Table 14.1: Table 14.1 Examples of Costs and Benefits of Short-Term and Long-Term Sexual Relationships

Costs	Benefits
Women’s short-term mating
Risk of disease Risk of pregnancy Reduced value as a long-term mate	Some resources from mate Good genes from mate
Women’s long-term mating
Restricted sexual opportunity Sexual obligation to mate	Significant resources from mate Paternal investment
Men’s short-term mating
Risk of disease Some resource investment	Potential to reproduce No parental investment
Men’s long-term mating
Restricted sexual opportunity Heavy parental investment Heavy relationship investment	Increased paternal certainty Higher-quality children Sexual and social companionship
[Research from: Geary (2010)]

Costs

Benefits

Women’s short-term mating

Risk of disease

Risk of pregnancy

Reduced value as a long-term mate

Some resources from mate

Good genes from mate

Women’s long-term mating

Restricted sexual opportunity

Sexual obligation to mate

Significant resources from mate

Paternal investment

Men’s short-term mating

Risk of disease

Some resource investment

Potential to reproduce

No parental investment

Men’s long-term mating

Restricted sexual opportunity

Heavy parental investment

Heavy relationship investment

Increased paternal certainty

Higher-quality children

Sexual and social companionship

[Research from: Geary (2010)]