#romanticrelationships — Public Fediverse posts
Live and recent posts from across the Fediverse tagged #romanticrelationships, aggregated by home.social.
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DATE: September 27, 2026 at 06:00PM
SOURCE: PSYPOST.ORG** Research quality varies widely from fantastic to small exploratory studies. Please check research methods when conclusions are very important to you. **
-------------------------------------------------TITLE: People in strained relationships show somewhat higher preference for hearing lies
A study in Poland asked participants whether they preferred their partner to lie or tell the truth. Results showed that people less satisfied with their relationship tended to show a somewhat greater preference for hearing lies, both prosocial and egoistic. They also tended to perceive blatant truth as more harmful. The paper was published in The Journal of Social Psychology.
Honesty is widely regarded as a foundation of healthy romantic relationships. It is widely believed to support trust, commitment, and relationship satisfaction. At the same time, people do not always view complete truthfulness as the best response when honesty is likely to cause unnecessary emotional pain.
Prosocial lies, which are intended to benefit another person rather than the liar, are often judged more favorably than selfish deception. In romantic relationships, such lies can sometimes protect a partner’s feelings, preserve self-esteem, and help maintain harmony. They may also support positive illusions, in which partners view themselves, each other, or their relationship somewhat more favorably than objective reality would justify.
These positive beliefs can promote optimism, reduce conflict, and contribute to relationship satisfaction, particularly when they reinforce a sense of security and connection. Emotional resilience—the ability to adapt and recover from stress or adversity—may influence whether people prefer difficult truths or more reassuring forms of communication, with less resilient individuals potentially finding harsh information more difficult to manage.
The Theory of Resilience and Relational Load suggests that supportive and validating interactions help build emotional reserves that allow couples to cope more effectively with stress. From this perspective, occasional prosocial dishonesty can sometimes function as a protective form of communication, although it creates an ongoing tension between the values of honesty, kindness, and relationship stability.
Study authors Sebastian Wnęk and Katarzyna Cantarero conducted a study aiming to examine the relationship between relationship satisfaction, emotional resilience, and the preference for prosocial lies. They hypothesized that higher relationship satisfaction is associated with a greater preference for hearing prosocial lies, and a lower preference for hearing egoistic lies (lies told primarily to benefit the liar). They also expected individuals with lower emotional resilience to show a greater preference for hearing prosocial lies.
Study participants were 672 residents of Poland who had been in a romantic relationship for at least one year, recruited from a research panel. 336 of them were women. Their average age was 46 years. For their participation, they received points that could be exchanged for various goods such as headsets or flash drives.
Participants were first shown six stories that described different scenarios involving themselves and their partner. In three of these scenarios, the partner had the option to lie egoistically or tell the truth, while in the other three, the partner could tell a prosocial lie, or the truth.
Participants’ task was to choose which option they would prefer to hear from their partner (the lie offered in the scenario or the truth) in each scenario. After this, they completed assessments of relationship satisfaction (the Relationship Assessment Scale), emotional resilience (the Brief Resilience Scale), closeness, perceived importance of truth, perceptions of how blatant truth affects a romantic relationship, conflict avoidance, and whether participants would lie prosocially to their partner.
The results showed that participants preferred prosocial lies more than egoistic lies. Participants who showed a higher preference for lies, both prosocial and egoistic, tended to be somewhat less satisfied with their relationships and to perceive truth as more harmful. They also saw themselves as more likely to tell a prosocial lie to their partner, and showed a lower preference for the truth. Participants with a higher preference for egoistic lies tended to see themselves as somewhat less close to their partner.
The study authors tested a statistical model proposing that lower relationship satisfaction might make individuals perceive blatant truth as more harmful, leading to a higher preference for hearing prosocial lies. The results showed that such a dynamic is possible.
This model also supported the notion that the relationship between relationship satisfaction and the perception of blatant truth as harmful might depend on emotional resilience. It turned out that in individuals with high emotional resilience, the strength of the association between low relationship satisfaction and perception of blatant truth as harmful was stronger than in individuals with low emotional resilience.
“Taken together, our research not only offers a useful material that can be used in future studies that focus on deception, but also underscores the complexity of prosocial lying in romantic relationships. While prosocial lies are often viewed as more acceptable than egoistic lies, their use appears to be nevertheless undesired in satisfied romantic relationships. However, when satisfaction is low and individuals perceive truth-telling as potentially harmful, they may prefer positive illusions to honest communication,” the study authors concluded.
The study contributes to the scientific knowledge about romantic relationships. However, it should be noted that the design of the study does not allow any causal inferences to be derived from the results.
The paper, “If I cannot bounce back easily, can I handle the truth? Satisfaction in romantic relationships, resilience and preference towards prosocial lies,” was authored by Sebastian Wnęk and Katarzyna Cantarero.
