A Cross-Cultural Examination of Intrasexual Competition

The Links Between Mating Competition, Aggression, Appearance Enhancement, and Sexuality

Bibliographic Data

ID21292473
AuthorsNorbert Mesko (0000-0002-4355-9563, University of Pecs, corresponding author), Adam C Davis (0000-0003-1200-1230, Canadore College), Steven A Arnocky (0000-0003-3812-1871, Nipissing University), Fanni Őry (0000-0002-7670-0914, University of Pecs), Katalin Orsolya Burghardt (University of Pecs), Dóra Eszter Kiss (University of Pecs), Kevin Efrain Tololiu (0000-0003-2956-3125, University of Pecs), Juneman Abraham (0000-0003-0232-2735, Binus University), Hyemin Han (0000-0001-7181-2565, University of Alabama)
Year2026
Publication date2026-06-22
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueArchives of Sexual Behavior (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 0004-0002 • E-ISSN: 1573-2800
PublisherSpringer Science and Business Media LLC (PUBLISHER)
DOI10.1007/s10508-026-03464-8
PMID42332318
OpenAlexW7165574388
LanguageEN
References cited113

In the context of mating, individuals of the same sex often act as rivals in the pursuit, attraction, and retention of desirable partners. This study explored the relationships between intrasexual competition and various aspects of human mating psychology across three countries: Canada, Hungary, and Indonesia. A total of 661 adults (including women, men, non-binary, and gender-unspecified individuals) completed an online questionnaire assessing sensation seeking, aggression, beauty-enhancing behavior, openness to cosmetic surgery, sexual motivation, and sociosexuality. Hypotheses were tested via Bayesian multilevel modeling. Measurement invariance testing and alignment procedures were conducted to address potential cross-cultural non-invariance. Results indicated that the superiority enjoyment component of intrasexual competition showed consistent positive associations with the examined psychological variables. Associations involving inferiority frustration were generally weaker and less consistent. The findings for openness to cosmetic surgery, sociosexuality, and aggression replicate prior research, whereas the links with sensation seeking, beauty-enhancing behavior, and sexual motivation extend the literature. Cross-national comparisons revealed no significant country differences in superiority enjoyment, whereas Canadian participants scored significantly lower than Hungarian and Indonesian participants in inferiority frustration, with no significant difference between the latter two groups. Overall, the findings suggest that intrasexual competition—particularly its superiority enjoyment component—shows consistent associations with mating-relevant psychological traits across cultural contexts, even when mean levels differ between societies

Aggression · Big Five personality traits · Context (archaeology) · Human sexuality · Mating · Openness to experience · Physical attractiveness · Sensation Seeking · Sexual selection · Body Image and Dysmorphia Studies · Eating Disorders and Behaviors · Evolutionary Psychology and Human Behavior