TY - JOUR
T1 - Exploring Attitudes Toward "Sugar Relationships" Across 87 Countries
T2 - A Global Perspective on Exchanges of Resources for Sex and Companionship
AU - Mesko, Norbert
AU - Kowal, Marta
AU - Lang, Andras
AU - Kocsor, Ferenc
AU - Bandi, Szabolcs A.
AU - Putz, Adam
AU - Sorokowski, Piotr
AU - Frederick, David A.
AU - Garcia, Felipe E.
AU - Aguilar, Leonardo A.
AU - Studzinska, Anna
AU - Tan, Chee-Seng
AU - Gjoneska, Biljana
AU - Milfont, Taciano L.
AU - Topcu Bulut, Merve
AU - Grigoryev, Dmitry
AU - Aavik, Toivo
AU - Boussena, Mahmoud
AU - Mattiassi, Alan D. A.
AU - Afhami, Reza
AU - Amin, Rizwana
AU - Baiocco, Roberto
AU - Brahim, Hamdaoui
AU - Can, Ali R.
AU - Carneiro, Joao
AU - Cetinkaya, Hakan
AU - Chubinidze, Dimitri
AU - Deschrijver, Eliane
AU - Don, Yahya
AU - Dubrov, Dmitrii
AU - Duyar, Izzet
AU - Jovic, Marija
AU - Kamburidis, Julia A.
AU - Khan, Farah
AU - Khun-Inkeeree, Hareesol
AU - Koso-Drljevic, Maida
AU - Lacko, David
AU - Massar, Karlijn
AU - Morelli, Mara
AU - Natividade, Jean C.
AU - Nyhus, Ellen K.
AU - Park, Ju Hee
AU - Pazhoohi, Farid
AU - Pirtskhalava, Ekaterine
AU - Ponnet, Koen
AU - Prokop, Pavol
AU - Sakan, Dusana
AU - Tulyakul, Singha
AU - Wang, Austin H.
AU - Aquino, Sibele D.
AU - Et al.
PY - 2024
Y1 - 2024
N2 - The current study investigates attitudes toward one form of sex for resources: the so-called sugar relationships, which often involve exchanges of resources for sex and/or companionship. The present study examined associations among attitudes toward sugar relationships and relevant variables (e.g., sex, sociosexuality, gender inequality, parasitic exposure) in 69,924 participants across 87 countries. Two self-report measures of Acceptance of Sugar Relationships (ASR) developed for younger companion providers (ASR-YWMS) and older resource providers (ASR-OMWS) were translated into 37 languages. We tested cross-sex and cross-linguistic construct equivalence, cross-cultural invariance in sex differences, and the importance of the hypothetical predictors of ASR. Both measures showed adequate psychometric properties in all languages (except the Persian version of ASR-YWMS). Results partially supported our hypotheses and were consistent with previous theoretical considerations and empirical evidence on human mating. For example, at the individual level, sociosexual orientation, traditional gender roles, and pathogen prevalence were significant predictors of both ASR-YWMS and ASR-OMWS. At the country level, gender inequality and parasite stress positively predicted the ASR-YWMS. However, being a woman negatively predicted the ASR-OMWS, but positively predicted the ASR-YWMS. At country-level, ingroup favoritism and parasite stress positively predicted the ASR-OMWS. Furthermore, significant cross-subregional differences were found in the openness to sugar relationships (both ASR-YWMS and ASR-OMWS scores) across subregions. Finally, significant differences were found between ASR-YWMS and ASR-OMWS when compared in each subregion. The ASR-YWMS was significantly higher than the ASR-OMWS in all subregions, except for Northern Africa and Western Asia.
AB - The current study investigates attitudes toward one form of sex for resources: the so-called sugar relationships, which often involve exchanges of resources for sex and/or companionship. The present study examined associations among attitudes toward sugar relationships and relevant variables (e.g., sex, sociosexuality, gender inequality, parasitic exposure) in 69,924 participants across 87 countries. Two self-report measures of Acceptance of Sugar Relationships (ASR) developed for younger companion providers (ASR-YWMS) and older resource providers (ASR-OMWS) were translated into 37 languages. We tested cross-sex and cross-linguistic construct equivalence, cross-cultural invariance in sex differences, and the importance of the hypothetical predictors of ASR. Both measures showed adequate psychometric properties in all languages (except the Persian version of ASR-YWMS). Results partially supported our hypotheses and were consistent with previous theoretical considerations and empirical evidence on human mating. For example, at the individual level, sociosexual orientation, traditional gender roles, and pathogen prevalence were significant predictors of both ASR-YWMS and ASR-OMWS. At the country level, gender inequality and parasite stress positively predicted the ASR-YWMS. However, being a woman negatively predicted the ASR-OMWS, but positively predicted the ASR-YWMS. At country-level, ingroup favoritism and parasite stress positively predicted the ASR-OMWS. Furthermore, significant cross-subregional differences were found in the openness to sugar relationships (both ASR-YWMS and ASR-OMWS scores) across subregions. Finally, significant differences were found between ASR-YWMS and ASR-OMWS when compared in each subregion. The ASR-YWMS was significantly higher than the ASR-OMWS in all subregions, except for Northern Africa and Western Asia.
KW - Resources for sex
KW - Sugar relationships
KW - Cross-cultural comparison
KW - Human mating
KW - TRANSACTIONAL SEX
KW - SOCIOSEXUALITY
KW - CULTURE
KW - EVOLUTIONARY
KW - PREVALENCE
KW - ORIGINS
KW - STRESS
KW - TRANSLATION
KW - PREFERENCES
KW - STRATEGIES
U2 - 10.1007/s10508-023-02724-1
DO - 10.1007/s10508-023-02724-1
M3 - Article
SN - 0004-0002
VL - 53
SP - 811
EP - 837
JO - Archives of Sexual Behavior
JF - Archives of Sexual Behavior
IS - 2
ER -