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Comparative Study
. 2012 Jan;102(1):69-80.
doi: 10.1037/a0024761. Epub 2011 Jul 18.

The financial consequences of too many men: sex ratio effects on saving, borrowing, and spending

Vladas Griskevicius  1 , Joshua M Tybur, Joshua M Ackerman, Andrew W Delton, Theresa E Robertson, Andrew E White
Affiliations
Comparative Study

The financial consequences of too many men: sex ratio effects on saving, borrowing, and spending

Vladas Griskevicius et al. J Pers Soc Psychol. 2012 Jan.

Abstract

The ratio of males to females in a population is an important factor in determining behavior in animals. We propose that sex ratio also has pervasive effects in humans, such as by influencing economic decisions. Using both historical data and experiments, we examined how sex ratio influences saving, borrowing, and spending in the United States. Findings show that male-biased sex ratios (an abundance of men) lead men to discount the future and desire immediate rewards. Male-biased sex ratios decreased men's desire to save for the future and increased their willingness to incur debt for immediate expenditures. Sex ratio appears to influence behavior by increasing the intensity of same-sex competition for mates. Accordingly, a scarcity of women led people to expect men to spend more money during courtship, such as by paying more for engagement rings. These findings demonstrate experimentally that sex ratio influences human decision making in ways consistent with evolutionary biological theory. Implications for sex ratio effects across cultures are discussed.

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Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
The number of times men and women chose to take money now rather than wait for more money later as a function of sex ratio in Study 2. Bars indicate standard errors.
Figure 2
Figure 2
The value of a nominal $100 over time for men and women as a function of sex ratio in Study 2.
Figure 3
Figure 3
Men’s and women’s intended monthly saving and borrowing amount as a function of sex ratio in Study 3. Bars indicate standard errors.
Figure 4
Figure 4
Dollar amount people expect men to spend on three different mating-related products as a function of sex ratio in Study 4. Bars indicate standard errors.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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