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Encyclopedia of Evolutionary Psychological Science pp 1–2Cite as

Sex as Bonding Mechanisms

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Synonyms

Affiliation and sexual behavior; Affiliation and sexuality

Definition

The way in which sexual behavior promotes the formation and maintenance of social relationships

Introduction

Sexual behavior is the means to reproductive success, the currency of evolution. Sexual behavior is promoted by sexual pleasure and orgasm; both of these, in behaviorist terms, are unconditioned stimuli that reinforce behavior (Fleischman 2016). Sexual pleasure and orgasm increase the positive associations of an individual towards a specific conspecific. In species that care for offspring, sexual pleasure facilitates close bonds and cooperation to care for offspring. In species where only one parent cares for offspring and in species that do not pair bond, sexual pleasure facilitates repeat copulations with a partner who is more likely to choose them compared with unfamiliar others. Pair-bonded species may develop longer-term preferences than more promiscuous species (Coria-Avila et al. 2016).

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References

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. University of Portsmouth, Portsmouth, UK

    Diana Fleischman

Authors
  1. Diana Fleischman
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Diana Fleischman .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Psychology, Oakland University, Rochester, Michigan, USA

    Todd K. Shackelford

  2. Rochester, Michigan, USA

    Viviana A. Weekes-Shackelford

Section Editor information

  1. Saint Louis University, Saint Louis, MO, USA

    Brian B Boutwell

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Fleischman, D. (2018). Sex as Bonding Mechanisms. In: Shackelford, T., Weekes-Shackelford, V. (eds) Encyclopedia of Evolutionary Psychological Science. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-16999-6_1717-1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-16999-6_1717-1

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  • Publisher Name: Springer, Cham

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-319-16999-6

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-319-16999-6

  • eBook Packages: Springer Reference Behavioral Science and PsychologyReference Module Humanities and Social SciencesReference Module Business, Economics and Social Sciences

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