Toivo Aavik - Academia.edu (original) (raw)
Papers by Toivo Aavik
Love is a worldwide known phenomenon that affects many aspects of human life, including consideri... more Love is a worldwide known phenomenon that affects many aspects of human life, including considering a romantic partner with whom to bond. Thus, developing a reliable and valid measure of love experiences is crucial. One of the most popular tools to test love levels is Sternberg's 45-item Triangular Love Scale (TLS-45), which measures three love components: Intimacy, Passion, and Commitment. However, our literature review reveals that the majority of studies (64%) use a broad variety of shortened versions of the TLS-45. To achieve scientific consensus and improve the reliability, comparability, and generalizability of results across studies, here, we develop a short version of the scale–the TLS-15–which contains 15 items with a 5-point rather than 9-point response scale. In Study 1 (N = 7,332), we re-analyzed secondary data from a large-scale multinational study that validated the original TLS-45 to establish whether the scale could be truncated. In Study 2 (N = 307), we provided...
Scientific Reports
Recent cross-cultural and neuro-hormonal investigations have suggested that love is a near univer... more Recent cross-cultural and neuro-hormonal investigations have suggested that love is a near universal phenomenon that has a biological background. Therefore, the remaining important question is not whether love exists worldwide but which cultural, social, or environmental factors influence experiences and expressions of love. In the present study, we explored whether countries’ modernization indexes are related to love experiences measured by three subscales (passion, intimacy, commitment) of the Triangular Love Scale. Analyzing data from 9474 individuals from 45 countries, we tested for relationships with country-level predictors, namely, modernization proxies (i.e., Human Development Index, World Modernization Index, Gender Inequality Index), collectivism, and average annual temperatures. We found that mean levels of love (especially intimacy) were higher in countries with higher modernization proxies, collectivism, and average annual temperatures. In conclusion, our results grant ...
The Journal of Sexual Medicine
Trames. Journal of the Humanities and Social Sciences
The aim of the study was to examine the relationship between personal values, parenting practices... more The aim of the study was to examine the relationship between personal values, parenting practices and adolescents' institutionalization. We investigated differences between two groups of parents: 235 parents of adolescents attending regular schools and 92 parents of adolescents attending reformatory schools. The results indicate that benevolence was positively associated with parenting practices, but self-enhancement and hedonism had negative correlations with parenting practices. Parents of institutionalized adolescents rated benevolence and conservatism higher and broadmindedness lower than parents of noninstitutionalized adolescents. Differences in parenting practices also emerged in connection with social norms, setting limits, and physical safety. We also established the effect of parents` socioeconomic status on adolescents' institutionalization.
Trames. Journal of the Humanities and Social Sciences
The aim of the study was to examine the relationship between personal values, parenting practices... more The aim of the study was to examine the relationship between personal values, parenting practices and adolescents' institutionalization. We investigated differences between two groups of parents: 235 parents of adolescents attending regular schools and 92 parents of adolescents attending reformatory schools. The results indicate that benevolence was positively associated with parenting practices, but self-enhancement and hedonism had negative correlations with parenting practices. Parents of institutionalized adolescents rated benevolence and conservatism higher and broadmindedness lower than parents of noninstitutionalized adolescents. Differences in parenting practices also emerged in connection with social norms, setting limits, and physical safety. We also established the effect of parents` socioeconomic status on adolescents' institutionalization.
Psychological Applications and Trends
Objective. Recent models of sexual response have challenged the traditional view of spontaneity o... more Objective. Recent models of sexual response have challenged the traditional view of spontaneity of sexual desire and argue that desire is context specific and not so obviously spontaneous. However, the Inner responsive desire has been theorized mainly with regard to women's sexuality. Design and method. For measurement of sexual desire, I distinguished state and trait levels of desire and applied Imagined Social Situation Exercise (ISSE) measures. Results. The trait level of sex desire was significantly different for men and women and state sex desire before the experiment was equal. The sex manipulation changed sex desire level compared with the controls and it worked equally for both men and women. Conclusions. Based on my results I can conclude that state and trait desire levels are similar for men and women and applying ISSE really increases state level of sexual desire. No sex differences were found and it seems that trait and state levels of sexual desire work relatively independently from each other.