-------------------------------------------------
Private, vetted email list for mental health professionals: https://www.clinicians-exchange.org
Unofficial Psychology Today Xitter to toot feed at Psych Today Unofficial Bot @PTUnofficialBot
-------------------------------------------------
#psychology #counseling #socialwork #psychotherapy @psychotherapist @psychotherapists @psychology @socialpsych @socialwork @psychiatry #mentalhealth #psychiatry #healthcare #depression #psychotherapist #romanticrelationships #truthvslie #prosociallie #relationshipresearch #emotionalresilience #relationshipsatisfaction #blatanttruth #honestyinrelationships #egoisticlie #positiveillusions
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DATE: September 27, 2026 at 06:00PM
SOURCE: PSYPOST.ORG** Research quality varies widely from fantastic to small exploratory studies. Please check research methods when conclusions are very important to you. **
-------------------------------------------------TITLE: People in strained relationships show somewhat higher preference for hearing lies
A study in Poland asked participants whether they preferred their partner to lie or tell the truth. Results showed that people less satisfied with their relationship tended to show a somewhat greater preference for hearing lies, both prosocial and egoistic. They also tended to perceive blatant truth as more harmful. The paper was published in The Journal of Social Psychology.
Honesty is widely regarded as a foundation of healthy romantic relationships. It is widely believed to support trust, commitment, and relationship satisfaction. At the same time, people do not always view complete truthfulness as the best response when honesty is likely to cause unnecessary emotional pain.
Prosocial lies, which are intended to benefit another person rather than the liar, are often judged more favorably than selfish deception. In romantic relationships, such lies can sometimes protect a partner’s feelings, preserve self-esteem, and help maintain harmony. They may also support positive illusions, in which partners view themselves, each other, or their relationship somewhat more favorably than objective reality would justify.
These positive beliefs can promote optimism, reduce conflict, and contribute to relationship satisfaction, particularly when they reinforce a sense of security and connection. Emotional resilience—the ability to adapt and recover from stress or adversity—may influence whether people prefer difficult truths or more reassuring forms of communication, with less resilient individuals potentially finding harsh information more difficult to manage.
The Theory of Resilience and Relational Load suggests that supportive and validating interactions help build emotional reserves that allow couples to cope more effectively with stress. From this perspective, occasional prosocial dishonesty can sometimes function as a protective form of communication, although it creates an ongoing tension between the values of honesty, kindness, and relationship stability.
Study authors Sebastian Wnęk and Katarzyna Cantarero conducted a study aiming to examine the relationship between relationship satisfaction, emotional resilience, and the preference for prosocial lies. They hypothesized that higher relationship satisfaction is associated with a greater preference for hearing prosocial lies, and a lower preference for hearing egoistic lies (lies told primarily to benefit the liar). They also expected individuals with lower emotional resilience to show a greater preference for hearing prosocial lies.
Study participants were 672 residents of Poland who had been in a romantic relationship for at least one year, recruited from a research panel. 336 of them were women. Their average age was 46 years. For their participation, they received points that could be exchanged for various goods such as headsets or flash drives.
Participants were first shown six stories that described different scenarios involving themselves and their partner. In three of these scenarios, the partner had the option to lie egoistically or tell the truth, while in the other three, the partner could tell a prosocial lie, or the truth.
Participants’ task was to choose which option they would prefer to hear from their partner (the lie offered in the scenario or the truth) in each scenario. After this, they completed assessments of relationship satisfaction (the Relationship Assessment Scale), emotional resilience (the Brief Resilience Scale), closeness, perceived importance of truth, perceptions of how blatant truth affects a romantic relationship, conflict avoidance, and whether participants would lie prosocially to their partner.
The results showed that participants preferred prosocial lies more than egoistic lies. Participants who showed a higher preference for lies, both prosocial and egoistic, tended to be somewhat less satisfied with their relationships and to perceive truth as more harmful. They also saw themselves as more likely to tell a prosocial lie to their partner, and showed a lower preference for the truth. Participants with a higher preference for egoistic lies tended to see themselves as somewhat less close to their partner.
The study authors tested a statistical model proposing that lower relationship satisfaction might make individuals perceive blatant truth as more harmful, leading to a higher preference for hearing prosocial lies. The results showed that such a dynamic is possible.
This model also supported the notion that the relationship between relationship satisfaction and the perception of blatant truth as harmful might depend on emotional resilience. It turned out that in individuals with high emotional resilience, the strength of the association between low relationship satisfaction and perception of blatant truth as harmful was stronger than in individuals with low emotional resilience.
“Taken together, our research not only offers a useful material that can be used in future studies that focus on deception, but also underscores the complexity of prosocial lying in romantic relationships. While prosocial lies are often viewed as more acceptable than egoistic lies, their use appears to be nevertheless undesired in satisfied romantic relationships. However, when satisfaction is low and individuals perceive truth-telling as potentially harmful, they may prefer positive illusions to honest communication,” the study authors concluded.
