bims-chumac 2021-05-30 papers

bims-chumac

Biomed News

on Context effects on human mate choice

Issue of 2021–05–30
eight papers selected by
Thomas Krichel, Open Library Society

Self-rated attractiveness predicts preferences for sexually dimorphic facial characteristics in a culturally diverse sample.
Pornography and Romantic Relationships: A Qualitative Examination of Individual Experiences.
Defining Polyamory: A Thematic Analysis of Lay People's Definitions.
What colour should I wear? How clothing colour affects women's judgement of other women's body attractiveness and body size.
A cluster analysis of dynamics in adolescent romantic relationships.
Consensual Non-Monogamy Relationship Rules Among Young Gay and Bisexual Men: A Dyadic Qualitative Analysis.
Job characteristics, marital intentions, and partner-seeking actions: Longitudinal evidence from Japan.
"Storming then Performing": Historical Non-Monogamy and Metamour Collaboration.

Sci Rep. 2021 May 25. 11(1): 10905

Self-rated attractiveness predicts preferences for sexually dimorphic facial characteristics in a culturally diverse sample.

Urszula M Marcinkowska, Benedict C Jones, Anthony J Lee.

Individuals who are more attractive are thought to show a greater preference for facial sexual dimorphism, potentially because individuals who perceive themselves as more physically attractive believe they will be better able to attract and/or retain sexually dimorphic partners. Evidence for this link is mixed, however, and recent research suggests the association between self-rated attractiveness and preferences for facial sexual dimorphism may not generalise to non-Western cultures. Here, we assess whether self-rated attractiveness and self-rated health predict facial sexual dimorphism preferences in a large and culturally diverse sample of 6907 women and 2851 men from 41 countries. We also investigated whether ecological factors, such as country health/development and inequality, might moderate this association. Our analyses found that men and women who rated themselves as more physically attractive reported stronger preferences for exaggerated sex-typical characteristics in other-sex faces. This finding suggests that associations between self-rated attractiveness and preferences for sexually dimorphic facial characteristics generalise to a culturally diverse sample and exist independently of country-level factors. We also found that country health/development moderated the effect of men's self-rated attractiveness on femininity preferences, such that men from countries with high health/development showed a positive association between self-rated attractiveness and femininity preference, while men from countries with low health/development showed the opposite trend.

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-021-90473-3
J Sex Marital Ther. 2021 May 25. 1-16

Pornography and Romantic Relationships: A Qualitative Examination of Individual Experiences.

Jordan Shuler, Matthew Brosi, Todd Spencer, Daniel Hubler.

Using a qualitative design, the current study explored the perceived effects of pornography use on romantic relationships. Thematic analysis was conducted on 588 participants' open ended responses to a question about the effect of pornography use on their relationship and sexual satisfaction within a larger survey assessing aspects of couples media use and relationship dynamics. Participant responses were categorized into three overarching themes; beneficial, detrimental, and neither entirely beneficial or detrimental effects of pornography use. The most common responses indicated that the participants reported no effects of pornography use on their relationship. Among those indicating a positive effect, the emergent themes centered on increased diversity of sexual experiences, increased sexual gratification, increased satisfaction with a partner, and increased erotic climate in a relationship. Among responses indicating a negative experience with pornography, identified themes included increased feelings of inadequacy, decreased sexual satisfaction in a relationship, a feeling of unrealistic expectations, and feelings of betrayal. Implications for more nuanced research and clinical applications are discussed.

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/0092623X.2021.1930308
Arch Sex Behav. 2021 May 27.

Defining Polyamory: A Thematic Analysis of Lay People's Definitions.

Daniel Cardoso, Patricia M Pascoal, Francisco Hertel Maiochi.

  This study aimed to analyze laypeople's definitions of polyamory and compare definitions presented by people who are not willing to engage in consensual non-monogamy (CNM) and those who are or are willing to be in a CNM relationship. This exploratory qualitative study used data collected from a convenience sample through a web survey, where people answered the question "What does polyamory mean?" We conducted thematic analysis to examine patterns in meaning and used demographic data to compare themes among groups. The final sample comprised 463 participants aged 18-66 years (M = 32.19, SD = 10.02), mostly heterosexual (60%). Of the total sample, 54% were in a monogamous relationship, followed by 21% not in a relationship, and 13% in a non-monogamous relationship. Analysis showed that people define polyamory mostly as a set of behaviors in a relationship, followed by the potential of multiple relationships or feelings for multiple people. Definitions also include emotional, sexual, and ethical aspects. People in CNM relationships are more likely to define polyamory as constituting a potential form of relating, focus more on interpersonal feelings and ethics, and include consent in their definitions than those unwilling to engage in CNM. People in CNM relationships also focus particularly on the non-central role of sex within these relationships, which might challenge assumptions about sexuality in these relationships in clinical and research settings.