Supplemental material, sj-docx-1-psp-10.1177_0146167220988373 for Affective Interpersonal Touch i... more Supplemental material, sj-docx-1-psp-10.1177_0146167220988373 for Affective Interpersonal Touch in Close Relationships: A Cross-Cultural Perspective by Agnieszka Sorokowska, Supreet Saluja, Piotr Sorokowski, Tomasz Frąckowiak, Maciej Karwowski, Toivo Aavik, Grace Akello, Charlotte Alm, Naumana Amjad, Afifa Anjum, Kelly Asao, Chiemezie S. Atama, Derya Atamtürk Duyar, Richard Ayebare, Carlota Batres, Mons Bendixen, Aicha Bensafia, Boris Bizumic, Mahmoud Boussena, David M. Buss, Marina Butovskaya, Seda Can, Katarzyna Cantarero, Antonin Carrier, Hakan Cetinkaya, Dominika Chabin, Daniel Conroy-Beam, Jorge Contreras-Graduño, Marco Antonio Correa Varella, Rosa María Cueto, Marcin Czub, Daria Dronova, Seda Dural, Izzet Duyar, Berna Ertugrul, Agustín Espinosa, Carla Sofia Esteves, Farida Guemaz, Mária Haľamová, Iskra Herak, Ivana Hromatko, Chin-Ming Hui, Jas Laile Jaafar, Feng Jiang, Konstantinos Kafetsios, Tina Kavcic, Leif Edward Ottesen Kennair, Nicolas O. Kervyn, Imran Ahmed Khilji, Nils...
Supplemental material, sj-docx-2-psp-10.1177_0146167220988373 for Affective Interpersonal Touch i... more Supplemental material, sj-docx-2-psp-10.1177_0146167220988373 for Affective Interpersonal Touch in Close Relationships: A Cross-Cultural Perspective by Agnieszka Sorokowska, Supreet Saluja, Piotr Sorokowski, Tomasz Frąckowiak, Maciej Karwowski, Toivo Aavik, Grace Akello, Charlotte Alm, Naumana Amjad, Afifa Anjum, Kelly Asao, Chiemezie S. Atama, Derya Atamtürk Duyar, Richard Ayebare, Carlota Batres, Mons Bendixen, Aicha Bensafia, Boris Bizumic, Mahmoud Boussena, David M. Buss, Marina Butovskaya, Seda Can, Katarzyna Cantarero, Antonin Carrier, Hakan Cetinkaya, Dominika Chabin, Daniel Conroy-Beam, Jorge Contreras-Graduño, Marco Antonio Correa Varella, Rosa María Cueto, Marcin Czub, Daria Dronova, Seda Dural, Izzet Duyar, Berna Ertugrul, Agustín Espinosa, Carla Sofia Esteves, Farida Guemaz, Mária Haľamová, Iskra Herak, Ivana Hromatko, Chin-Ming Hui, Jas Laile Jaafar, Feng Jiang, Konstantinos Kafetsios, Tina Kavcic, Leif Edward Ottesen Kennair, Nicolas O. Kervyn, Imran Ahmed Khilji, Nils...
Supplemental material, Walter_Supplemental_Material_rev for Sex Differences in Mate Preferences A... more Supplemental material, Walter_Supplemental_Material_rev for Sex Differences in Mate Preferences Across 45 Countries: A Large-Scale Replication by Kathryn V. Walter, Daniel Conroy-Beam, David M. Buss, Kelly Asao, Agnieszka Sorokowska, Piotr Sorokowski, Toivo Aavik, Grace Akello, Mohammad Madallh Alhabahba, Charlotte Alm, Naumana Amjad, Afifa Anjum, Chiemezie S. Atama, Derya Atamtürk Duyar, Richard Ayebare, Carlota Batres, Mons Bendixen, Aicha Bensafia, Boris Bizumic, Mahmoud Boussena, Marina Butovskaya, Seda Can, Katarzyna Cantarero, Antonin Carrier, Hakan Cetinkaya, Ilona Croy, Rosa María Cueto, Marcin Czub, Daria Dronova, Seda Dural, Izzet Duyar, Berna Ertugrul, Agustín Espinosa, Ignacio Estevan, Carla Sofia Esteves, Luxi Fang, Tomasz Frackowiak, Jorge Contreras Garduño, Karina Ugalde González, Farida Guemaz, Petra Gyuris, Mária Halamová, Iskra Herak, Marina Horvat, Ivana Hromatko, Chin-Ming Hui, Jas Laile Jaafar, Feng Jiang, Konstantinos Kafetsios, Tina Kavčič, Leif Edward Ottesen...
