Intrasexual competitiveness and non-verbal seduction strategies to attract males: a study among teenage girls from Curaçao

We hypothesized that teenage girls from the Caribbean island of Curaçao who grew up without a father would be more intrasexually competitive than teenage girls who grew up with a father, and would therefore more often use non-verbal seduction strategies to attract males. A pilot study showed a high inter-observer reliability for the observation of non-verbal seduction strategies. In study 1, among 105 teenage girls with a mean age of 16.29 years, reliable scales were developed reflecting various non-verbal seduction strategies. Study 2 was conducted among 123 teenage girls with a mean age of 18.73 years. Compared to girls who grew up with their father, girls who grew up without their father before the age of fourteen reported overall more intrasexual competitiveness and more non-verbal seduction strategies, including direct flirtation, peacock behavior, the use of hairstyles with waves, the use of facial make-up, the use of conspicuous nail-care, and active and restless behavior in the presence of males. Intrasexual competitiveness was associated with most strategies, and was a significant mediator between father absence and the expression of most non-verbal seduction strategies. From a life-history perspective, we discuss possible explanations for, and implications of, these findings.