Keywords:  Consensual non-monogamy; Laypeople; Polyamory; Thematic analysis

DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1007/s10508-021-02002-y
Acta Psychol (Amst). 2021 May 21. pii: S0001-6918(21)00088-3. [Epub ahead of print]218 103338

What colour should I wear? How clothing colour affects women's judgement of other women's body attractiveness and body size.

Nimreth Sidhu, Chloe Qualter, Emily Higgs, Kun Guo.

  Research has indicated that female body perception and associated body-viewing gaze behaviour in women viewers can be influenced by a variety of internal and external factors (e.g., own body satisfaction, clothing style, and viewing angle). Although the clothing colour affects women's visual and aesthetic appearance rated by men or women wearer themselves, its impact on women judging other women's body attractiveness and body size is largely unclear. In this eye-tracking study we presented female body images of Caucasian and African avatars in a continuum of common dress sizes wearing different colours (black, grey, white, red, green and blue), and asked 31 young Caucasian women to rate the perceived body attractiveness and body size. Our analysis revealed that clothing colour black and red attracted the highest body attractiveness and slimmer body size ratings, whereas green and grey induced the lowest body attractiveness and overestimated body size judgements. Such colour-induced modulatory effect on body perception was further influenced by the avatar race (or skin tone; e.g., higher attractiveness ratings for colours white, blue and green in African than in Caucasian avatars), and was associated with the changes of body-viewing gaze allocation at the upper body and waist-hip regions (i.e. colour black and white attracting more viewing at the upper body and waist-hip regions, respectively). Taken together, it seems that the clothing colour and its contrast with skin tone play valuable roles in mediating women's body perception of other women.

Keywords:  Body attractiveness; Body size; Clothing colour; Gaze behaviour; Women

DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1016/j.actpsy.2021.103338
J Adolesc. 2021 May 19. pii: S0140-1971(21)00061-0. [Epub ahead of print]89 203-212

A cluster analysis of dynamics in adolescent romantic relationships.

Stéphanie Couture, Mylène Fernet, Martine Hébert.

   INTRODUCTION: While several studies involving adolescents have addressed issues related to romantic relationships and dating violence, there is a limited understanding of adolescent romantic relationship dynamics. Typological analyses have been useful to provide targeted interventions and to simplify our understanding of complex phenomena.
METHODS: This study explored dynamics in adolescent romantic relationships, considering the interaction between romantic partner characteristics to identify dyadic profiles. A sample of 90 heterosexual dyads of Canadian adolescents (Mage = 18.44 years, SD = 1.47) completed a self-reported questionnaire. A hierarchical cluster analysis was conducted based on the dimensions of the Circumplex Model of Marital and Family Systems (i.e., cohesion, flexibility, and communication; Olson & Gorall, 2003).
RESULTS: Analysis revealed four profiles of romantic relationship dynamics: 1) balanced dynamic (51.0% of the sample); 2) hampered dynamic (8.3%); 3) entangled dynamic (20.8%); and 4) rigid dynamic (13.5%). Taking into account the variations between and within dyads, results highlight the diversity of romantic experiences and offer a better understanding of the intricacies of different adolescent romantic relationship dynamics. Correlates indicated that the profiles can be distinguished by different personal and interpersonal characteristics.
CONCLUSION: This study emphasizes the importance of integrating a more person- and dyad-oriented framework in our understanding of adolescent romantic dynamics, since a unique approach to prevention and intervention may not address the needs of all adolescents. The results provided important insight into the identified profiles, guiding dating violence prevention efforts and programs and promoting harmonious and egalitarian romantic relationships.

Keywords:  Adolescence; Development; Dynamics; Romantic relationship; Systemic approach

DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1016/j.adolescence.2021.04.012
Arch Sex Behav. 2021 May 24.

Consensual Non-Monogamy Relationship Rules Among Young Gay and Bisexual Men: A Dyadic Qualitative Analysis.

J L Stewart, Christopher B Stults, Annie Ristuccia.