Supplemental material, WalterOpenPracticesDisclosure_rev for Sex Differences in Mate Preferences ... more Supplemental material, WalterOpenPracticesDisclosure_rev for Sex Differences in Mate Preferences Across 45 Countries: A Large-Scale Replication by Kathryn V. Walter, Daniel Conroy-Beam, David M. Buss, Kelly Asao, Agnieszka Sorokowska, Piotr Sorokowski, Toivo Aavik, Grace Akello, Mohammad Madallh Alhabahba, Charlotte Alm, Naumana Amjad, Afifa Anjum, Chiemezie S. Atama, Derya Atamtürk Duyar, Richard Ayebare, Carlota Batres, Mons Bendixen, Aicha Bensafia, Boris Bizumic, Mahmoud Boussena, Marina Butovskaya, Seda Can, Katarzyna Cantarero, Antonin Carrier, Hakan Cetinkaya, Ilona Croy, Rosa María Cueto, Marcin Czub, Daria Dronova, Seda Dural, Izzet Duyar, Berna Ertugrul, Agustín Espinosa, Ignacio Estevan, Carla Sofia Esteves, Luxi Fang, Tomasz Frackowiak, Jorge Contreras Garduño, Karina Ugalde González, Farida Guemaz, Petra Gyuris, Mária Halamová, Iskra Herak, Marina Horvat, Ivana Hromatko, Chin-Ming Hui, Jas Laile Jaafar, Feng Jiang, Konstantinos Kafetsios, Tina Kavčič, Leif Edward Ottese...
Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences, 2021
A wide range of literature connects sex ratio and mating behaviours in non-human animals. However... more A wide range of literature connects sex ratio and mating behaviours in non-human animals. However, research examining sex ratio and human mating is limited in scope. Prior work has examined the relationship between sex ratio and desire for short-term, uncommitted mating as well as outcomes such as marriage and divorce rates. Less empirical attention has been directed towards the relationship between sex ratio and mate preferences, despite the importance of mate preferences in the human mating literature. To address this gap, we examined sex ratio's relationship to the variation in preferences for attractiveness, resources, kindness, intelligence and health in a long-term mate across 45 countries ( n = 14 487). We predicted that mate preferences would vary according to relative power of choice on the mating market, with increased power derived from having relatively few competitors and numerous potential mates. We found that each sex tended to report more demanding preferences fo...
The main goals of the present study were to explore the factor structure of a new tool in Estonia... more The main goals of the present study were to explore the factor structure of a new tool in Estonia which is used to measure prostate disease symptoms (the Giessen Prostatitic Symptom Score). Subsequently, to reveal subtypes of prostate diseases and their respective relationships to psychosexual variables. A cross-sectional survey of 360 men with a mean age of 50.5 (SD=10.8) was conducted to investigate prostate-related diseases and pscychosexual factors. Exploratory factor analysis was conducted on the Giessen Prostatitic Symptom Score which revealed five factors: urinary problems, general fatigue, pain in lower body, erectile difficulties and prostate inflammation. Latent profile analysis was done based on these factor scores, revealing 4 subtypes of prostate-related symptom patterns. Relationships between these subtypes and sexual variables were then explored, indicating a large set (80% of the sample) of men with relatively little symptoms or obstruction from prostate disease symp...
