Enhancement of self-perceived mate value precedes a shift in men's preferred mating strategy

Seventy-three participants (40 women, 33 men) completed questionnaires concerning their self-perceived mate value (SPMV) and preferred mating strategy in two separate sessions, with baseline measures collected during the first stage. At the commencement of the second testing session, participants were provided with a fictitious positive assessment of their worth as a mate in an attempt to manipulate their SPMV upward. It was hypothesized that higher SPMV and the endorsement or pursuit of casual sexual activity would be positively related in men and that raising men's SPMV would increase the bias toward this mating strategy. A strong relationship between SPMV and mating strategy was not expected in women, nor was increasing SPMV expected to alter women's mating strategy. As predicted, high baseline levels of SPMV were positively related with the endorsement of casual sexual activity in men, and an elevation in men's SPMV following the manipulation was associated with the increased choice of this mating strategy. Moreover, it appeared that the rise in SPMV specifically, rather than an increase in global self-esteem, was related to the shift in mating strategy. Little evidence was found to suggest that baseline SPMV or increases to SPMV were related to women’s endorsement or pursuit of casual versus more committed sexual relationships