Suchergebnisse

AbstractA study among 103 married individuals examined how the responses to a story about an individual with a happy marriage that was characterized by either high or low effort were moderated by relationship satisfaction and social comparison orientation (SCO). As individuals were higher in SCO, the high‐effort couple evoked more positive affect and more identification and the low‐effort couple evoked more negative affect and less identification. Furthermore, the higher the SCO, the more positive affect and identification those high in relationship satisfaction experienced in response to the targets. In the high‐effort condition, but not in the low‐effort condition, identification mediated between relationship satisfaction and SCO and the affective responses. Independent of induced effort, a higher degree of perceived effort was, especially among those high in relationship satisfaction, associated with a higher level of identification. Finally, relationship satisfaction induced relatively more identification with the target among men, married people, and relatively older people.

The hypothesis that the degree to which parents control the mate choice of their children may explain differences in mate guarding across and within cultures was tested. Study 1, in a sample of 80 students from 30 different countries studying in The Netherlands, showed that the perceived level of parental influence on mate choice in a culture was associated with more mate guarding reported by individuals from that culture. Study 2, in a sample of 242 Argentinean individuals, showed that individuals who were more in favor of parental influence on mate choice did report more mate guarding. The effects remained intact when controlling for potentially confounding variables.

Brings together leading researchers in sociology and psychology to explain human egotism and altruism using not only their area of study but also bringing in research from economics and biology. This book is a response to the quandary. It presents an account of solidarity and prosocial behavior

Transgender people provide a unique opportunity to examine the effect of biological sex versus gender identity on mating preferences. This study aimed at identifying the mate characteristics that are most and least valued by transgender people and at examining to what extent their biological sex or their gender identity determined their mate preferences. A convenience sample of 134 male‐to‐female (MTF) and 94 female‐to‐male (FTM) individuals from Argentina rated Buss's list of 18 mate attributes. Compared to FTM, MTF individuals placed significantly more emphasis on attractiveness and socioeconomic status, whereas FTM, more than MTF individuals, valued partners with a dependable character. Although biological sex differences were present in both groups, providing support to the evolutionary theory, MTF individuals valued the same characteristics as both biological male and female individuals do.

This study investigated gender differences in parental monitoring and sensitivity toward parents and the extent to which these measures can influence children's mate preferences. In 2 samples (the United States and the Netherlands), females reported experiencing higher levels of parental monitoring and being more sensitive toward their parents' feelings regarding mate choice (e.g., being more upset if their parents did not approve of their partner) than males. Individuals displaying higher sensitivity toward parents rated parental investment and cooperation, and to a lesser extent genetic quality, as being more important in a potential mate than individuals lower in sensitivity toward parents. The level of parental monitoring did not significantly predict the importance of parental investment and cooperation or genetic quality in a potential mate.

The present study examined whether social comparison responses (identification and contrast in social comparison) mediated the relationship between goal orientation (promotion and prevention) and self-efficacy, and whether self-efficacy was subsequently related with a better performance. As expected, the results showed that promotion-oriented individuals – who are focused on achieving success – had higher self-efficacy than prevention-oriented individuals – who are focused on avoiding failure. Only one of the social comparison responses had a mediating role. That is, the tendency to contrast oneself with others who were doing better mediated the relationship between a prevention goal orientation and self-efficacy. In addition, self-efficacy was related to a better performance.