Some predictors of mate poaching for short-term and long-term relationships

Cilj ovog istraživanja bio je ispitati odnose roda, socioseksualnosti, mračne trijade, privrženosti ljubavnom partneru i iskustava preotimanja tuđih partnera za kratkoročne i dugoročne veze. Istraživanje je provedeno online putem te je sudjelovalo ukupno N=389 punoljetnih sudionika koji su barem jednom bili u intimnom odnosu. Kao mjera preotimanja partnera korišten je Upitnik romantične privlačnosti (ARAS), za mjerenje socioseksualne orijentacije korišten je Upitnik socioseksualne orijentacije (SOI-R), za mračnu trijadu Kratka skala mračne trijade, te za romantičnu privrženosti Inventar iskustva u bliskim vezama. Rezultati su pokazali da su muškarci općenito skloniji preotimanju partnera za kratkoročne veze u odnosu na žene. Rod se pokazao značajnim prediktorom pokušaja preotimanja partnera i za kratkoročne i za dugoročne veze, no njegova se značajnost izgubila dodavanjem drugih prediktora. Socioseksualnost se pokazala pozitivno prediktivnom u objašnjenju varijance pokušaja preotimanja i za kratkoročne i za dugoročne veze te bivanja metom preotimanja za kratkoročne veze. Od crta mračne trijade najveći pozitivni doprinos u objašnjenju varijance iskustava preotimanja imala je psihopatija. Anksioznost vezana uz privrženost ljubavnim partnerima značajno je pozitivno predviđala iskustvo bivanja metom preotimanja za kratkoročne veze i pokušajem preotimanja za dugoročne veze, dok je izbjegavanje imalo značajan samostalni doprinos u objašnjenju pokušaja preotimanja za dugoročne veze. S obzirom na to da je preotimanje partnera jedna od evoluiranih psiholoških adaptacija čija je funkcija povećanje reproduktivnog uspjeha, proučavanje odrednica ovog ponašanja je važno kako bismo bolje razumjeli dinamiku romantičnih odnosa.The aim of this research was to examine the relationships between gender, sociosexuality, the Dark Triad, romantic attachment, and experiences of mate poaching for short-term and long-term relationships. The research was conducted online with a sample of N=389 adult participants who were in a romantic relationship at least once. Anonymous Romantic Attraction Survey (ARAS) was used as a measure of mate poaching experiences, The revised Sociosexual Orientation Inventory (SOI-R) was used to measure sociosexual orientation, the Dark Triad Short Scale for the Dark Triad, and Experiences in Close Relationship Inventory for romantic attachment. The results showed that men are generally more inclined to mate poach for short-term relationships than women. Gender proved to be a significant predictor of mate poaching attempts for both shortterm and long-term relationships, but its significance was lost when other predictors were considered. Sociosexuality is shown to be predictive in explaining the variance of mate poaching attempts for both short-term and long-term relationships and being the target of poaching for shortterm relationships. Regarding specific Dark Triad traits psychopathy has the greatest positive contribution in explaining the variance of mate poaching experiences. Attachment anxiety significantly positively predicted the experience of being the target of mate poaching for shortterm relationships and poaching attempts for long-term relationships, while avoidance had a significant contribution only for long-term poaching attempts. Given that mate poaching is one of the evolved psychological adaptations with the function to increase reproductive success, studying the determinants of this behavior is important to better understand the dynamics of romantic relationships