Competitive Threats in Mating and the Workplace: Intra and Inter Sexual Competition

Abstract

Throughout human evolution, Homo sapiens have engaged in competition for mates and competition for status, which may translate into differential access to resources. Much research has been conducted on the psychological mechanisms that underlie competitive behavior, yet no research has investigated what traits contribute to another individual, or rival, being considered a competitive threat. The goal in this research is to identify the factors that contribute to an individual being considered a competitive threat in a mating context and a work context and to see how biological, ecological, and personality variables influence an individual’s perception of these factors. We found that being a Dating Threat was the number one predictor (sR = .52, p <.001) of an individual being considered a Working Threat. This suggests that there is overlap in the traits that constitute an individual being evaluated as a competitive threat in the dating and working marketplaces. Employee Turnover was not significantly predicted by the presence of a Dating Threat or Working Threat but was significantly predicted by Indirect Aggression (sR = .14, p = .01) and Direct Aggression (sR = .15, p = .004). Further research and replication are needed to fully flush out the traits that contribute to an individual being considered a competitive threat.