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Anticipated Partner Infidelity and Men’s Intimate...
Journal article

Anticipated Partner Infidelity and Men’s Intimate Partner Violence: The Mediating Role of Anxiety

Abstract

Anxiety is believed to have evolved, in part, as a signal of threats to survival or reproductive fitness. In a sample of 66 heterosexual undergraduate men who were currently in exclusive romantic relationships, we explored whether symptoms of anxiety mediated links between anticipated partner infidelity and men’s intimate partner violence. Results indicated that symptoms of anxiety mediated relationships between anticipated partner infidelity and physical aggression, partner injury, psychological aggression, and sexual aggression toward a partner. Results are discussed in terms of the evolution of anxiety as an emotion that mediates reaction to adaptive threats.

Authors

Arnocky S; Sunderani S; Gomes W; Vaillancourt T

Journal

Evolutionary Behavioral Sciences, Vol. 9, No. 3, pp. 186–196

Publisher

American Psychological Association (APA)

Publication Date

July 1, 2015

DOI

10.1037/ebs0000021

ISSN

2330-2925

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