Short-Term Sexual Strategies

Question 1

The benefit of short-term mating for men

Answer 1

Increased number of offspring fathered

Question 2

The cost of short-term mating for men

Answer 2

1. STD
2. Reputational cost
3. Lower survival odds of offspring due to lack of paternal investment
4. Aggression from a jealous rival or woman’s long-term mate
5. Aggression from woman’s male kin
6. Retaliatory affairs

Question 3

Evidence for men’s short-term mating preferences

Answer 3

1. Sexual fantasies and sex drive
2. Extramarital affairs
3. Prostitution & hookup
4. Testicle size
5. Variation in sperm insemination

Question 4

Adaptive problems associated with men’s short-term mating

Answer 4

1. Problem of partner number/variety
2. Problem of identifying which women are fertile
3. Problem of avoiding commitment

Question 5

Adaptive solution to the ‘problem of partner number/variety’

Answer 5

1. Desire for a variety of women
2. Relaxation of standards
3. Minimize time lapse before seeking sex
4. Sensitivity to cues of sexual exploitation
5. Sexual regret

Question 6

Adaptive solution to the ‘problem of identifying which women are fertile’

Answer 6

1. Preferring fertile women over women with high reproductive value
2. Preferring promiscuous women with higher sex drive

Question 7

Adaptive solution to the ‘problem of avoiding commitment’

Answer 7

1. Loss of interest in sexual partner following intercourse
2. Sexual regret

Question 8

Hypothesis related to the benefit of short-term mating for women

Answer 8

1. Resource hypothesis
2. Genetic benefits hypothesis
3. Mate switching
4. Short-term mating for long-term goals
5. Mate manipulation

Question 9

Resource hypothesis

Answer 9

Women gain access to higher security, status, and additional economic resources

Question 10

Genetic benefits hypothesis

Answer 10

Women gain superior genes compared to their mates, are able to enhance fertility and also practice genetic hedging against threats

Question 11

Mate switching

Answer 11

Women gain a chance to replace or insure against her present mate

Question 12

Short-term mating for long-term goals

Answer 12

Women gain a chance to develop the short-term relationship into a long-term relationship

Question 13

Mate manipulation

Answer 13

Women increases the long-term mate’s commitment by introducing a potential rival

Question 14

Cost of short-term mating for women

Answer 14

1. Reputational cost
2. Unwanted pregnancies
3. STDs
4. Resource withdrawal from long-term mate
5. Higher odds of sibling conflict due to lower genetic relatedness

Question 15

Evidence for women’s short-term mating preferences

Answer 15

1. Male’s short-term mating preferences
2. Female orgasm
3. Timing of affairs

Question 16

Context effects affecting short-term mating

Answer 16

1. Paternal influence
2. Life transition
3. Sex ratio
4. Individual differences