Frontiers in Psychology, 2020
Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 2021
Interpersonal touch behavior differs across cultures, yet no study to date has systematically tes... more Interpersonal touch behavior differs across cultures, yet no study to date has systematically tested for cultural variation in affective touch, nor examined the factors that might account for this variability. Here, over 14,000 individuals from 45 countries were asked whether they embraced, stroked, kissed, or hugged their partner, friends, and youngest child during the week preceding the study. We then examined a range of hypothesized individual-level factors (sex, age, parasitic history, conservatism, religiosity, and preferred interpersonal distance) and cultural-level factors (regional temperature, parasite stress, regional conservatism, collectivism, and religiosity) in predicting these affective-touching behaviors. Our results indicate that affective touch was most prevalent in relationships with partners and children, and its diversity was relatively higher in warmer, less conservative, and religious countries, and among younger, female, and liberal people. This research allo...
The Journal of Sex Research, 2020
The Triangular Theory of Love (measured with Sternberg's Triangular Love Scale-STLS) is a promine... more The Triangular Theory of Love (measured with Sternberg's Triangular Love Scale-STLS) is a prominent theoretical concept in empirical research on love. To expand the culturally homogeneous body of previous psychometric research regarding the STLS, we conducted a large-scale crosscultural study with the use of this scale. In total, we examined more than 11,000 respondents, but as a result of applied exclusion criteria, the final analyses were based on a sample of 7332 participants from 25 countries (from all inhabited continents). We tested configural invariance, metric invariance, and scalar invariance, all of which confirmed the cultural universality of the theoretical construct of love analyzed in our study. We also observed that levels of love components differ depending on relationship duration, following the dynamics suggested in the Triangular Theory of Love. Supplementary files with all our data, including results on love intensity across different countries along with STLS versions adapted in a few dozen languages, will further enable more extensive research on the Triangular Theory of Love.
Psychological Science, 2020
Considerable research has examined human mate preferences across cultures, finding universal sex ... more Considerable research has examined human mate preferences across cultures, finding universal sex differences in preferences for attractiveness and resources as well as sources of systematic cultural variation. Two competing perspectives—an evolutionary psychological perspective and a biosocial role perspective—offer alternative explanations for these findings. However, the original data on which each perspective relies are decades old, and the literature is fraught with conflicting methods, analyses, results, and conclusions. Using a new 45-country sample ( N = 14,399), we attempted to replicate classic studies and test both the evolutionary and biosocial role perspectives. Support for universal sex differences in preferences remains robust: Men, more than women, prefer attractive, young mates, and women, more than men, prefer older mates with financial prospects. Cross-culturally, both sexes have mates closer to their own ages as gender equality increases. Beyond age of partner, ne...
Scientific Reports, 2019
Humans express a wide array of ideal mate preferences. Around the world, people desire romantic p... more Humans express a wide array of ideal mate preferences. Around the world, people desire romantic partners who are intelligent, healthy, kind, physically attractive, wealthy, and more. In order for these ideal preferences to guide the choice of actual romantic partners, human mating psychology must possess a means to integrate information across these many preference dimensions into summaries of the overall mate value of their potential mates. Here we explore the computational design of this mate preference integration process using a large sample of n = 14,487 people from 45 countries around the world. We combine this large cross-cultural sample with agent-based models to compare eight hypothesized models of human mating markets. Across cultures, people higher in mate value appear to experience greater power of choice on the mating market in that they set higher ideal standards, better fulfill their preferences in choice, and pair with higher mate value partners. Furthermore, we find...
Evolution and Human Behavior, 2019
Mate choice lies close to differential reproduction, the engine of evolution. Patterns of mate ch... more Mate choice lies close to differential reproduction, the engine of evolution. Patterns of mate choice consequently have power to direct the course of evolution. Here we provide evidence suggesting one pattern of human mate choice-the tendency for mates to be similar in overall desirability-caused the evolution of a structure of correlations that we call the d factor. We use agent-based models to demonstrate that assortative mating causes the evolution of a positive manifold of desirability, d, such that an individual who is desirable as a mate along any one dimension tends to be desirable across all other dimensions. Further, we use a large cross-cultural sample with n = 14,478 from 45 countries around the world to show that this d-factor emerges in human samples, is a cross-cultural universal, and is patterned in a way consistent with an evolutionary history of assortative mating. Our results suggest that assortative mating can explain the evolution of a broad structure of human trait covariation.