  Consensual non-monogamous (CNM) relationship rules, the boundaries and understandings partners have about acceptable behaviors related to their CNM relationship, are associated with relationship functioning and sexual health risk among gay and bisexual men. Partnered young gay and bisexual men (YGBM) experience unique relational challenges and sexual health disparities. Thus, understanding the nuances of relationship rules among YGBM in CNM relationships is of particular importance. However, few studies have examined relationship rules specifically among YGBM. The current study sought to explore relationship rules among YGBM in CNM relationships, including both those explicitly discussed and those implicitly assumed. We also assessed concordance and discrepancies in partners' reports of their relationship rules, as well as rule violations. Partners from 10 CNM couples (n = 20; Mage = 25.3) completed separate semi-structured interviews that included questions about their relationship rules. Individual- and dyad-level analyses were conducted using a modified version of the consensual qualitative research method. Three main themes of relationship rules emerged from the data: extradyadic partner criteria, conditions regarding extradyadic sex, and conditions regarding maintenance of the primary relationship. While 39% of participants reported rules that were not endorsed by their partner, few clearly contradictory discrepancies in partners' reports were observed. Nine participants reported having at least one implicit rule and 70% of participants (from 8 of 10 couples) reported that they and/or their partner violated at least one rule. Explicit rules and rule concordance may be associated with improved relationship functioning. Common violations of sexual risk reduction rules may contribute to YGBM's increased HIV/STI risk.

Keywords:  Consensual non-monogamy; Relationship rules and agreements; Sexual orientation; Young gay and bisexual men

DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1007/s10508-021-01919-8
Demogr Res. 2020 Jul-Dec;43:43 1509-1544

Job characteristics, marital intentions, and partner-seeking actions: Longitudinal evidence from Japan.

Wei-Hsin Yu, Yuko Hara.

BACKGROUND: Most research linking jobs to marriage formation focuses on how job contexts and prospects affect singles' paces of entering marriage. Direct evidence on whether job traits shape singles' desire for marriage and actions toward forming a union remains scarce.
OBJECTIVE: We examine how changes in a range of job characteristics correspond to alterations in never-married people's intention to marry and actions taken to meet romantic partners in Japan, a country with increasing inequality in job quality and declining marriage rates.
METHODS: We use longitudinal data from the Japan Life Course Panel Survey to fit fixed-effects models, which take into account unobserved heterogeneity among people with differing jobs.
RESULTS: We find that rises in job insecurity and workplace staffing shortages weaken, whereas increases in income and job autonomy strengthen, men's intention to marry. Moreover, men with a low marriage desire are especially likely to withdraw from partner-seeking activities when they have low-income jobs or face great deadline pressure at work. Job prospects and quality are generally less important to women's desire for marriage or partner-seeking actions. Nevertheless, being in workplaces where teamwork is prevalent, which could enhance singles' exposure to married and older coworkers, raises both women's intention to marry and their probability of using a formal method, such as employing a marriage agency, to find a partner.
CONCLUSIONS: For Japanese men, our results offer support for the argument that economic stagnation and deterioration of job quality are conducive to later and fewer marriages. The findings for women, however, are more consistent with the narrative focusing on values and social influences.
CONTRIBUTIONS: This study enriches our understanding of singles' considerations of marriage and partner search and provides highly rigorous evidence on the roles of job conditions.

DOI: https://doi.org/10.4054/demres.2020.43.52
Arch Sex Behav. 2021 May 24.

"Storming then Performing": Historical Non-Monogamy and Metamour Collaboration.

Brian M Watson, Sarah Stein Lubrano.

  We present the results of an investigation into the biographies, letters, and archives of approximately 50 well-known figures in Western intellectual and artistic history in the post-Enlightenment era. In this article, in the interest of space, we have limited our remarks to the biographies and partners of Virginia Woolf, Frida Kahlo, Max Weber, Edna St. Vincent Millay, William Moulton Marston, Erwin Schrodinger, and Victor Hugo. While some of these non-monogamous relationships are well known, some of the evidence of their existence has been ignored, misrecognized, or intentionally obscured. The results of this survey demonstrate that contemporary patterns of non-monogamies are deeply rooted in historical precedence. Our hope is that by outlining some of the themes in our historical findings we can help modern researchers better interpret their own quantitative and qualitative research. Additionally, we look particularly closely at relationships between metamours. A great deal of previous psychological and sexological research has focused on competitive behavior in sex and relationships, particularly competition between rivals. However, relatively little attention has been given to collaborative (or symbiotic) behavior. Our research has located a wealth of examples of metamours supporting one another in material, social, and psychological ways throughout their lives. Furthermore, we suggest that while our existing societal and social-scientific norms primarily focus on competitive sexual behaviors, much can be learnt from historically documented practices of consensual non-monogamy. These practices-however flawed-point to potentially emancipatory ways of living, loving and building relationships, families, and communities-as some contemporary research has demonstrated. Moreover, a future world might benefit from a turn to far more collaborative relationships-and such behavior is well within the realm of possibility.

Keywords:  Consensual non-monogamy; Historiography; Metamours; Polyamory

DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1007/s10508-021-01926-9