The study contributes to the scientific knowledge about romantic relationships. However, it should be noted that the design of the study does not allow any causal inferences to be derived from the results.
The paper, “If I cannot bounce back easily, can I handle the truth? Satisfaction in romantic relationships, resilience and preference towards prosocial lies,” was authored by Sebastian Wnęk and Katarzyna Cantarero.
-------------------------------------------------
Private, vetted email list for mental health professionals: https://www.clinicians-exchange.org
Unofficial Psychology Today Xitter to toot feed at Psych Today Unofficial Bot @PTUnofficialBot
-------------------------------------------------
#psychology #counseling #socialwork #psychotherapy @psychotherapist @psychotherapists @psychology @socialpsych @socialwork @psychiatry #mentalhealth #psychiatry #healthcare #depression #psychotherapist #romanticrelationships #truthvslie #prosociallie #relationshipresearch #emotionalresilience #relationshipsatisfaction #blatanttruth #honestyinrelationships #egoisticlie #positiveillusions
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DATE: September 27, 2026 at 06:00PM
SOURCE: PSYPOST.ORG** Research quality varies widely from fantastic to small exploratory studies. Please check research methods when conclusions are very important to you. **
-------------------------------------------------TITLE: People in strained relationships show somewhat higher preference for hearing lies
A study in Poland asked participants whether they preferred their partner to lie or tell the truth. Results showed that people less satisfied with their relationship tended to show a somewhat greater preference for hearing lies, both prosocial and egoistic. They also tended to perceive blatant truth as more harmful. The paper was published in The Journal of Social Psychology.
Honesty is widely regarded as a foundation of healthy romantic relationships. It is widely believed to support trust, commitment, and relationship satisfaction. At the same time, people do not always view complete truthfulness as the best response when honesty is likely to cause unnecessary emotional pain.
Prosocial lies, which are intended to benefit another person rather than the liar, are often judged more favorably than selfish deception. In romantic relationships, such lies can sometimes protect a partner’s feelings, preserve self-esteem, and help maintain harmony. They may also support positive illusions, in which partners view themselves, each other, or their relationship somewhat more favorably than objective reality would justify.
These positive beliefs can promote optimism, reduce conflict, and contribute to relationship satisfaction, particularly when they reinforce a sense of security and connection. Emotional resilience—the ability to adapt and recover from stress or adversity—may influence whether people prefer difficult truths or more reassuring forms of communication, with less resilient individuals potentially finding harsh information more difficult to manage.
The Theory of Resilience and Relational Load suggests that supportive and validating interactions help build emotional reserves that allow couples to cope more effectively with stress. From this perspective, occasional prosocial dishonesty can sometimes function as a protective form of communication, although it creates an ongoing tension between the values of honesty, kindness, and relationship stability.
Study authors Sebastian Wnęk and Katarzyna Cantarero conducted a study aiming to examine the relationship between relationship satisfaction, emotional resilience, and the preference for prosocial lies. They hypothesized that higher relationship satisfaction is associated with a greater preference for hearing prosocial lies, and a lower preference for hearing egoistic lies (lies told primarily to benefit the liar). They also expected individuals with lower emotional resilience to show a greater preference for hearing prosocial lies.
Study participants were 672 residents of Poland who had been in a romantic relationship for at least one year, recruited from a research panel. 336 of them were women. Their average age was 46 years. For their participation, they received points that could be exchanged for various goods such as headsets or flash drives.
Participants were first shown six stories that described different scenarios involving themselves and their partner. In three of these scenarios, the partner had the option to lie egoistically or tell the truth, while in the other three, the partner could tell a prosocial lie, or the truth.
Participants’ task was to choose which option they would prefer to hear from their partner (the lie offered in the scenario or the truth) in each scenario. After this, they completed assessments of relationship satisfaction (the Relationship Assessment Scale), emotional resilience (the Brief Resilience Scale), closeness, perceived importance of truth, perceptions of how blatant truth affects a romantic relationship, conflict avoidance, and whether participants would lie prosocially to their partner.
The results showed that participants preferred prosocial lies more than egoistic lies. Participants who showed a higher preference for lies, both prosocial and egoistic, tended to be somewhat less satisfied with their relationships and to perceive truth as more harmful. They also saw themselves as more likely to tell a prosocial lie to their partner, and showed a lower preference for the truth. Participants with a higher preference for egoistic lies tended to see themselves as somewhat less close to their partner.
The study authors tested a statistical model proposing that lower relationship satisfaction might make individuals perceive blatant truth as more harmful, leading to a higher preference for hearing prosocial lies. The results showed that such a dynamic is possible.
This model also supported the notion that the relationship between relationship satisfaction and the perception of blatant truth as harmful might depend on emotional resilience. It turned out that in individuals with high emotional resilience, the strength of the association between low relationship satisfaction and perception of blatant truth as harmful was stronger than in individuals with low emotional resilience.
