Sex Ratio Impacts Psychological Health

<p>Pair bonding or long-term adult romantic relationship was advantageous in ensuring offspring survival and adult protection in the evolutionary environment thus humans have evolved with strong mating and pair bonding motivations (Belsky 1999; Fraley Brumbaugh & Marks 2005; Fraley & Shaver 2000). Because successes and failures in meeting adaptive goals is correlated with emotional and psychological health (Nesse 2016; Plutchik 2003) decreased or thwarted mating opportunity should theoretically impact wellbeing. Sex ratio refers to the number of males relative to females in a given population and significantly influences mating opportunity. When sex ratio is skewed the oversupplied sex experiences a dearth in mating opportunity (Guttengang & Secord 1983). The minimal research that has been conducted in this area suggests that population sex ratio and mating opportunity influence wellbeing (Tucker & Mitchel-Kernan 1989) yet more research is necessary to gain a better understanding of the psychological impact of sex ratio. </p>