Love is a worldwide known phenomenon that affects many aspects of human life, including consideri... more Love is a worldwide known phenomenon that affects many aspects of human life, including considering a romantic partner with whom to bond. Thus, developing a reliable and valid measure of love experiences is crucial. One of the most popular tools to test love levels is Sternberg's 45-item Triangular Love Scale (TLS-45), which measures three love components: Intimacy, Passion, and Commitment. However, our literature review reveals that the majority of studies (64%) use a broad variety of shortened versions of the TLS-45. To achieve scientific consensus and improve the reliability, comparability, and generalizability of results across studies, here, we develop a short version of the scale–the TLS-15–which contains 15 items with a 5-point rather than 9-point response scale. In Study 1 (N = 7,332), we re-analyzed secondary data from a large-scale multinational study that validated the original TLS-45 to establish whether the scale could be truncated. In Study 2 (N = 307), we provided...
Scientific Reports
Recent cross-cultural and neuro-hormonal investigations have suggested that love is a near univer... more Recent cross-cultural and neuro-hormonal investigations have suggested that love is a near universal phenomenon that has a biological background. Therefore, the remaining important question is not whether love exists worldwide but which cultural, social, or environmental factors influence experiences and expressions of love. In the present study, we explored whether countries’ modernization indexes are related to love experiences measured by three subscales (passion, intimacy, commitment) of the Triangular Love Scale. Analyzing data from 9474 individuals from 45 countries, we tested for relationships with country-level predictors, namely, modernization proxies (i.e., Human Development Index, World Modernization Index, Gender Inequality Index), collectivism, and average annual temperatures. We found that mean levels of love (especially intimacy) were higher in countries with higher modernization proxies, collectivism, and average annual temperatures. In conclusion, our results grant ...
The Journal of Sexual Medicine
Trames. Journal of the Humanities and Social Sciences
The aim of the study was to examine the relationship between personal values, parenting practices... more The aim of the study was to examine the relationship between personal values, parenting practices and adolescents' institutionalization. We investigated differences between two groups of parents: 235 parents of adolescents attending regular schools and 92 parents of adolescents attending reformatory schools. The results indicate that benevolence was positively associated with parenting practices, but self-enhancement and hedonism had negative correlations with parenting practices. Parents of institutionalized adolescents rated benevolence and conservatism higher and broadmindedness lower than parents of noninstitutionalized adolescents. Differences in parenting practices also emerged in connection with social norms, setting limits, and physical safety. We also established the effect of parents` socioeconomic status on adolescents' institutionalization.
Trames. Journal of the Humanities and Social Sciences
The aim of the study was to examine the relationship between personal values, parenting practices... more The aim of the study was to examine the relationship between personal values, parenting practices and adolescents' institutionalization. We investigated differences between two groups of parents: 235 parents of adolescents attending regular schools and 92 parents of adolescents attending reformatory schools. The results indicate that benevolence was positively associated with parenting practices, but self-enhancement and hedonism had negative correlations with parenting practices. Parents of institutionalized adolescents rated benevolence and conservatism higher and broadmindedness lower than parents of noninstitutionalized adolescents. Differences in parenting practices also emerged in connection with social norms, setting limits, and physical safety. We also established the effect of parents` socioeconomic status on adolescents' institutionalization.
Psychological Applications and Trends
Objective. Recent models of sexual response have challenged the traditional view of spontaneity o... more Objective. Recent models of sexual response have challenged the traditional view of spontaneity of sexual desire and argue that desire is context specific and not so obviously spontaneous. However, the Inner responsive desire has been theorized mainly with regard to women's sexuality. Design and method. For measurement of sexual desire, I distinguished state and trait levels of desire and applied Imagined Social Situation Exercise (ISSE) measures. Results. The trait level of sex desire was significantly different for men and women and state sex desire before the experiment was equal. The sex manipulation changed sex desire level compared with the controls and it worked equally for both men and women. Conclusions. Based on my results I can conclude that state and trait desire levels are similar for men and women and applying ISSE really increases state level of sexual desire. No sex differences were found and it seems that trait and state levels of sexual desire work relatively independently from each other.
