Although, uncommitted dating via online apps is widespread, most people find value in long-term, trusting relationships. From a social and evolutionary point of view, it has been theorized that mating strategies, and, in particular, short-term strategies make some relationships more vulnerable than others. In our study, we examined short- and long-term relationship orientation and their association with relationship quality. We analysed data from 395 heterosexual couples using the actor-partner-interdependence model in order to explore effects on individuals and couples. Results demonstrated that short-term orientation was associated with lower levels of relationship quality and an increased likelihood of complaints about the partner and the relationship. Long-term relationship orientation, on the other hand, was associated with higher levels of relationship quality. In addition, higher levels of sexual satisfaction mediate the association between short-term orientation and relationship quality. In-depth analyses revealed gender- and couple effects.

We examined whether relationship satisfaction mediates the association between perceptions of equity in central areas of a relationship (feelings and attractiveness) and the experience of sexuality in a sample of 93 couples. Results reveal that greater levels of an individual's own relationship satisfaction significantly predict greater levels of an individual's affective and physical sexual attraction. Furthermore, findings also provide some support for the mediating role of relationship satisfaction between an individual's own equity perceptions and an individual's own experience of sexuality within the dyad. Moreover, males benefit from the females' perception of equity in the sense that equity considerations among females significantly contribute to their partners' relationship satisfaction, which, in turn, intensifies their partners' experience of passionate and emotional sex.In recent decades, the majority of romantic relationships in the Western world are characterized by love, tenderness, and affection. Equity considerations and fairness, however, usually do not play a prominent role when entering into a romantic relationship. Rohmann (2000) emphasizes that romantic relationships are indeed dominated first by love, affection, and tenderness. Nonetheless, the importance of fairness and equity should not to be underestimated.