Personality traits and religiosity as predictors of sociosexuality in women and men

On a sample of 316 male and 332 female participants the relations of five-factor personality traits and religiosity with sociosexuality were examined. Several hierarchical. regression analyses were used on the samples of male and female participants respectively. As criterion variables several specific indicators of sociosexuality as well as a total score on the Sociosexual Orientation Inventory (Sol) were used, and as predictor variables in the first step of the analyses five-factor personality traits,. in the second step religiosity and in the third step interaction between personality and religiosity were used. Generally, the results obtained indicate that personality traits and religiosity better predict sociosexuality in women than in men. Among men, higher sociosexuality is primarily related to higher extroversion and to a lesser extent to lower agreeableness and conscientiousness. These personality traits are also the strongest predictors of sociosexuality among women, but in the sample of women sociosexuality is additionally predicted by religiosity and interactions between personality traits and religiosity. Highly religious women are more sexually restrictive, and religiosity has an inhibitory effect on sociosexuality of more extraverted and emotionally unstable women. The results are discussed in the context of some evolved psychological mechanisms that generate sexual behavior.