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Arch Sex Behav (2013) 42:11451161 DOI 10.1007/s10508-012-0019-3
ORIGINAL PAPER
Sexual Regret: Evidence for Evolved Sex Differences
Andrew Galperin Martie G. Haselton David A. Frederick
Joshua Poore William von Hippel David M. Buss
Gian C. Gonzaga
Received: 12 November 2011 / Revised: 4 August 2012 / Accepted: 4 August 2012 / Published online: 21 November 2012 Springer Science+Business Media, LLC 2012
Abstract Regret and anticipated regret enhance decision qualitybyhelpingpeopleavoidmakingandrepeatingmistakes. Someofpeoplesmostintenseregretsconcernsexualdecisions. We hypothesized evolved sex differences in womens and mensexperiencesofsexualregret.Because ofwomenshigher obligatory costs of reproduction throughout evolutionary history, we hypothesized that sexual actions, particularly those involving casual sex, would be regretted more intensely by women than by men. In contrast, because missed sexual opportunities historically carried higher reproductive tness costs for men than for women, we hypothesized that poorly chosensexualinactionswouldberegrettedmorebymenthanby
women. Across three studies (Ns = 200, 395, and 24,230), we tested these hypotheses using free responses, written scenarios, detailedchecklists,andInternetsamplingtoachieveparticipant diversity, including diversity in sexual orientation. Across all data sources, results supported predicted psychological sex differences and these differences were localized in casual sex contexts.Thesendingsareconsistentwiththenotionthatthe psychology of sexual regret was shaped by recurrent sex differences in selection pressures operating over deep time.
Keywords Evolutionary psychology Sex differences
Parental investment theory Sexual regret Mating behavior
Introduction
Some of the most important decisions in peoples lives involve whethertohavesex,withwhomtohave sex,andinwhichsocial and relationship contexts to have sex. These decisions can result in a variety of consequences, including enhancing or damaging reputations, producing debilitating illness, bonding partners together, breaking up friendships and families, producing children, and leaving people wondering for decades aboutthe one who got away.Accordingly, romantic and sexual experiences provide some of peoples fondest memories, but also some of their most common and poignant experiences of regret (e.g., Morrison & Roese, 2011; Roese & Summerville, 2005; Roese et al., 2006). In a series of three studies, we explored the potent experience of sexual regret and assessed the extent to which mens and womens experiences of sexual regret differed.
Regrets: Romantic and Non-Romantic
The experience of regret is hypothesized to serve several functions. Regret about a recent event can motivate corrective
A. Galperin (&) M. G. Haselton
Department of Psychology, University of California at Los Angeles, 1285 Franz Hall, Box 951563, Los Angeles,CA 90095-1563, USAe-mail: [email protected]
M. G. HaseltonDepartment of Communication Studies,...