Supplemental material, sj-docx-1-psp-10.1177_0146167220988373 for Affective Interpersonal Touch i... more Supplemental material, sj-docx-1-psp-10.1177_0146167220988373 for Affective Interpersonal Touch in Close Relationships: A Cross-Cultural Perspective by Agnieszka Sorokowska, Supreet Saluja, Piotr Sorokowski, Tomasz Frąckowiak, Maciej Karwowski, Toivo Aavik, Grace Akello, Charlotte Alm, Naumana Amjad, Afifa Anjum, Kelly Asao, Chiemezie S. Atama, Derya Atamtürk Duyar, Richard Ayebare, Carlota Batres, Mons Bendixen, Aicha Bensafia, Boris Bizumic, Mahmoud Boussena, David M. Buss, Marina Butovskaya, Seda Can, Katarzyna Cantarero, Antonin Carrier, Hakan Cetinkaya, Dominika Chabin, Daniel Conroy-Beam, Jorge Contreras-Graduño, Marco Antonio Correa Varella, Rosa María Cueto, Marcin Czub, Daria Dronova, Seda Dural, Izzet Duyar, Berna Ertugrul, Agustín Espinosa, Carla Sofia Esteves, Farida Guemaz, Mária Haľamová, Iskra Herak, Ivana Hromatko, Chin-Ming Hui, Jas Laile Jaafar, Feng Jiang, Konstantinos Kafetsios, Tina Kavcic, Leif Edward Ottesen Kennair, Nicolas O. Kervyn, Imran Ahmed Khilji, Nils...
Supplemental material, sj-docx-2-psp-10.1177_0146167220988373 for Affective Interpersonal Touch i... more Supplemental material, sj-docx-2-psp-10.1177_0146167220988373 for Affective Interpersonal Touch in Close Relationships: A Cross-Cultural Perspective by Agnieszka Sorokowska, Supreet Saluja, Piotr Sorokowski, Tomasz Frąckowiak, Maciej Karwowski, Toivo Aavik, Grace Akello, Charlotte Alm, Naumana Amjad, Afifa Anjum, Kelly Asao, Chiemezie S. Atama, Derya Atamtürk Duyar, Richard Ayebare, Carlota Batres, Mons Bendixen, Aicha Bensafia, Boris Bizumic, Mahmoud Boussena, David M. Buss, Marina Butovskaya, Seda Can, Katarzyna Cantarero, Antonin Carrier, Hakan Cetinkaya, Dominika Chabin, Daniel Conroy-Beam, Jorge Contreras-Graduño, Marco Antonio Correa Varella, Rosa María Cueto, Marcin Czub, Daria Dronova, Seda Dural, Izzet Duyar, Berna Ertugrul, Agustín Espinosa, Carla Sofia Esteves, Farida Guemaz, Mária Haľamová, Iskra Herak, Ivana Hromatko, Chin-Ming Hui, Jas Laile Jaafar, Feng Jiang, Konstantinos Kafetsios, Tina Kavcic, Leif Edward Ottesen Kennair, Nicolas O. Kervyn, Imran Ahmed Khilji, Nils...
Supplemental material, Walter_Supplemental_Material_rev for Sex Differences in Mate Preferences A... more Supplemental material, Walter_Supplemental_Material_rev for Sex Differences in Mate Preferences Across 45 Countries: A Large-Scale Replication by Kathryn V. Walter, Daniel Conroy-Beam, David M. Buss, Kelly Asao, Agnieszka Sorokowska, Piotr Sorokowski, Toivo Aavik, Grace Akello, Mohammad Madallh Alhabahba, Charlotte Alm, Naumana Amjad, Afifa Anjum, Chiemezie S. Atama, Derya Atamtürk Duyar, Richard Ayebare, Carlota Batres, Mons Bendixen, Aicha Bensafia, Boris Bizumic, Mahmoud Boussena, Marina Butovskaya, Seda Can, Katarzyna Cantarero, Antonin Carrier, Hakan Cetinkaya, Ilona Croy, Rosa María Cueto, Marcin Czub, Daria Dronova, Seda Dural, Izzet Duyar, Berna Ertugrul, Agustín Espinosa, Ignacio Estevan, Carla Sofia Esteves, Luxi Fang, Tomasz Frackowiak, Jorge Contreras Garduño, Karina Ugalde González, Farida Guemaz, Petra Gyuris, Mária Halamová, Iskra Herak, Marina Horvat, Ivana Hromatko, Chin-Ming Hui, Jas Laile Jaafar, Feng Jiang, Konstantinos Kafetsios, Tina Kavčič, Leif Edward Ottesen...
