An Agent-Based Model of Sex and Sexual Orientation Differences in Short-Term Mating Behaviors as a Result of Mating Preferences

Figures & data

Figure 1. Short-term mating behaviors of males and females after 1,000 time steps in the model when sex differences existed in mating preferences.

Violin plots summarizing the outcome variables separately for heterosexual individuals and gay males and lesbian females. Plot (A) shows the average number of short-term mating experiences, and plot (B) shows the average number of short-term mates. Central points show mean values and whiskers represent standard errors, but the standard errors are small and overlap to form a single bar. The means were calculated using the full population of males and females in the model (N_male = N_female = 150).

Figure 2. Short-term mating behaviors of heterosexual males and females in the mating pool after 1,000 time steps in the model when sex differences existed in mating preferences.

Violin plots summarizing the outcome variables. Plot (A) shows the average number of short-term mating experiences in the mating pool, and plot (B) shows the average number of short-term mates in the mating pool. Central points show mean values and whiskers represent standard errors, but the standard errors are small and overlap to form a single bar. The means were calculated using the population of heterosexual males and females who successfully participated in the mating pool (mean proportion: M_male = 0.38, M_female = 0.51).

Figure 3. Short-term mating behaviors of heterosexual males and gay males after 1,000 time steps in the model when sex differences existed in mating preferences.

Violin plots summarizing the outcome variables. Plot (A) shows the average number of short-term mating experiences, and plot (B) shows the average number of short-term mates. Central points show mean values and whiskers represent standard errors, but the standard errors are small and overlap to form a single bar. The means were calculated using the full population of heterosexual males and gay males in the model (N_hetero = N_gay = 150).

Table 1. Short-term mating behaviors of heterosexual males and females in the mating pool after 1,000 time steps in the model.

	Average short-term mating experiences (in-pool)					Average short-term mates (in-pool)
	Males		Females			Males		Females
	M	SD	M	SD	Cohen’s d	M	SD	M	SD	Cohen’s d
Same likelihood*Same	2.21	0.38	2.20	0.37	0.03	1.39	0.12	1.39	0.12	0.04
standard
Same likelihood*Different	2.82	0.36	2.21	0.28	1.89	1.76	0.15	1.38	0.09	3.13
standard
Different likelihood*Same	2.80	0.48	2.78	0.47	0.03	1.57	0.14	1.56	0.14	0.05
standard
Different	3.78	0.50	2.79	0.35	2.31	2.12	0.17	1.56	0.11	3.84
likelihood*Different standard

Note. The means were calculated with subsamples of males and females who had ever engaged in short-term mating behaviors. See Supplemental Table B1 for the mean and standard deviation of sample sizes.

Table 2. Short-term mating behaviors of gay males and lesbian females after 1,000 time steps in the model.

	Average short-term mating experiences					Average short-term mates
	Males		Females			Males		Females
	M	SD	M	SD	Cohen’s d	M	SD	M	SD	Cohen’s d
Same likelihood*Same	0.32	0.10	0.32	0.10	0.04	0.25	0.07	0.25	0.07	0.03
standard
Same likelihood*Different	1.05	0.18	0.32	0.10	5.10	0.82	0.12	0.25	0.07	5.78
standard
Different likelihood*Same	0.80	0.23	0.32	0.10	2.67	0.52	0.13	0.25	0.07	2.60
standard
Different	2.63	0.37	0.32	0.10	8.54	1.72	0.19	0.25	0.07	10.12
likelihood*Different standard

Note. N_male = N_female = 150 in all conditions.