Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Influence of Sexual Genotype and Gender Self-Perception on Sociosexuality and Self-Esteem among Transgender People

  • Published:
Human Nature Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Empirical data from studies with both heterosexual and homosexual individuals have consistently indicated different tendencies in mating behavior. However, transgenders’ data are often overlooked. This exploratory study compared levels of sociosexuality and self-esteem between transgenders and non-transgender (cisgender) individuals. The aim was to verify whether either sexual genotype or gender self-perception had more influence on the examined variables in transgenders. Correlations between self-esteem and sociosexuality levels were also investigated. The sample consisted of 120 Brazilian individuals (51 transgenders) from both sexes. Sociosexuality scores indicated mostly sex-typical patterns for transgenders of both sexes across the construct’s three dimensions (behavior, attitude, and desire), except for female-to-male transgenders’ behavioral sociosexuality. Unique associations between the dimensions of sociosexuality were found for transgender participants. No differences in self-esteem were observed and no correlations between self-esteem and sociosexuality were found. The results suggest that transgenders’ sociosexuality is largely influenced by their sexual genotype despite their incongruent gender self-perception and that the relationships between behavior, attitude, and sociosexual desire are different from those observed in cisgenders.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1

Similar content being viewed by others

Data Availability

To access the data or materials contact the corresponding author.

References

  • American Psychiatric Association. (2013). Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders (5th ed.). Washington, DC: American Psychiatric Association.

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • American Psychological Association, Task Force on Gender Identity and Gender Variance. (2009). Report of the task force on gender identity and gender variance. Washington, DC: American Psychological Association.

    Google Scholar 

  • Archer, J. (2019). The reality and evolutionary significance of human psychological sex differences. Biological Reviews, 94(4), 1381–1415.

    Google Scholar 

  • Arístegui, I., & Zalazar, V. (2014). Ley de Identidad de Género y acceso al cuidado de la salud de las personas trans en Argentina [Gender Identity Law and healthcare access of transgender people in Argentina]. Buenos Aires: Fundación Huésped.

    Google Scholar 

  • Arístegui, I., Solano, A. C., & Buunk, A. P. (2018). Mate preferences in Argentinean transgender people: An evolutionary perspective. Personal Relationships, 25(3), 330–350.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Arístegui, I., Solano, A. C., & Buunk, A. P. (2019). Do transgender people respond according to their biological sex or their gender identity when confronted with romantic rivals? Evolutionary Psychology, 17(2), 1474704919851139.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Associação Brasileira de Empresas de Pesquisa (ABEP). (2016). Critério Brasil 2015 e atualização da distribuição de classes para 2016 [Criterion Brazil 2015 and update of the distribution of classes for 2016].

  • Atari, M. (2017). Assessment of long-term mate preferences in Iran. Evolutionary Psychology, 15(2), 1474704917702459.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bailey, J. M., Gaulin, S., Agyei, Y., & Gladue, B. A. (1994). Effects of gender and sexual orientation on evolutionary relevant aspects of human mating psychology. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 66(6), 1081–1093.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bailey, J. M., Kim, P. Y., Hills, A., & Linsenmeier, J. A. W. (1997). Butch, femme, or straight acting? Partner preferences of gay men and lesbians. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 73(5), 960–973.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bale, C., & Archer, J. (2013). Self-perceived attractiveness, romantic desirability and self-esteem: A mating sociometer perspective. Evolutionary Psychology, 11(1), 68–84.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bao, A. M., & Swaab, D. F. (2011). Sexual differentiation of the human brain: Relation to gender identity, sexual orientation and neuropsychiatric disorders. Frontiers in Neuroendocrinology, 32(2), 214–226.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Barrada, J. R., Castro, Á., Correa, A. B., & Ruiz-Gómez, P. (2017). The tridimensional structure of sociosexuality: Spanish validation of the revised sociosexual orientation inventory. Journal of Sex and Marital Therapy, 44(2), 149–158.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bártová, K., Štěrbová, Z., Varella, M. A. C., & Valentova, J. V. (2020). Femininity in men and masculinity in women is positively related to sociosexuality. Personality and Individual Differences, 152, 109575.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bevan, T. E. (2015). The psychobiology of transsexualism and transgenderism: A new view based on scientific evidence. Santa Barbara: Praeger.