Supplemental material, WalterOpenPracticesDisclosure_rev for Sex Differences in Mate Preferences ... more Supplemental material, WalterOpenPracticesDisclosure_rev for Sex Differences in Mate Preferences Across 45 Countries: A Large-Scale Replication by Kathryn V. Walter, Daniel Conroy-Beam, David M. Buss, Kelly Asao, Agnieszka Sorokowska, Piotr Sorokowski, Toivo Aavik, Grace Akello, Mohammad Madallh Alhabahba, Charlotte Alm, Naumana Amjad, Afifa Anjum, Chiemezie S. Atama, Derya Atamtürk Duyar, Richard Ayebare, Carlota Batres, Mons Bendixen, Aicha Bensafia, Boris Bizumic, Mahmoud Boussena, Marina Butovskaya, Seda Can, Katarzyna Cantarero, Antonin Carrier, Hakan Cetinkaya, Ilona Croy, Rosa María Cueto, Marcin Czub, Daria Dronova, Seda Dural, Izzet Duyar, Berna Ertugrul, Agustín Espinosa, Ignacio Estevan, Carla Sofia Esteves, Luxi Fang, Tomasz Frackowiak, Jorge Contreras Garduño, Karina Ugalde González, Farida Guemaz, Petra Gyuris, Mária Halamová, Iskra Herak, Marina Horvat, Ivana Hromatko, Chin-Ming Hui, Jas Laile Jaafar, Feng Jiang, Konstantinos Kafetsios, Tina Kavčič, Leif Edward Ottese...
Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences, 2021
A wide range of literature connects sex ratio and mating behaviours in non-human animals. However... more A wide range of literature connects sex ratio and mating behaviours in non-human animals. However, research examining sex ratio and human mating is limited in scope. Prior work has examined the relationship between sex ratio and desire for short-term, uncommitted mating as well as outcomes such as marriage and divorce rates. Less empirical attention has been directed towards the relationship between sex ratio and mate preferences, despite the importance of mate preferences in the human mating literature. To address this gap, we examined sex ratio's relationship to the variation in preferences for attractiveness, resources, kindness, intelligence and health in a long-term mate across 45 countries ( n = 14 487). We predicted that mate preferences would vary according to relative power of choice on the mating market, with increased power derived from having relatively few competitors and numerous potential mates. We found that each sex tended to report more demanding preferences fo...
The main goals of the present study were to explore the factor structure of a new tool in Estonia... more The main goals of the present study were to explore the factor structure of a new tool in Estonia which is used to measure prostate disease symptoms (the Giessen Prostatitic Symptom Score). Subsequently, to reveal subtypes of prostate diseases and their respective relationships to psychosexual variables. A cross-sectional survey of 360 men with a mean age of 50.5 (SD=10.8) was conducted to investigate prostate-related diseases and pscychosexual factors. Exploratory factor analysis was conducted on the Giessen Prostatitic Symptom Score which revealed five factors: urinary problems, general fatigue, pain in lower body, erectile difficulties and prostate inflammation. Latent profile analysis was done based on these factor scores, revealing 4 subtypes of prostate-related symptom patterns. Relationships between these subtypes and sexual variables were then explored, indicating a large set (80% of the sample) of men with relatively little symptoms or obstruction from prostate disease symp...
