Population Data Supports Research Findings
In addition to conducting laboratory experiments, the researchers reviewed archival data and calculated the sex ratios of more than 120 US cities. Consistent with their hypothesis, communities with an abundance of single men showed greater ownership of credit cards and had higher debt levels.
One striking example was found in two communities located less than 100 miles apart. In Columbus, Ga., where there are 1.18 single men for every single woman, the average consumer debt was $3,479 higher than it was in Macon, Ga., where there were 0.78 single men for every woman. (Editor's Note: Columbus is the site of Fort Benning, which might account for the higher men-to-ratio. Also, the city had been ranked number 4 on the 100 Best US Cities to live by the now-closed Best Life Magazine)
Research Implications for Marketers and Society
Whereas previous research has found that merely seeing an attractive woman in advertising would make a man more aggressive or make a man more interested in conspicuously consuming, “The Financial Consequences of Too Many Men” study suggests it may not be that simple. According to the findings, whether a woman is alone or surrounded by many or few men can have a great impact on the reaction it elicits.
Griskevicius says the effects of sex ratios go beyond marketing and influence all sorts of behavior. He cites other studies showing the strong correlation between male-biased sex ratios and aggressive behavior.
“We’re just scratching the tip of the iceberg when it comes to financial behavior,” says Griskevicius. “One of the troubling implications of sex ratios for the world in general is that it’s about more than just money. It’s about violence and survival.”
More information about the school can be found at www.carlsonschool.umn.edu
“The Financial Consequences of Too Many Men: Sex Ratio Effects on Savings, Borrowing, and Spending” will be published this month in the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology.
Co-authors of the study include Joshua Tybur (VU University Amsterdam), Joshua M. Ackerman (M.I.T.), Andrew Delton and Theresa Robertson (University of California, Santa Barbara), and Andrew E. White (Arizona State University).
Photo: RiverCenter for the Performing Arts, Columbus, Georgia. Wikimedia Commons.
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