“Taken together, our research not only offers a useful material that can be used in future studies that focus on deception, but also underscores the complexity of prosocial lying in romantic relationships. While prosocial lies are often viewed as more acceptable than egoistic lies, their use appears to be nevertheless undesired in satisfied romantic relationships. However, when satisfaction is low and individuals perceive truth-telling as potentially harmful, they may prefer positive illusions to honest communication,” the study authors concluded.
The study contributes to the scientific knowledge about romantic relationships. However, it should be noted that the design of the study does not allow any causal inferences to be derived from the results.
The paper, “If I cannot bounce back easily, can I handle the truth? Satisfaction in romantic relationships, resilience and preference towards prosocial lies,” was authored by Sebastian Wnęk and Katarzyna Cantarero.
-------------------------------------------------
Private, vetted email list for mental health professionals: https://www.clinicians-exchange.org
Unofficial Psychology Today Xitter to toot feed at Psych Today Unofficial Bot @PTUnofficialBot
-------------------------------------------------
#psychology #counseling #socialwork #psychotherapy @psychotherapist @psychotherapists @psychology @socialpsych @socialwork @psychiatry #mentalhealth #psychiatry #healthcare #depression #psychotherapist #romanticrelationships #truthvslie #prosociallie #relationshipresearch #emotionalresilience #relationshipsatisfaction #blatanttruth #honestyinrelationships #egoisticlie #positiveillusions
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DATE: September 27, 2026 at 08:00AM
SOURCE: PSYPOST.ORG** Research quality varies widely from fantastic to small exploratory studies. Please check research methods when conclusions are very important to you. **
-------------------------------------------------TITLE: People with higher autistic traits tend to avoid positive relationship-maintenance tactics
A recent study suggests that people in the general population who possess higher levels of autistic-like traits tend to avoid positive, affectionate behaviors to maintain their romantic relationships. The research, published in Evolutionary Psychology, indicates that these traits influence relationship dynamics largely through a person’s attachment style rather than broad evolutionary reproductive strategies.
The research was led by Andrzej Łukasik, a PhD with habilitation and head of the Department of Psychology at the University of Rzeszow’s Collegium Medicum in Poland, who aimed to explore how subtle personality traits shape romantic behavior from an evolutionary perspective. The central focus of the study is autistic-like traits, which refer to patterns of social functioning, communication difficulties, and rigid thinking. “Autistic-like traits (ALTs) are personality, social, and cognitive characteristics associated with autism that can also occur, to varying degrees, in the general population,” Łukasik told PsyPost. “They are not considered a disorder.”
To understand how these traits impact relationships, the scientists looked at mate retention tactics. These are behaviors people use to keep a partner and prevent them from leaving. Mate retention is generally divided into what Łukasik described as “benefit-provisioning tactics, such as showing affection, giving compliments or gifts, and offering support, and cost-inflicting tactics, such as inducing jealousy, engaging in controlling behavior, or making threats.” The authors suspected that the way a person tries to keep a partner depends heavily on their attachment style.
Attachment styles describe how people form emotional bonds, generally falling into secure, anxious, or avoidant categories. “People with anxious attachment usually have a strong need for closeness and may react strongly to distance or uncertainty,” Łukasik explained. “In contrast, people with avoidant attachment may feel uncomfortable with emotional closeness and place greater value on independence.” In fact, a 2016 study found that insecure attachment predicts how frequently people use various mate retention behaviors, and a study covered by PsyPost in 2021 indicated that anxious attachment is linked to both positive and negative mate retention strategies.
The researchers also framed their study around life history theory, an evolutionary concept describing how individuals allocate their limited time and energy. In this framework, people adopt varying reproductive strategies. A fast strategy involves high mating effort, characterized by seeking multiple partners and short-term relationships. A slow strategy involves high parental effort, prioritizing stable, long-term investments in a single partner and offspring.
Previous evolutionary theories proposed that autistic-like traits might be an adaptation linked to a slow reproductive strategy. However, because these traits are also associated with insecure attachment, which typically aligns with a fast strategy, the authors designed this study to test how all these factors connect. “Research by Marco Del Giudice and colleagues (2010) has suggested that ALTs may be associated with a slow reproductive strategy,” Łukasik noted. “However, higher levels of ALTs are also linked to insecure attachment styles (avoidant and anxious), which have more often been associated with characteristics of a fast strategy.”
Therefore, the researchers examined whether ALTs might actually predict a fast strategy and whether attachment style moderates that relationship. To map out these connections, the scientists recruited 796 Polish adults. The participants were 52 percent female and had an average age of 36.4 years. Every participant had been in a romantic relationship for at least three months.
