No Evidence for a Trade-Off Between Competitive Traits and Ejaculate Quality in Humans

Abstract

Research in nonhuman animals (including insects, birds, and primates) suggests a trade-off in males between investment in competitive traits and investment in ejaculate quality. Previous research reported a negative association between perceived strength and ejaculate quality, suggesting that this trade-off also applies to human males. We conducted novel analyses of data secured as part of a larger project to assess the relationship between competitive traits (shoulder-to-hip ratio, handgrip strength, and height) and ejaculate quality (indexed by sperm morphology, sperm motility, and sperm concentration) in a sample of 45 men (ages ranging 18–33 years; M = 23.30, SD = 3.60). By self-report, participants had not had a vasectomy and had never sought treatment for infertility. We controlled for several covariates known to affect ejaculate quality (e.g., abstinence duration before providing an ejaculate) and found no statistically significant relationships between competitive traits and ejaculate quality; our findings therefore do not accord with previous research on humans. We highlight the need for additional research to clarify whether there is a trade-off between investment in competitive traits and investment in ejaculate quality in humans.