Solving the problem of partner infidelity: Individual mate retention, coalitional mate retention, and in-pair copulation frequency

•We investigated relationships between three mate retention strategies.•Mate retention positively correlates with in-pair copulation frequency for women.•CMR positively correlates with in-pair copulation frequency for men.•Findings suggest that men and women deploy diverse strategies to retain their mate.

Humans deploy various strategies to solve adaptive problems associated with a long-term partner’s infidelity. We investigated the relationships among three such strategies: individual mate retention, coalitional mate retention (i.e., mate retention with assistance from allies), and in-pair copulation frequency. Participants (n = 387; 176 women) in a committed, heterosexual relationship reported how often they (1) perform individual mate retention, (2) request coalitional mate retention, and (3) had sexual intercourse with their partner. The results indicate that women’s individual mate retention and men’s coalitional mate retention are positively associated with in-pair copulation frequency. The discussion notes limitations of this research and highlights the diversity of strategies humans deploy to address the adaptive problems of partner infidelity.