    Google Scholar 

  • Burke, S. M., Cohen-Kettenis, P. T., Veltman, D. J., Klink, D. T., & Bakker, J. (2014). Hypothalamic response to the chemo-signal androstadienone in gender dysphoric children and adolescents. Frontiers in Endocrinology, 5. https://doi.org/10.3389/fendo.2014.00060.

  • Buss, D. M., & Schmitt, D. P. (1993). Sexual strategies theory: An evolutionary perspective on human mating. Psychological Review, 100(2), 573–584.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Conroy-Beam, D., Buss, D. M., Pham, M. N., & Shackelford, T. K. (2015). How sexually dimorphic are human mate preferences? Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 41(8), 1082–1093.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Costa, R. M., Correia, M., & Oliveira, R. F. (2015). Does personality moderate the link between women’s testosterone and relationship status? The role of extraversion and sensation seeking. Personality and Individual Differences, 76, 141–146.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Evans, K., & Brase, G. L. (2007). Assessing sex differences and similarities in mate preferences: Above and beyond demand characteristics. Journal of Social and Personal Relationships, 24(5), 781–791.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ferreira Júnior, S., Francisco, P. M. S. B., & Nogueira, P. A. (2019). Knowledge, attitudes and practices regarding tuberculosis among transgender individuals in the city of São Paulo, Brazil. Ciência and Saúde Coletiva, 24(8), 3025–3036.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ferreira, R. V. S., De Lima, B. E. Z., Pereira, E. G. D. S., Faé, A. B., De Oliveira, P. J. M., Araújo, N. T. D. C., & Garcia, F. M. P. (2019). História de vida das travestis e a saúde (Life history of transvestites and health). Brazilian Journal of Health Review, 2(4), 2313–2321.

  • Feusner, J. D., Lidström, A., Moody, T. D., Dhejne, C., Bookheimer, S. Y., & Savic, I. (2017). Intrinsic network connectivity and own body perception in gender dysphoria. Brain Imaging and Behavior, 11(4), 964–976.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Fisman, R., Sheena, S. I., Kamenica, E., & Simonson, I. (2006). Gender differences in mate selection: Evidence from a speed dating experiment. Quarterly Journal of Economics, 121(2), 673–697.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Foley, R. (1996). The adaptive legacy in human evolution: A search for the environment of evolutionary adaptedness. Evolutionary Anthropology, 4(6), 194–203.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Simpson, J. A, and Gangestad, S. W. (1991). Individual differences in sociosexuality: Evidence for convergent and discriminant validity. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 60(6), 870–883.

  • Garcia, M. R. V. (2009). Alguns aspectos da construção do gênero entre travestis de baixa renda. Psicologia USP, 20(4), 597–618.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Garcia-Falgueras, A., & Swaab, D. F. (2008). A sex difference in the hypothalamic uncinate nucleus: Relationship to gender identity. Brain, 131(12), 3132–3146.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gobrogge, K. L., Perkins, P. S., Baker, J. H., Balcer, K. D., Breedlove, S. M., & Klump, K. L. (2007). Homosexual mating preferences from an evolutionary perspective: Sexual selection theory revisited. Archives of Sexual Behavior, 36(5), 717–723.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hutz, C. S. (2000). Adaptação brasileira da escala de auto-estima de Rosenberg [Brazilian adaptation of the Rosenberg self-esteem scale]. Porto Alegre: Unpublished manuscript, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul.

