TY - JOUR
T1 - Partner choice, relationship satisfaction, and oral contraception
T2 - the congruency hypothesis
AU - Roberts, S. Craig
AU - Little, Anthony C.
AU - Burriss, Robert P.
AU - Cobey, Kelly D.
AU - Klapilová, Kateřina
AU - Havlíček, Jan
AU - Jones, Benedict C.
AU - DeBruine, Lisa
AU - Petrie, Marion
PY - 2014/5/12
Y1 - 2014/5/12
N2 - Hormonal fluctuation across the menstrual cycle explains temporal variation in women's judgment of the attractiveness of members of the opposite sex. Use of hormonal contraceptives could therefore influence both initial partner choice and, if contraceptive use subsequently changes, intrapair dynamics. Associations between hormonal contraceptive use and relationship satisfaction may thus be best understood by considering whether current use is congruent with use when relationships formed, rather than by considering current use alone. In the study reported here, we tested this congruency hypothesis in a survey of 365 couples. Controlling for potential confounds (including relationship duration, age, parenthood, and income), we found that congruency in current and previous hormonal contraceptive use, but not current use alone, predicted women's sexual satisfaction with their partners. Congruency was not associated with women's nonsexual satisfaction or with the satisfaction of their male partners. Our results provide empirical support for the congruency hypothesis and suggest that women's sexual satisfaction is influenced by changes in partner preference associated with change in hormonal contraceptive use.
AB - Hormonal fluctuation across the menstrual cycle explains temporal variation in women's judgment of the attractiveness of members of the opposite sex. Use of hormonal contraceptives could therefore influence both initial partner choice and, if contraceptive use subsequently changes, intrapair dynamics. Associations between hormonal contraceptive use and relationship satisfaction may thus be best understood by considering whether current use is congruent with use when relationships formed, rather than by considering current use alone. In the study reported here, we tested this congruency hypothesis in a survey of 365 couples. Controlling for potential confounds (including relationship duration, age, parenthood, and income), we found that congruency in current and previous hormonal contraceptive use, but not current use alone, predicted women's sexual satisfaction with their partners. Congruency was not associated with women's nonsexual satisfaction or with the satisfaction of their male partners. Our results provide empirical support for the congruency hypothesis and suggest that women's sexual satisfaction is influenced by changes in partner preference associated with change in hormonal contraceptive use.
KW - hormonal contraception
KW - major histocompatibility complex
KW - masculinity
KW - mate choice
KW - menstrual cycle
KW - MHC
KW - romantic relationships
KW - sexual desire
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84904305245&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1177/0956797614532295
DO - 10.1177/0956797614532295
M3 - Article
C2 - 24818612
AN - SCOPUS:84904305245
SN - 0956-7976
VL - 25
SP - 1497
EP - 1503
JO - Psychological Science
JF - Psychological Science
IS - 7
ER -