Considerable research has examined human mate preferences across cultures, finding universal sex differences in preferences for attractiveness and resources as well as sources of systematic cultural variation. Two competing perspectives—an evolutionary psychological perspective and a biosocial role perspective—offer alternative explanations for these findings. However, the original data on which each perspective relies are decades old, and the literature is fraught with conflicting methods, analyses, results, and conclusions. Using a new 45-country sample (N = 14,399), we attempted to replicate classic studies and test both the evolutionary and biosocial role perspectives. Support for universal sex differences in preferences remains robust: Men, more than women, prefer attractive, young mates, and women, more than men, prefer older mates with financial prospects. Cross-culturally, both sexes have mates closer to their own ages as gender equality increases. Beyond age of partner, neither pathogen prevalence nor gender equality robustly predicted sex differences or preferences across countries.
This article presents the Cambridge Worry Scale (CWS), a content-based measure for assessing worries, and discusses its psychometric properties based on a longitudinal study of 1207 pregnant women. Principal components analysis revealed a four-factor structure of women’s concerns during pregnancy: socio-medical, own health, socio-economic and relational. The measure demonstrated good reliability and validity. Total CWS scores were strongly associated with state and trait anxiety (convergent validity) but also had significant and unique predictive value for mood outcomes (discriminant validity). The CWS discriminated better between women with different reproductive histories than measures of state and trait anxiety. We conclude that the CWS is a reliable and valid tool for assessing the extent and content of worries in specific situations.
1 July 2004 in Personality and Individual Differences
The present study examined the link between attachment, social support and well-being in young and older adults. The results from multi-group path analyses showed significant between-group differences in the links between attachment, perceived support and well-being. Anxious attachment and well-being were inversely associated and this was stronger for the younger group than it was for the older group. Avoidant attachment was negatively related to perceived support satisfaction in the older age group only, and perceived support mediated the effects of avoidant attachment on mental health and loneliness in the older group. Generally, perceived satisfaction with support was more strongly related with well-being in older adults. The results point to differential links of insecure attachment styles with perceived support in different life-stages and to related cognitive, emotional and social processes.
11 September 2009 in International Journal of Entrepreneurial Behavior & Research
Purpose: This paper aims to propose and empirically test a theoretical model positing relationships among emotional intelligence (EI), creativity, proactivity, and attitudes towards entrepreneurship and entrepreneurial intent.Design/methodology/approach: A questionnaire survey was completed by a random sample (n=280) of business, engineering and science students across three Greek universities. Results were based on structural equation modelling analysis.Findings: Results provide strong support for the proposition that students' creativity and proactivity fully mediate the positive effect of trait EI on attitudes towards entrepreneurship. Attitudes towards entrepreneurship fully mediated the effects of creativity and proactivity on entrepreneurial intent.Originality/value: The paper demonstrates that EI is positively related to three important antecedents of entrepreneurial intentions and provides the literature with another important piece of the puzzle concerning entrepreneurial motivation. This evidence adds to the academic literatures on entrepreneurship and trait EI, and offers several practical implications for entrepreneurship education.