  • Hutz, C. S., & Zanon, C. (2011). Revisão da adaptação, validação e normatização da Escala de Autoestima de Rosenberg [Revision of the adaptation, validation, and normatization of the Roserberg self-esteem scale]. Avaliação Psicológica, 10(1), 41–49.

    Google Scholar 

  • Jankowski, K. S., Díaz-Morales, J. F., Vollmer, C., & Randler, C. (2014). Morningness–eveningness and sociosexuality: Evening females are less restricted than morning ones. Personality and Individual Differences, 68, 13–17.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Jonason, P. K., & Webster, G. D. (2010). The dirty dozen: A concise measure of the dark triad. Psychological Assessment, 22(2), 420–432.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Khallad, Y. (2005). Mate selection in Jordan: Effects of sex, socio-economic status, and culture. Journal of Social and Personal Relationships, 22(2), 155–168.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kinsey, A. C., Pomeroy, W. B., & Martin, C. E. (1948). Sexual behavior in the human male. Philadelphia: Saunders.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kulick, D., & Gordon, C. (2008). Travesti: prostituição, sexo, gênero e cultura no Brasil [Transvestite: prostitution, sex, gender and culture in Brazil]. Rio de Janeiro: Editora Fiocruz.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lawson, J. F., James, C., Jannson, A. C., Koyama, F. C., & Hill, R. A. (2014). A comparison of heterosexual and homosexual mating preferences in personal advertisements. Evolution and Human Behavior, 35(5), 408–414.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Leary, M. R., Tambor, E. S., Terdal, S. K., & Downs, D. L. (1995). Self-esteem as an interpersonal monitor: The sociometer hypothesis. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 68(3), 518–530.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lippa, R. A. (2009). Sex differences in sex drive, sociosexuality, and height across 53 nations: Testing evolutionary and social structural theories. Archives of Sexual Behavior, 38, 631–651.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Matchock, R. L. (2018). Evening chronotype is associated with a more unrestricted sociosexuality in men and women. Personality and Individual Differences, 135, 56–59.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Miller, G. (1998). How mate choice shaped human nature: A review of sexual selection and human evolution. In C. Crawford & D. Krebs (Eds.), Handbook of evolutionary psychology: Ideas, issues and applications (pp. 87–129). Mahwah: Lawrence Erlbaum.

  • Nascimento, B. S., Hanel, P. P. H., Monteiro, R. P., Gouveia, V. V., & Little, A. C. (2018). Sociosexuality in Brazil: Validation of the SOI-R and its correlates with personality, self-perceived mate value, and ideal partner preferences. Personality and Individual Differences, 124, 98–104.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Operario, D., Buron, J., Underhill, K., & Sevelius, J. (2008). Men who have sex with transgender women: Challenges to category-based HIV prevention. AIDS Behaviour, 12, 18–26.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Penke, L., & Asendorpf, J. B. (2008). Beyond global sociosexual orientations: A more differentiated look at sociosexuality and its effects on courtship and romantic relationships. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 95(5), 1113–1135.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Savic, I., & Arver, S. (2011). Sex dimorphism of the brain in male-to-female transsexuals. Cerebral Cortex, 21(11), 2525–2533.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Schmitt, D. P. (2005). Sociosexuality from Argentina to Zimbabwe: A 48-nation study of sex, culture, and strategies of human mating. Behavioral and Brain Sciences, 28(2), 247–275.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Schmitt, D. P., & Jonason, P. K. (2019). Self-esteem as an adaptive sociometer of mating success: Evaluating evidence of sex-specific psychological design across 10 world regions. Personality and Individual Differences, 143, 13–20.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Schöning, S., Engelien, A., Bauer, C., Kugel, H., Kersting, A., Roestel, C. . . .& Konrad, C. (2010). Neuroimaging differences in spatial cognition between men and male-to-female transsexuals before and during hormone therapy. Journal of Sexual Medicine, 7(5), 1858–1867

  • Sevi, B., Aral, T., & Eskenazi, T. (2017). Exploring the hook-up app: Low sexual disgust and high sociosexuality predict motivation to use tinder for casual sex. Personality and Individual Differences, 133, 17–20.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Shackelford, T. K. (2001). Self-esteem in marriage. Personality and Individual Differences, 30(3), 371–390.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Tadinac, M., & Hromatko, I. (2006). Strangers in the night or love forever: Characteristics and preferences of short vs. long-term relationship seekers. Psihologijske Teme (Psychological Topics), 15(2), 261–276. https://hrcak.srce.hr/9281.

