A wide range of literature connects sex ratio and mating behaviours in non-human animals. However, research examining sex ratio and human mating is limited in scope. Prior work has examined the relationship between sex ratio and desire for short-term, uncommitted mating as well as outcomes such as marriage and divorce rates. Less empirical attention has been directed towards the relationship between sex ratio and mate preferences, despite the importance of mate preferences in the human mating literature. To address this gap, we examined sex ratio's relationship to the variation in preferences for attractiveness, resources, kindness, intelligence and health in a long-term mate across 45 countries (n = 14 487). We predicted that mate preferences would vary according to relative power of choice on the mating market, with increased power derived from having relatively few competitors and numerous potential mates. We found that each sex tended to report more demanding preferences for attractiveness and resources where the opposite sex was abundant, compared to where the opposite sex was scarce. This pattern dovetails with those found for mating strategies in humans and mate preferences across species, highlighting the importance of sex ratio for understanding variation in human mate preferences.

• MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• manželství MeSH
• pohlavní dimorfismus * MeSH
• poměr pohlaví * MeSH
• rozmnožování MeSH
• sexuální partneři MeSH
• výběrové chování MeSH
• zvířata MeSH
• Check Tag
• lidé MeSH
• mužské pohlaví MeSH
• ženské pohlaví MeSH
• zvířata MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• práce podpořená grantem MeSH
• Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S. MeSH

Interpersonal touch behavior differs across cultures, yet no study to date has systematically tested for cultural variation in affective touch, nor examined the factors that might account for this variability. Here, over 14,000 individuals from 45 countries were asked whether they embraced, stroked, kissed, or hugged their partner, friends, and youngest child during the week preceding the study. We then examined a range of hypothesized individual-level factors (sex, age, parasitic history, conservatism, religiosity, and preferred interpersonal distance) and cultural-level factors (regional temperature, parasite stress, regional conservatism, collectivism, and religiosity) in predicting these affective-touching behaviors. Our results indicate that affective touch was most prevalent in relationships with partners and children, and its diversity was relatively higher in warmer, less conservative, and religious countries, and among younger, female, and liberal people. This research allows for a broad and integrated view of the bases of cross-cultural variability in affective touch.

• MeSH
• dítě MeSH
• hmat * MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• náboženství MeSH
• srovnání kultur * MeSH
• Check Tag
• dítě MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• ženské pohlaví MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• práce podpořená grantem MeSH

Cieľ. Cieľom štúdie bolo overiť faktorovú štruktúru, reliabilitu a validitu slovenskej verzie dotazníka EPOCH na meranie well-beingu u adolescentov. Dotazník vychádza z teoretickej koncepcie optimálneho prospievania Seligmana a meria päť pozitívnych indikátorov (zaujatie činnosťou, vytrvalosť, optimizmus, zapojenie do vzťahov, šťastie), ktoré môžu predikovať optimálne prospievanie v dospelosti. Vzorka a metódy. Faktorová validita a reliabilta bola testovaná na súbore 1009 respondentov (M = 16,79, SD = 2,10) a na čiastkových súboroch chlapcov a dievčat a respondentov v ranej + strednej a neskorej adolescencii. Validita bola testovaná na štyroch podsúboroch získaných postupne v priebehu jedného akademického roka ako súčasť riešenia čiastkových cieľov výskumného projektu. Štatistické analýzy. Na overenie faktorovej štruktúry bola realizovaná konfirmačná faktorová analýza (WLSVM), na overenie reliability bol vypočítaný Cronbachov koeficient alfa a Pearsonov koeficient na koreláciu meraní s 6-mesačným odstupom, rovnako na testovanie konvergentnej a divergentnej validity. Výsledky. Zistenia ukázali vysokú validitu a reliabilitu slovenskej verzie dotazníka EPOCH na vzorke žiakov základných, stredných a vysokých škôl. Výsledky podporili 5-faktorovú štruktúru metodiky navrhovanú autormi, ktorá platí rovnako u oboch pohlaví aj u vekových skupín. Limity. Zistenia je potrebné ďalej overiť na reprezentatívnej vzorke žiakov ZŠ, ŠS a VŠ, rovnako ako prediktívnu validitu metodiky.

Objectives. The aim of the study was to verify factor structure, reliability and validity of the Slovak version of the EPOCH measure of adolescent well-being. The questionnaire is grounded in Seligman´s theory of human flourishing and assesses 5 positive psychological characteristics (Engagement, Perseverance, Optimism, Connectedness, and Happiness) that might foster optimal functioning in adulthood. Sample and settings. Factorial validity and reliability was evaluated within the sample of 1009 respondents (M=16.79, SD=2.10) and also in partial samples of boys and girls and respondents in early+middle and late adolescence. Validity was tested in four partial samples, gathered during one academic year as a part of a research project. Statistical analysis. To verify factor structure the confirmatory factor analysis (WLSVM) was conducted, to evaluate reliability and validity Cronbach coefficient alpha and Pearson correlation coefficients were calculated. Results. The Slovak version of the EPOCH measure demonstrated adequate levels of validity and reliability in primary, high school and university students. The five-factor structure reported by the author fit the data well and was equivalent for both genders and age groups. Limits. Additional studies with representative samples of primary, high, and university students, and verifying predictive validity are needed to further validate the measure.

