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Evolutionary Perspectives on Romantic Attachment and Culture

How Ecological Stressors Influence Dismissing Orientations Across Genders and Geographies

Bradley University, dps{at}bradley.edu

Cultural differences in adult romantic attachment were investigated as part of the International Sexuality Description Project—a survey study of 17,804 people from 56 nations. Evolutionary theories of romantic attachment predicted that dismissing attachment should be associated with high-stress ecological environments. In support of this perspective, dismissing attachment was associated across cultures with relatively few resources, low life expectancy, high child malnutrition, high average temperature, high fertility rate, high teen birthrate, and a high pace of life. Gender differences in dismissing romantic attachment were evident in most cultures, with men generally reporting higher levels of dismissing attachment than women. The degree of gender differentiation in dismissing romantic attachment varied across cultures in evolutionary-predictable ways, with smaller gender differences evident in cultures with high-stress and high-fertility reproductive environments. Discussion focuses on the limitations of the current findings and directions for future evolutionary-informed research on cultural variability in romantic attachment.

Key Words: romantic attachment • evolutionary psychology • culture

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