title: Fertility cycle patterns in motives for sexual behavior.
abstract: Three studies examined the relationship between fertility, as indexed by day in cycle or salivary estradiol levels, and reported motives for sexual intercourse. Data from university and community samples in both cross-sectional and repeated-measures designs showed that sex-for-intimacy motives are endorsed significantly less by women who are relatively more fertile or show higher salivary estrogen levels. Sex for enhancement, self-affirmation, and partner approval also declined, although the data were less consistent. The remaining motives (coping and power) showed no consistent patterns across fertility status. Results suggest that sexual motives are rooted partly in woman's biology and are discussed in terms of plausible evolutionary mechanisms that might promote female "choosiness" at midcycle.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychological Sciences, University of Missouri, Columbia 65211, USA. sheldonm@missouri.edu
authors.forename: Melanie Skaggs
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Sheldon
authors.forename: M Lynne
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Cooper
authors.forename: David C
authors.initials: DC
authors.lastname: Geary
authors.forename: Mary
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hoard
authors.forename: M Catherine
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: DeSoto
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D005075:Biological Evolution; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004958:Estradiol / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D005298:Fertility / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D007989:Libido / Q000502:physiology*; D008597:Menstrual Cycle / Q000502:physiology*; D009042:Motivation; D009769:Object Attachment; D012309:Risk-Taking; D012725:Sexual Behavior / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D004958:Estradiol