  • Todd, P. M., Penke, L., Fasolo, B., & Lenton, A. P. (2007). Different cognitive processes underlie human mate choices and mate preferences. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (USA), 104(38), 15011–15016.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Trivers, R. L. (1972). Parental investment and sexual selection. In B. Campbell (Ed.), Sexual selection and the descent of man, 1871-1971 (pp. 136–207). Chicago: Aldine.

  • Valentova, J. V., Bártová, K., Štěrbová, Z., & Varella, M. A. C. (2017). Influence of sexual orientation, population, homogamy, and imprinting-like effect on preferences and choices for female buttock size, breast size and shape, and WHR. Personality and Individual Differences, 104, 313–319.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Veloso, V., Brito, R., & Câmara, C. N. S. (2014). Comparison of partner choice between lesbians and heterosexual women. Psychology, 5(2), 134–141.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Zeigler-Hill, V., Campe, J. W., & Myers, E. M. (2009). How low will men with high self-esteem go? Self-esteem as a moderator of gender differences in minimum relationship standards. Sex Roles, 61(7), 491–500.

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

We thank the transgender participants for participating in the study.

Funding

This study was financed in part by the Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior–Brasil (CAPES)–Finance Code 001; the Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)–Code 310515/2018–1; and by the Graduate Program in Psychobiology, Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte (UFRN).

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Laboratory of Evolution of Human Behavior, Graduate Program in Psychobiology, Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte, Natal, Rio Grande do Norte, Brazil

    Rodrigo de Menezes Gomes

  2. Laboratory of Evolution of Human Behavior, Graduate Program in Psychobiology, Department of Physiology and Behavior, Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte, Natal, Rio Grande do Norte, Brazil

    Fívia de Araújo Lopes & Felipe Nalon Castro

  3. Departamento de Fisiologia e Comportamento, Programa de Pós-graduação em Psicobiologia, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte, Campus Universitário, Caixa Postal 1511, Lagoa Nova, Natal, RN, 59078-970, Brazil

    Felipe Nalon Castro

Authors
  1. Rodrigo de Menezes Gomes
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Fívia de Araújo Lopes
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Felipe Nalon Castro
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Contributions

All authors contributed to the study conception and design. Material preparation and data collection were performed by Rodrigo de Menezes Gomes, analysis was performed by Felipe Nalon Castro. The first draft of the manuscript was written by Rodrigo de Menezes Gomes and all authors commented on previous versions of the manuscript. All authors read and approved the final manuscript.

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Felipe Nalon Castro.

Ethics declarations

Conflicts of Interest/Competing Interests

All authors certify that they have no affiliations with or involvement in any organization or entity with any financial interest or non-financial interest in the subject matter or materials discussed in this manuscript.

Ethics Approval

Approval was obtained from the ethics committee of Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte, certificate of presentation of ethical appreciation code 80013317.8.0000.5537 (evaluation: 2.454.211). The procedures used in this study adhere to the tenets of the Declaration of Helsinki.

Consent to Participate

Informed consent was obtained from all individual participants included in the study.

Additional information

Publisher’s Note

Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

de Menezes Gomes, R., de Araújo Lopes, F. & Castro, F.N. Influence of Sexual Genotype and Gender Self-Perception on Sociosexuality and Self-Esteem among Transgender People. Hum Nat 31, 483–496 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12110-020-09381-6

Download citation

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12110-020-09381-6

Keywords

Search

Navigation