Effects of Perceived Mate Availability on Intrasexual Competition and Alcohol Use: Unseen Effects of Gender and Relationship Status

Abstract

Aims: To investigate whether perceived mate availability influences intrasexual competitiveness and hypothetical alcohol consumption, and to examine the moderating role of gender and relationship status. Study Design: Between-subjects, single-blind experimental design. Place and Duration of Study: School of Psychology, University of Portsmouth, between March and June 2024, study was conducted online. Methodology: A total of 129 participants initially took part. After applying exclusion criteria for non-drinkers, missing data, and poor-quality responses, 92 participants (52 females, 40 males; aged 18–54, M = 26.34, SD = 7.12) remained for analysis. Participants were randomly assigned to read priming articles simulating either mate abundance or mate scarcity. Participants completed the Intrasexual Competition Scale (ICS) and an Alcohol Purchase Task (APT). Four demand-related variables were analyzed: estimated consumption when drinks are free (Q₀), sensitivity to price increases (α), initial consumption level (intensity), and maximum spending (Omax). ANOVAs and MANOVAs were conducted to test the effects of priming condition, gender, and relationship status on these outcomes. Results: No significant main effect of condition was found on intrasexual competitiveness. However, significant interaction effects emerged, particularly for females in romantic relationships, suggesting that relationship status moderates sensitivity to mate availability cues. For alcohol consumption, mate scarcity increased hypothetical demand (Q₀) and reduced price sensitivity (α), particularly among males in relationships. No significant effects were found for observed intensity or Omax overall, but significant interactions with gender and relationship status were present. Conclusion: Mate availability cues influence hypothetical alcohol consumption, particularly among partnered males, supporting evolutionary models of risk-taking and mate signalling. The null effect on ICS underscores the need for improved manipulation checks and more sensitive measures of competitiveness. Given the potential health implications of increased alcohol consumption, interventions and public health campaigns should consider how mating-related cues in the social environment might indirectly promote risky drinking behaviour. Future studies should incorporate cultural and socioeconomic variables to enhance generalisability.