The researchers administered a series of established questionnaires. They used the Autism-Spectrum Quotient to measure the degree of autistic-like traits, the Experiences in Close Relationships scale to assess anxious and avoidant attachment, and the Mate Retention Inventory to evaluate the frequency of benefit-provisioning and cost-inflicting behaviors. They also used brief scales to measure mating effort and parental effort. The team then used a statistical technique called structural equation modeling to analyze the complex web of relationships between all these variables at once.
The results suggest that autistic-like traits are notable predictors of insecure attachment. Participants who scored higher on autistic-like traits reported higher levels of both anxious and avoidant attachment styles. This indicates that people with more of these traits often worry about their partners leaving while simultaneously struggling with emotional closeness.
When looking at mate retention, the researchers found that individuals with higher autistic-like traits were less likely to engage in benefit-provisioning tactics. They tended to avoid showering their partners with affection or gifts as a way to maintain the relationship. The initial statistical models suggested that these individuals were also less likely to use cost-inflicting tactics. However, when the scientists controlled for the participants’ ages, they found a positive link between autistic-like traits and cost-inflicting tactics.
Age acted as a masking variable because older individuals naturally tend to use fewer negative tactics. Once age was factored out, the data suggested that people with higher autistic-like traits might actually use cost-inflicting tactics slightly more often.
In terms of evolutionary strategies, autistic-like traits proved to be weak predictors of life history outcomes. “The results did not support the hypothesis that ALTs predict a fast rather than a slow reproductive strategy,” Łukasik said. “ALTs were only weakly related to reproductive strategies.” Instead, attachment styles acted as a bridge between the variables.
Anxious attachment was linked to higher mating effort and lower parental effort, and it predicted the use of both positive and negative mate retention tactics. Avoidant attachment was similarly linked to higher mating effort and lower parental effort, but it predicted a lower use of benefit-provisioning tactics. “Individuals with an anxious attachment style tend to use a mixed partner-retention strategy involving both attraction and distancing, probably due to an overperception of the risk of infidelity,” Łukasik pointed out. “In contrast, individuals with an avoidant attachment style tend to use benefit-provisioning tactics less often, possibly because such tactics allow them to avoid closeness with their partner and maintain distance from their partner.”
Age played a broad role across the entire study. The scientists found that as participants got older, their levels of attachment anxiety decreased. Older participants also reported lower mating effort, higher parental effort, and a decreased use of both types of mate retention tactics. This aligns with the idea that as people age and relationships stabilize, they shift their energy away from securing a mate and toward investing in their existing family.
As with all research, there are a few things to keep in mind. The study relied on cross-sectional data, meaning the researchers measured all variables at a single point in time. This design makes it impossible to determine the true direction of the effects, and one cannot assume that autistic-like traits cause specific attachment styles or relationship behaviors. In addition, the participants self-reported their behaviors, which can introduce bias if people alter their answers to appear more socially acceptable.
The researchers also note that the Autism-Spectrum Quotient might measure elements of social anxiety or general interpersonal difficulty rather than pure autistic traits. This overlap could skew the interpretation of the results. The weak link between autistic-like traits and reproductive strategies also suggests that broad evolutionary models like life history theory might not fully capture the nuances of modern human relationships, pointing to a need for different measurement approaches in future studies.
Ultimately, the findings offer insight into the practical challenges some people face in romance. “These findings may help explain relationship difficulties experienced by individuals with higher levels of autistic-like traits,” Łukasik concluded. “Benefit-provisioning tactics are generally associated with greater relationship satisfaction, whereas cost-inflicting tactics are linked to lower satisfaction and may contribute to difficulties in developing and maintaining stable close relationships.”
The study, “Autistic-Like Traits in Members of the General Population and Mate Retention Tactics: The Mediation of Attachment Styles and Reproductive Strategies,” was authored by Andrzej Łukasik and Agnieszka Łaba-Hornecka.
-------------------------------------------------
Private, vetted email list for mental health professionals: https://www.clinicians-exchange.org
Unofficial Psychology Today Xitter to toot feed at Psych Today Unofficial Bot @PTUnofficialBot
-------------------------------------------------
#psychology #counseling #socialwork #psychotherapy @psychotherapist @psychotherapists @psychology @socialpsych @socialwork @psychiatry #mentalhealth #psychiatry #healthcare #depression #psychotherapist #AutisticTraits #AttachmentStyles #MateRetention #RomanticRelationships #EvolutionaryPsychology #ALTs #AnxiousAttachment #AvoidantAttachment #PositiveTactics #CostInflictingTactics
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DATE: September 27, 2026 at 08:00AM
SOURCE: PSYPOST.ORG** Research quality varies widely from fantastic to small exploratory studies. Please check research methods when conclusions are very important to you. **
-------------------------------------------------TITLE: People with higher autistic traits tend to avoid positive relationship-maintenance tactics
A recent study suggests that people in the general population who possess higher levels of autistic-like traits tend to avoid positive, affectionate behaviors to maintain their romantic relationships. The research, published in Evolutionary Psychology, indicates that these traits influence relationship dynamics largely through a person’s attachment style rather than broad evolutionary reproductive strategies.
