Evolutionary Psychology Co-Editors: Steven M. Platek, Benedict C. Jones, and Todd K. ShackelfordHigh-K Strategy Scale: A measure of the High-K independent criterion of fitness
Evolutionary Psychology 4: 394-405Abstract
The present study aimed at testing whether factors documented in the literature as being indicators of a high-K reproductive strategy have effects on fitness in extant humans. A 26-item High-K Strategy Scale comprising these factors was developed and tested on 250 respondents. Items tapping into health and attractiveness, upward mobility, social capital and risks consideration, were included in the scale. As expected, the scale showed a significant correlation with perceived offspring quality and a weak, but significant association with actual number of children. The scale had a high reliability coefficient (Cronbach’s Alpha = .92). Expected correlations were found between the scale and number of medical diagnoses, education, perceived social support, and number of previous marriages, strengthening the scale’s construct validity. Implications of the results are discussed.
Keywords
Fitness, adaptedness, high-K, life history theory, r/K, number of children, offspring quality