Assessment of the Relationship Between the Use of Birth Control Pill and the Characteristics of Mate Selection

Abstract Introduction In recent research, scientists have begun to suspect that birth control pill use could interfere with key mechanisms that play a role when women choose a sexual partner. Many studies have shown that women, particularly during the most fertile days of their menstrual cycle, look for specific physical, psychological, and behavioral characteristics indicative of genetic quality in a short‐term partner. Aims Analysis of the psychometric properties of the Partner's Masculinity Index (PMI) scale. The scale was built to assess the degree of masculinity in hypothetical short‐term partners. Methods A total of 395 female Italian volunteers from Central Italy (M = 32.9 years old,…