The research was led by Andrzej Łukasik, a PhD with habilitation and head of the Department of Psychology at the University of Rzeszow’s Collegium Medicum in Poland, who aimed to explore how subtle personality traits shape romantic behavior from an evolutionary perspective. The central focus of the study is autistic-like traits, which refer to patterns of social functioning, communication difficulties, and rigid thinking. “Autistic-like traits (ALTs) are personality, social, and cognitive characteristics associated with autism that can also occur, to varying degrees, in the general population,” Łukasik told PsyPost. “They are not considered a disorder.”
To understand how these traits impact relationships, the scientists looked at mate retention tactics. These are behaviors people use to keep a partner and prevent them from leaving. Mate retention is generally divided into what Łukasik described as “benefit-provisioning tactics, such as showing affection, giving compliments or gifts, and offering support, and cost-inflicting tactics, such as inducing jealousy, engaging in controlling behavior, or making threats.” The authors suspected that the way a person tries to keep a partner depends heavily on their attachment style.
Attachment styles describe how people form emotional bonds, generally falling into secure, anxious, or avoidant categories. “People with anxious attachment usually have a strong need for closeness and may react strongly to distance or uncertainty,” Łukasik explained. “In contrast, people with avoidant attachment may feel uncomfortable with emotional closeness and place greater value on independence.” In fact, a 2016 study found that insecure attachment predicts how frequently people use various mate retention behaviors, and a study covered by PsyPost in 2021 indicated that anxious attachment is linked to both positive and negative mate retention strategies.
The researchers also framed their study around life history theory, an evolutionary concept describing how individuals allocate their limited time and energy. In this framework, people adopt varying reproductive strategies. A fast strategy involves high mating effort, characterized by seeking multiple partners and short-term relationships. A slow strategy involves high parental effort, prioritizing stable, long-term investments in a single partner and offspring.
Previous evolutionary theories proposed that autistic-like traits might be an adaptation linked to a slow reproductive strategy. However, because these traits are also associated with insecure attachment, which typically aligns with a fast strategy, the authors designed this study to test how all these factors connect. “Research by Marco Del Giudice and colleagues (2010) has suggested that ALTs may be associated with a slow reproductive strategy,” Łukasik noted. “However, higher levels of ALTs are also linked to insecure attachment styles (avoidant and anxious), which have more often been associated with characteristics of a fast strategy.”
Therefore, the researchers examined whether ALTs might actually predict a fast strategy and whether attachment style moderates that relationship. To map out these connections, the scientists recruited 796 Polish adults. The participants were 52 percent female and had an average age of 36.4 years. Every participant had been in a romantic relationship for at least three months.
The researchers administered a series of established questionnaires. They used the Autism-Spectrum Quotient to measure the degree of autistic-like traits, the Experiences in Close Relationships scale to assess anxious and avoidant attachment, and the Mate Retention Inventory to evaluate the frequency of benefit-provisioning and cost-inflicting behaviors. They also used brief scales to measure mating effort and parental effort. The team then used a statistical technique called structural equation modeling to analyze the complex web of relationships between all these variables at once.
The results suggest that autistic-like traits are notable predictors of insecure attachment. Participants who scored higher on autistic-like traits reported higher levels of both anxious and avoidant attachment styles. This indicates that people with more of these traits often worry about their partners leaving while simultaneously struggling with emotional closeness.
When looking at mate retention, the researchers found that individuals with higher autistic-like traits were less likely to engage in benefit-provisioning tactics. They tended to avoid showering their partners with affection or gifts as a way to maintain the relationship. The initial statistical models suggested that these individuals were also less likely to use cost-inflicting tactics. However, when the scientists controlled for the participants’ ages, they found a positive link between autistic-like traits and cost-inflicting tactics.
Age acted as a masking variable because older individuals naturally tend to use fewer negative tactics. Once age was factored out, the data suggested that people with higher autistic-like traits might actually use cost-inflicting tactics slightly more often.
In terms of evolutionary strategies, autistic-like traits proved to be weak predictors of life history outcomes. “The results did not support the hypothesis that ALTs predict a fast rather than a slow reproductive strategy,” Łukasik said. “ALTs were only weakly related to reproductive strategies.” Instead, attachment styles acted as a bridge between the variables.
Anxious attachment was linked to higher mating effort and lower parental effort, and it predicted the use of both positive and negative mate retention tactics. Avoidant attachment was similarly linked to higher mating effort and lower parental effort, but it predicted a lower use of benefit-provisioning tactics. “Individuals with an anxious attachment style tend to use a mixed partner-retention strategy involving both attraction and distancing, probably due to an overperception of the risk of infidelity,” Łukasik pointed out. “In contrast, individuals with an avoidant attachment style tend to use benefit-provisioning tactics less often, possibly because such tactics allow them to avoid closeness with their partner and maintain distance from their partner.”
