Cross-National Variation in the Motivation for Uncommitted Sex: The Role of Disease and Social Risks
Open accessAbstract
Evolutionary psychological meta-theory predicts that interest in “casual” sex should decline with its costs (e.g., acquiring HIV/AIDS or an infectious disease, unwanted pregnancy, loss of spousal commitment). Analyses of Schmitt's (2005) data on sociosexuality in 48 countries (including gender differences therein) tested these predictions using multiple regressions controlling for economic development and population density. Sociosexuality declined as HIV/AIDS increased and as teen births increased, supporting the hypothesis, but female sociosexuality increased with the risk of infectious disease. Sociosexuality was lower in countries in which there was a greater proportion of men in the population and marriages likely involved greater commitment. Country differences in sexual motivation partly reflect varying costs of extramarital sexuality with females possibly increasing their interest in sexual variety to boost heritable disease resistance.
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Sex differences in partner preferences are smaller in countries with higher living conditions.
“In contrast, sex differences in sexual behavior, partner preferences, and math are smaller in countries with higher living conditions.”
From A Systematic Review and New Analyses of the Gender-Equality Paradox (2025) · cites this paper as Barber, 2008
Sex differences in sexual behavior are smaller in countries with higher living conditions.
“In contrast, sex differences in sexual behavior, partner preferences, and math are smaller in countries with higher living conditions.”
From A Systematic Review and New Analyses of the Gender-Equality Paradox (2025) · cites this paper as Barber, 2008
There are sex differences indicating that men score higher on measures of Sexual behavior (e.g., extramarital sex, number of partners, pornography consumption, sex drive, sociosexuality; SMDs = 0.06-0.74).
“There are sex differences indicating that men score higher on measures of Sexual behavior (e.g., extramarital sex, number of partners, pornography consumption, sex drive, sociosexuality; SMDs = 0.06–0.74; Barber, 2008; Lippa, 2009; Petersen & Hyde, 2010; Schmitt, 2005).”
From A Systematic Review and New Analyses of the Gender-Equality Paradox (2025) · cites this paper as Barber, 2008
The association between living conditions and sex differences in Sexual behavior shows a rather consistent pattern with most previous data indicating that sex differences in Sexual behavior are smaller in countries with higher living conditions.
“The association between living conditions and sex differences in Sexual behavior shows a rather consistent pattern with most previous data indicating that sex differences in Sexual behavior are smaller in countries with higher living conditions (Barber, 2008; Lippa, 2009; Petersen & Hyde, 2010; Schmitt, 2005).”
From A Systematic Review and New Analyses of the Gender-Equality Paradox (2025) · cites this paper as Barber, 2008
Cites
Fox, J. (1991) · doi:10.4135/9781412985604 · Cited by 1,008 · see citing works
Pathogen prevalence and human mate preferences
Gangestad, S. W., & Buss, D. M. (1993) · Ethology and Sociobiology · doi:10.1016/0162-3095(93)90009-7 · Cited by 521 · see citing works
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Thornhill, R., Fincher, C. L., Murray, D. R., & Schaller, M. (2010) · Evolutionary Psychology · doi:10.1177/147470491000800201 · Cited by 151 · see citing works
A Systematic Review and New Analyses of the Gender-Equality Paradox
Herlitz, A., Hönig, I., Hedebrant, K., & Asperholm, M. (2025) · Perspectives on Psychological Science · doi:10.1177/17456916231202685 · Cited by 59 · see citing works
“For example, evidence suggests that sex differences in partner preferences and sexual behavior are smaller in countries with higher living conditions (Barber, 2008; Eagly & Wood, 1999; Lippa, 2009).”
Influential
- Authors
- Barber, N.
- Affiliations
- Portland, Maine
- Corresponding author
- Barber, Nigel
- Venue
- Evolutionary Psychology
- Publisher
- SAGE Publications
- Published
- 2008-04-01
- Volume
- 6
- Issue
- 2
- ISSN
- 1474-7049 (ISSN-L)
- OpenAlex
- W2584658994
- Cited by
- 37
- References
- 2
- Citations by year
- 2026: 2 · 2024: 2 · 2022: 2 · 2020: 1 · 2017: 3 · 2014: 2 · 2013: 1 · 2012: 23
- FWCI
- 0.45
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- gold
- doi.org
- Locations
- Evolutionary Psychology (publishedVersion, cc-by-nc)
- DOAJ (DOAJ: Directory of Open Access Journals) (submittedVersion)
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Experimental and Cognitive Psychology › Evolutionary Psychology and Human Behavior
- Life Sciences › Agricultural and Biological Sciences › Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics › Animal Behavior and Reproduction
- Social Sciences › Sociology and Political Science › Marriage and Sexual Relationships
- Keywords
- sociosexuality, casual sex, sexual motivation, HIV/AIDS, infectious disease risk, teenage births, gender differences, cross-national variation
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