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013997:Time Factors