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

V.G. Griskevicius, J.M. Tybur, J.M. Ackerman, A.W. Delton, T.E. Robertson

    Research output: Contribution to JournalArticleAcademicpeer-review

    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. © 2012 American Psychological Association.
    Original languageEnglish
    Pages (from-to)69-80
    JournalJournal of Personality and Social Psychology
    Volume102
    DOIs
    Publication statusPublished - 2012

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