The risky behavior of males has been proposed to be a strategy to display the relative
quality of men’s genes and increase their competitiveness in gaining access to a mate. Low
mood, a constellation of depression symptoms with less severity than to warrant a Major
Depressive Disorder diagnosis, has been proposed to be an adaptive strategy to reduce harm and
conserve energy in the face of competition. It is hypothesized in this study that males’ strategy of
gaining access to a mate through displaying risky behavior will result in higher perceptions of
their own value as a mate and the value of their short-term and long-term mates. It is also
hypothesized that men who engage in risky behavior to increase their competitiveness will
display fewer low mood symptoms than those who do not engage in risky behavior. Two
hundred forty men between the ages of 18-36 years completed decision problems assessing risk
preference and aversion, the Mate Value Inventory, and the Depression-Dejection subscale of the
Profile of Mood States-Short Form. The results of a MANOVA analysis suggest that there were
no significant differences between risky and non-risky males on their perception of their own
mate value, the value of their short-term or long-term mates, and on low mood. The discussion focuses on the possible reasons for the pattern of responses displayed by the participants and
methodological concerns. / Department of Counseling Psychology and Guidance Services
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:BSU/oai:cardinalscholar.bsu.edu:123456789/197789 |
| Date | 14 December 2013 |
| Creators | Meteer, John D. |
| Contributors | Nicholas, Donald R. |
| Source Sets | Ball State University |
| Detected Language | English |
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