Journal of Evolutionary Psychology
Volume/Issue:
Volume 12: Issue 2-4
When the cat’s away, the spouse will play: A cross-cultural examination of mate guarding in married couples
Authors:
Lisa Dillon Wayne State University Graduate Medical Education, Department of Psychology 5057 Woodward, 7th floor Detroit Michigan 48202 USA

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Nicole Nowak University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee Department of Psychology Milwaukee Wisconsin USA

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Kraig Shattuck Wayne State University Department of Psychology Detroit Michigan USA

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Glenn Weisfeld Wayne State University Department of Psychology Detroit Michigan USA

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Carol Weisfeld University of Detroit Mercy Department of Psychology Detroit Michigan USA

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E. Imamoğlu Middle East Technical University Department of Psychology Ankara Turkey

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Marina Butovskaya Russian Academy of Sciences Institute of Ethnology and Anthropology Moscow Russia

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Shen Jiliang Beijing Normal University Institute of Developmental Psychology Beijing China

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Pages:
97–108
Online Publication Date:
02 Aug 2014
Publication Date:
01 Dec 2014
Article Category:
Research Article
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.1556/jep-d-13-00003
Keywords:
mate retention; mate guarding; infidelity; possessiveness; attractiveness
Restricted access

In this post hoc analysis of mate retention behavior, over 3000 married couples from five cultures completed the Marriage and Relationship Questionnaire (MARQ). The Actor-Partner Interdependence Model (APIM) was used to test relationships for selected variables. For all countries and both sexes, the spouse being attracted to other people was linked to worry about spousal infidelity. For all cases except the Russians, being attracted to one’s spouse was related to less worry by the spouse about infidelity. In all cases, one’s being attractive was associated with spousal feelings of possessiveness. Having a spouse who went out without them was related to infidelity worries for wives in all groups and husbands in three groups. Feelings of possessiveness were related to wanting to touch the spouse in most groups, and husbands reported more such desire in all groups. Husbands who sought sex outside of marriage worried about reciprocal spousal infidelity in all cultures, as did wives in most cultures. Overall, the data suggest that attractiveness and attraction shape mate retention emotions and behavior in similar ways across cultures.

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Cover Journal of Evolutionary Psychology
Journal of Evolutionary Psychology
Print ISSN:
1789-2082
Online ISSN:
2060-5587

Journal of Evolutionary Psychology 
Language English
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Foundation		 2007 (2003)
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Founder Akadémiai Kiadó
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Address		 H-1117 Budapest, Hungary 1516 Budapest, PO Box 245.
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Address		 H-1117 Budapest, Hungary 1516 Budapest, PO Box 245.
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ISSN 1789-2082 (Print)
ISSN 2060-5587 (Online)

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