Explaining sex differences in reactions to relationship infidelities: comparisons of the roles of sex, gender, beliefs, attachment, and sociosexual orientation.
To the extent that sex differences are mediated by mechanisms such as sex-roles and beliefs, individual differences in these more proximate traits should account for significant portions of relevant sex differences. Differences between women and men in reactions to sexual and emotional infidelity were assessed in a large sample of participants (n = 477), and these target reactions were evaluated as a function of many potential proximate mediators (infidelity implications beliefs, gender-role beliefs, interpersonal trust, attachment style, sociosexuality, and culture of honor beliefs) and as a function of participant sex. Results found a consistent sex difference that was not mediated by any other variables, although a handful of other variables were related to male, but not female, individual differences. These findings suggest particularly promising directions for future research on integrating evolutionarily based sex differences and proximate individual differences.
Department of Psychology, Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS, USA.
Gary L
GL
Brase
Department of Psychology, Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS, USA.
Lora
L
Adair
Department of Family Studies, Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS, USA.
Kale
K
Monk
D000704:Analysis of Variance; D001290:Attitude; D005075:Biological Evolution; D003075:Coitus / Q000523:psychology; D003469:Culture; D005114:Extramarital Relations / Q000208:ethnology / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D005783:Gender Identity; D006801:Humans; D007206:Individuality; D007398:Interpersonal Relations; D007578:Jealousy; D008149:Love; D008297:Male; D009769:Object Attachment; D012044:Regression Analysis; D012107:Research Design; D012727:Sex Characteristics; D017678:Sex Distribution; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D035502:Trust / Q000523:psychology; D035501:Uncertainty; D055815:Young Adult