Androgen receptor gene and sociosexuality. Does fighting ability moderate the effect of genetics in reproductive strategies?

Abstract

y uncommitted relationships and long-term mating strategies characterized by high investment in the establishment of a committed romantic relationship and parental care (Gangestad & Simpson, 2000). In this context, sociosexuality reflects the individual differences in the willingness to engage in sexual intercourse without a previous bond or commitment (Simpson & Gangestad, 1992). In a more recent conceptualization, it can be divided, at least, into three components, two attitudinal, which reflect the psychological predisposition toward investing in mating (short-term mating orientation) and parenting (long-term mating orientation), and the other behavioral, which refers to the number of past sexual partners (Jackson & Kirkpatrick, 2007). Sociosexuality has been associated with mating and parenting efforts (Valentova et al., 2020) and with traits denoting fast or slow life histories (Patch & Figueredo, 2017); therefore, it is considered a reliable proxy to assess reproductive strategies in humans.