Age played a broad role across the entire study. The scientists found that as participants got older, their levels of attachment anxiety decreased. Older participants also reported lower mating effort, higher parental effort, and a decreased use of both types of mate retention tactics. This aligns with the idea that as people age and relationships stabilize, they shift their energy away from securing a mate and toward investing in their existing family.
As with all research, there are a few things to keep in mind. The study relied on cross-sectional data, meaning the researchers measured all variables at a single point in time. This design makes it impossible to determine the true direction of the effects, and one cannot assume that autistic-like traits cause specific attachment styles or relationship behaviors. In addition, the participants self-reported their behaviors, which can introduce bias if people alter their answers to appear more socially acceptable.
The researchers also note that the Autism-Spectrum Quotient might measure elements of social anxiety or general interpersonal difficulty rather than pure autistic traits. This overlap could skew the interpretation of the results. The weak link between autistic-like traits and reproductive strategies also suggests that broad evolutionary models like life history theory might not fully capture the nuances of modern human relationships, pointing to a need for different measurement approaches in future studies.
Ultimately, the findings offer insight into the practical challenges some people face in romance. “These findings may help explain relationship difficulties experienced by individuals with higher levels of autistic-like traits,” Łukasik concluded. “Benefit-provisioning tactics are generally associated with greater relationship satisfaction, whereas cost-inflicting tactics are linked to lower satisfaction and may contribute to difficulties in developing and maintaining stable close relationships.”
The study, “Autistic-Like Traits in Members of the General Population and Mate Retention Tactics: The Mediation of Attachment Styles and Reproductive Strategies,” was authored by Andrzej Łukasik and Agnieszka Łaba-Hornecka.
-------------------------------------------------
Private, vetted email list for mental health professionals: https://www.clinicians-exchange.org
Unofficial Psychology Today Xitter to toot feed at Psych Today Unofficial Bot @PTUnofficialBot
-------------------------------------------------
#psychology #counseling #socialwork #psychotherapy @psychotherapist @psychotherapists @psychology @socialpsych @socialwork @psychiatry #mentalhealth #psychiatry #healthcare #depression #psychotherapist #AutisticTraits #AttachmentStyles #MateRetention #RomanticRelationships #EvolutionaryPsychology #ALTs #AnxiousAttachment #AvoidantAttachment #PositiveTactics #CostInflictingTactics
-
DATE: September 27, 2026 at 08:00AM
SOURCE: PSYPOST.ORG** Research quality varies widely from fantastic to small exploratory studies. Please check research methods when conclusions are very important to you. **
-------------------------------------------------TITLE: People with higher autistic traits tend to avoid positive relationship-maintenance tactics
A recent study suggests that people in the general population who possess higher levels of autistic-like traits tend to avoid positive, affectionate behaviors to maintain their romantic relationships. The research, published in Evolutionary Psychology, indicates that these traits influence relationship dynamics largely through a person’s attachment style rather than broad evolutionary reproductive strategies.
The research was led by Andrzej Łukasik, a PhD with habilitation and head of the Department of Psychology at the University of Rzeszow’s Collegium Medicum in Poland, who aimed to explore how subtle personality traits shape romantic behavior from an evolutionary perspective. The central focus of the study is autistic-like traits, which refer to patterns of social functioning, communication difficulties, and rigid thinking. “Autistic-like traits (ALTs) are personality, social, and cognitive characteristics associated with autism that can also occur, to varying degrees, in the general population,” Łukasik told PsyPost. “They are not considered a disorder.”
To understand how these traits impact relationships, the scientists looked at mate retention tactics. These are behaviors people use to keep a partner and prevent them from leaving. Mate retention is generally divided into what Łukasik described as “benefit-provisioning tactics, such as showing affection, giving compliments or gifts, and offering support, and cost-inflicting tactics, such as inducing jealousy, engaging in controlling behavior, or making threats.” The authors suspected that the way a person tries to keep a partner depends heavily on their attachment style.
Attachment styles describe how people form emotional bonds, generally falling into secure, anxious, or avoidant categories. “People with anxious attachment usually have a strong need for closeness and may react strongly to distance or uncertainty,” Łukasik explained. “In contrast, people with avoidant attachment may feel uncomfortable with emotional closeness and place greater value on independence.” In fact, a 2016 study found that insecure attachment predicts how frequently people use various mate retention behaviors, and a study covered by PsyPost in 2021 indicated that anxious attachment is linked to both positive and negative mate retention strategies.