Frontiers in Psychology, 2020
Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 2021
Interpersonal touch behavior differs across cultures, yet no study to date has systematically tes... more Interpersonal touch behavior differs across cultures, yet no study to date has systematically tested for cultural variation in affective touch, nor examined the factors that might account for this variability. Here, over 14,000 individuals from 45 countries were asked whether they embraced, stroked, kissed, or hugged their partner, friends, and youngest child during the week preceding the study. We then examined a range of hypothesized individual-level factors (sex, age, parasitic history, conservatism, religiosity, and preferred interpersonal distance) and cultural-level factors (regional temperature, parasite stress, regional conservatism, collectivism, and religiosity) in predicting these affective-touching behaviors. Our results indicate that affective touch was most prevalent in relationships with partners and children, and its diversity was relatively higher in warmer, less conservative, and religious countries, and among younger, female, and liberal people. This research allo...
The Journal of Sex Research, 2020
The Triangular Theory of Love (measured with Sternberg's Triangular Love Scale-STLS) is a promine... more The Triangular Theory of Love (measured with Sternberg's Triangular Love Scale-STLS) is a prominent theoretical concept in empirical research on love. To expand the culturally homogeneous body of previous psychometric research regarding the STLS, we conducted a large-scale crosscultural study with the use of this scale. In total, we examined more than 11,000 respondents, but as a result of applied exclusion criteria, the final analyses were based on a sample of 7332 participants from 25 countries (from all inhabited continents). We tested configural invariance, metric invariance, and scalar invariance, all of which confirmed the cultural universality of the theoretical construct of love analyzed in our study. We also observed that levels of love components differ depending on relationship duration, following the dynamics suggested in the Triangular Theory of Love. Supplementary files with all our data, including results on love intensity across different countries along with STLS versions adapted in a few dozen languages, will further enable more extensive research on the Triangular Theory of Love.
Psychological Science, 2020
Considerable research has examined human mate preferences across cultures, finding universal sex ... more Considerable research has examined human mate preferences across cultures, finding universal sex differences in preferences for attractiveness and resources as well as sources of systematic cultural variation. Two competing perspectives—an evolutionary psychological perspective and a biosocial role perspective—offer alternative explanations for these findings. However, the original data on which each perspective relies are decades old, and the literature is fraught with conflicting methods, analyses, results, and conclusions. Using a new 45-country sample ( N = 14,399), we attempted to replicate classic studies and test both the evolutionary and biosocial role perspectives. Support for universal sex differences in preferences remains robust: Men, more than women, prefer attractive, young mates, and women, more than men, prefer older mates with financial prospects. Cross-culturally, both sexes have mates closer to their own ages as gender equality increases. Beyond age of partner, ne...
Scientific Reports, 2019
Humans express a wide array of ideal mate preferences. Around the world, people desire romantic p... more Humans express a wide array of ideal mate preferences. Around the world, people desire romantic partners who are intelligent, healthy, kind, physically attractive, wealthy, and more. In order for these ideal preferences to guide the choice of actual romantic partners, human mating psychology must possess a means to integrate information across these many preference dimensions into summaries of the overall mate value of their potential mates. Here we explore the computational design of this mate preference integration process using a large sample of n = 14,487 people from 45 countries around the world. We combine this large cross-cultural sample with agent-based models to compare eight hypothesized models of human mating markets. Across cultures, people higher in mate value appear to experience greater power of choice on the mating market in that they set higher ideal standards, better fulfill their preferences in choice, and pair with higher mate value partners. Furthermore, we find...
Evolution and Human Behavior, 2019
Mate choice lies close to differential reproduction, the engine of evolution. Patterns of mate ch... more Mate choice lies close to differential reproduction, the engine of evolution. Patterns of mate choice consequently have power to direct the course of evolution. Here we provide evidence suggesting one pattern of human mate choice-the tendency for mates to be similar in overall desirability-caused the evolution of a structure of correlations that we call the d factor. We use agent-based models to demonstrate that assortative mating causes the evolution of a positive manifold of desirability, d, such that an individual who is desirable as a mate along any one dimension tends to be desirable across all other dimensions. Further, we use a large cross-cultural sample with n = 14,478 from 45 countries around the world to show that this d-factor emerges in human samples, is a cross-cultural universal, and is patterned in a way consistent with an evolutionary history of assortative mating. Our results suggest that assortative mating can explain the evolution of a broad structure of human trait covariation.