Definition
Some mate retention tactics, especially costly tactics aimed at keeping an intimate partner faithful, may be precursors to violence in romantic relationships.
Introduction
Cost-inflicting mate retention tactics are a form of mate retention in which one partner uses mate retention strategies that are costly to the other partner. Cost-inflicting mate retention tactics may take a variety of forms and can include derogating a partner, threatening a partner or a rival, and checking the whereabouts of a partner (online or in person). Costs that occur may include reduced ability to seek an extra pair partner (i.e., a partner outside of the pair bond), feeling scared or intimidated, reduced ability to work or forage, and lowered self-esteem. Cost-inflicting tactics are typically thought of as being caused by sexual jealousy and are aimed primarily at keeping a romantic partner faithful, especially when there...
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
References
Bettencourt, B. A., & Kernahan, C. (1997). A meta-analysis of aggression in the presence of violent cues: Effects of gender differences and aversive provocation. Aggressive Behavior, 23, 447–456.
Buss, D. M., & Shackelford, T. K. (1997). From vigilance to violence: Mate retention tactics in married couples. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 72(2), 346–361.
Campbell, A. (2001). A mind of her own: The evolutionary psychology of women. New York: Oxford University Press.
Cousins, A. J., & Gangestad, S. W. (2007). Perceived threats of female infidelity, male proprietariness, and violence in College dating couples. Violence and Victims, 22, 651–668.
Flinn, M. V. (1988). Mate guarding in a Caribbean village. Ethology and Sociobiology, 9(1), 1–28.
Gangestad, S. W., Thornhill, R., & Garver, C. E. (2002). Changes in women’s sexual interests and their partner’s mate–retention tactics across the menstrual cycle: evidence for shifting conflicts of interest. Proceedings of the Royal Society of London B: Biological Sciences, 269(1494), 975–982.
Graham-Kevan, N., & Archer, J. (2009). Control tactics and partner violence in heterosexual relationships. Evolution and Human Behavior, 30(6), 445–452.
Shackelford, T. K., Goetz, A. T., Buss, D. M., Euler, H. A., & Hoier, S. (2005). When we hurt the ones we love: Predicting violence against women from men’s mate retention. Personal Relationships, 12, 447–463.
Wilson, M., & Daly, M. (1995). An evolutionary psychological perspective on male sexual proprietariness and violence against wives. In R. B. Ruback & N. A. Weiner (Eds.), Interpersonal violent behaviors: Social and cultural aspects (pp. 109–133). New York: Springer.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2016 Springer International Publishing Switzerland
About this entry
Cite this entry
Cousins, A., Fugère, M. (2016). As a Precursor to Partner Violence. In: Weekes-Shackelford, V., Shackelford, T., Weekes-Shackelford, V. (eds) Encyclopedia of Evolutionary Psychological Science. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-16999-6_146-1
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-16999-6_146-1
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Publisher Name: Springer, Cham
Online ISBN: 978-3-319-16999-6
eBook Packages: Springer Reference Behavioral Science and PsychologyReference Module Humanities and Social SciencesReference Module Business, Economics and Social Sciences