• MeSH
• faktorová analýza statistická MeSH
• korelace dat MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• mladiství MeSH
• průzkumy a dotazníky * MeSH
• reprodukovatelnost výsledků MeSH
• studenti psychologie   statistika a číselné údaje   MeSH
• zdraví dospívajících * MeSH
• Check Tag
• lidé MeSH
• mladiství MeSH
• mužské pohlaví MeSH
• ženské pohlaví MeSH
• Geografické názvy
• Slovenská republika MeSH

Cieľom predkladanej štúdie bolo zistiť, či aktuálna reprezentácia vzťahovej väzby k matke predikuje internalizujúce problémy u detí v strednom detstve, a či sú modely genderovo-špecifické. Výskumnú vzorku tvorilo 151 detí vo veku 9-12 rokov, ktorým sme administrovali dotazníky Škála istoty, Škála zjavnej anxiety pre deti CMAS, Škála klasickej sociálne-situačnej anxiety KSAT a Sebaposudzovacia škála depresivity pre deti CDI. S využitím lineárnej regresnej analýzy sme zistili, že bezpečná reprezentácia väzby k matke významne negatívne predikuje výskyt internalizujúcich problémov u detí v strednom detstve, s výnimkou sociálnej anxiety, a to bez ohľadu na pohlavie detí. Genderovo-špecifické vzorce predikcie sme zaznamenali len v prípade dvoch symptómov depresivity (Zlá nálada a Anhedónia). Výsledky sú v súlade s teoretickými a empirickými predpokladmi a naznačujú, že kvalita vzťahovej väzby k matke je dôležitým faktorom adaptívneho vývinu aj u detí v strednom detstve.

Problem: The current study examines the relationship between the representation of attachment relationship with mother and internalizing problems in the developmental period of middle childhood. The purpose of the study was to analyze whether the quality of attachment predicts the intensity and seriousness of internalizing problems in middle childhood; and to examine whether the models are gender-specific. Methods: Participants in this study were 151 children aged 9-12 (M = 11.21), 77 boys and 74 girls, recruited from elementary schools in Nitra region. Children completed measures assessing the quality of attachment representation of the relationship with mother (selfreport questionnaire Security Scale), the tendency to react anxiously (self-report questionnaire Childen´s Manifest Anxiety Scale – CMAS), social anxiety (self-report questionnaire Scale of Classical Social Situational Anxiety – KSAT) and depression (self-report questionnaire Children´s Depression Inventory – CDI). Results: Regression analysis indicated that secure attachment representation is a significant negative predictor of children's internalizing problems – manifest anxiety (ß = -.324, p < .001), the total of depression symptoms (ß = -.377, p < .001) and all of the subcategories of depressive symptomathology (ß = -.230, p < .01 for Negative Mood; ß = -.253, p < .01 for Interpersonal Problems; ß = -.316, p < .001 for Inefectiveness; ß = .215, p < .01 for Anhedonia; and ß = -.461, p < .001 for Negative Self Esteem), except for social anxiety (ß = -.035, p = .717). The overall variance explained by attachment security ranged 4.6 to 21.3%. Results suggest that children, who perceive their mother as available and responsive in the situation of distress, are less prone to develop anxiety and depression. Small to middle effect size of the quality of attachment relationship indicates that attachment to mother is only one of the risk factors of internalizing behavior in middle chidlhood. Regression analysis revealed some gender-specific models according to the associations between attachment to mother and internalizing problems in boys and girls. In the sample of boys, negative mood and anhedony was not predicted by attachment to mother (ß = -.176, p > 0.05 and ß = -.194, p > 0.05, respectively), but in the sample of girls, secure attachment representation was a significant negative predictor of both depressive symptoms (ß = -.296, p < .05 for Negative Mood; and ß = -.285, p < .05 for Anhedony). Other models, except for social anxiety, were statistically significant for both samples. In the sample of girls, the predictor accounted for 26.3% of variance in Negative Self Esteem (ß = -.512; p < .001), 18.9% of variance of the total of depression symptoms (ß = -.435; p < .001), 10.9% of variance in Ineffectiveness (ß = -.331; p < .05) and 10.5% of variance in manifest anxiety (ß = -.324; p < .05). The results were similar for the sample of boys. Attachment security accounted for 17.4% of variance in Negative Self Esteem (ß = -.435; p < .001), 11.3% of variance of the total of depression symptoms (ß = -.377; p < .05) and 10.5% of variance in manifest anxiety (ß = -.332; p < .05). Representation of attachment relationship with mother accounted for less then 10% of variance when predicitng Negative Mood, Anhedony and Interpersonal Problems in both samples, and in addition Inefectiveness only in boys. Additional statistical analyses revealed that regression coefficients across models did not differ. Results suggest that mother is still a primary attachment figure in middle childhood for both, boys and girls, but the quality of attachment to father can also be an important factor of particular adaptive behavior, especially in boys. Because of lack of knowledge and empirical evidence, the future research in the field of gender-specific models of adjustment in middle childhood is needed. Discussion: When interpreting the results of this investigation, it is important to be aware of several limitations. The methodics used in the study are all based on the subjective self-report. The character of the assessment can lead to the tendency to react according to the social expectations. In future studies, it would be beneficial to gather reports about the internalizing problems from children as well as from significant others, and to use multiple attachment assessment (e.g. the combination of questionnaires and projective techniques. Conclusion: We can conclude that attachment representation to mother is an important factor of adaptive development in middle childhood. Our results are in concordance with attachment theory and empirical evidence of associations between violated confidence of availability of attachment figure resulting in insecure attachment representation and maladjustment.

• MeSH
• deprese * klasifikace   psychologie   MeSH
• dítě MeSH
• empirický výzkum MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• muži psychologie   MeSH
• osobnostní dotazník statistika a číselné údaje   MeSH
• osobnostní testy statistika a číselné údaje   MeSH
• připoutání k objektu MeSH
• úzkost * klasifikace   psychologie   MeSH
• vývoj dítěte MeSH
• vztahy mezi matkou a dítětem * psychologie   MeSH
• ženy psychologie   MeSH
• Check Tag
• dítě MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• mužské pohlaví MeSH
• ženské pohlaví MeSH