The researchers also framed their study around life history theory, an evolutionary concept describing how individuals allocate their limited time and energy. In this framework, people adopt varying reproductive strategies. A fast strategy involves high mating effort, characterized by seeking multiple partners and short-term relationships. A slow strategy involves high parental effort, prioritizing stable, long-term investments in a single partner and offspring.
Previous evolutionary theories proposed that autistic-like traits might be an adaptation linked to a slow reproductive strategy. However, because these traits are also associated with insecure attachment, which typically aligns with a fast strategy, the authors designed this study to test how all these factors connect. “Research by Marco Del Giudice and colleagues (2010) has suggested that ALTs may be associated with a slow reproductive strategy,” Łukasik noted. “However, higher levels of ALTs are also linked to insecure attachment styles (avoidant and anxious), which have more often been associated with characteristics of a fast strategy.”
Therefore, the researchers examined whether ALTs might actually predict a fast strategy and whether attachment style moderates that relationship. To map out these connections, the scientists recruited 796 Polish adults. The participants were 52 percent female and had an average age of 36.4 years. Every participant had been in a romantic relationship for at least three months.
The researchers administered a series of established questionnaires. They used the Autism-Spectrum Quotient to measure the degree of autistic-like traits, the Experiences in Close Relationships scale to assess anxious and avoidant attachment, and the Mate Retention Inventory to evaluate the frequency of benefit-provisioning and cost-inflicting behaviors. They also used brief scales to measure mating effort and parental effort. The team then used a statistical technique called structural equation modeling to analyze the complex web of relationships between all these variables at once.
The results suggest that autistic-like traits are notable predictors of insecure attachment. Participants who scored higher on autistic-like traits reported higher levels of both anxious and avoidant attachment styles. This indicates that people with more of these traits often worry about their partners leaving while simultaneously struggling with emotional closeness.
When looking at mate retention, the researchers found that individuals with higher autistic-like traits were less likely to engage in benefit-provisioning tactics. They tended to avoid showering their partners with affection or gifts as a way to maintain the relationship. The initial statistical models suggested that these individuals were also less likely to use cost-inflicting tactics. However, when the scientists controlled for the participants’ ages, they found a positive link between autistic-like traits and cost-inflicting tactics.
Age acted as a masking variable because older individuals naturally tend to use fewer negative tactics. Once age was factored out, the data suggested that people with higher autistic-like traits might actually use cost-inflicting tactics slightly more often.
In terms of evolutionary strategies, autistic-like traits proved to be weak predictors of life history outcomes. “The results did not support the hypothesis that ALTs predict a fast rather than a slow reproductive strategy,” Łukasik said. “ALTs were only weakly related to reproductive strategies.” Instead, attachment styles acted as a bridge between the variables.
Anxious attachment was linked to higher mating effort and lower parental effort, and it predicted the use of both positive and negative mate retention tactics. Avoidant attachment was similarly linked to higher mating effort and lower parental effort, but it predicted a lower use of benefit-provisioning tactics. “Individuals with an anxious attachment style tend to use a mixed partner-retention strategy involving both attraction and distancing, probably due to an overperception of the risk of infidelity,” Łukasik pointed out. “In contrast, individuals with an avoidant attachment style tend to use benefit-provisioning tactics less often, possibly because such tactics allow them to avoid closeness with their partner and maintain distance from their partner.”
Age played a broad role across the entire study. The scientists found that as participants got older, their levels of attachment anxiety decreased. Older participants also reported lower mating effort, higher parental effort, and a decreased use of both types of mate retention tactics. This aligns with the idea that as people age and relationships stabilize, they shift their energy away from securing a mate and toward investing in their existing family.
As with all research, there are a few things to keep in mind. The study relied on cross-sectional data, meaning the researchers measured all variables at a single point in time. This design makes it impossible to determine the true direction of the effects, and one cannot assume that autistic-like traits cause specific attachment styles or relationship behaviors. In addition, the participants self-reported their behaviors, which can introduce bias if people alter their answers to appear more socially acceptable.
The researchers also note that the Autism-Spectrum Quotient might measure elements of social anxiety or general interpersonal difficulty rather than pure autistic traits. This overlap could skew the interpretation of the results. The weak link between autistic-like traits and reproductive strategies also suggests that broad evolutionary models like life history theory might not fully capture the nuances of modern human relationships, pointing to a need for different measurement approaches in future studies.
Ultimately, the findings offer insight into the practical challenges some people face in romance. “These findings may help explain relationship difficulties experienced by individuals with higher levels of autistic-like traits,” Łukasik concluded. “Benefit-provisioning tactics are generally associated with greater relationship satisfaction, whereas cost-inflicting tactics are linked to lower satisfaction and may contribute to difficulties in developing and maintaining stable close relationships.”
The study, “Autistic-Like Traits in Members of the General Population and Mate Retention Tactics: The Mediation of Attachment Styles and Reproductive Strategies,” was authored by Andrzej Łukasik and Agnieszka Łaba-Hornecka.
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