Dollars and Sex: An Economist Puts a Price on Sex and Love by Marina Adshade Summary

1. Sexual economics reveals dating markets follow supply-demand principles like traditional economies.
2. Education and income disparities shape marriage prospects and relationship bargaining power.
3. Polygamy declines as women’s financial independence reduces reliance on wealthy spouses.
4. Online dating platforms increase partner supply while lowering search costs and competition.
5. Promiscuity rises with contraceptive access and women’s economic autonomy, shifting societal norms.
6. Marriage functions as a household production unit optimized for economic efficiency.
7. Monogamy persists because extreme wealth inequality limits polygamy’s societal feasibility.
8. “Sexonomics” explains infidelity as cost-benefit decisions, not just emotional factors.
9. Gender ratios create buyer’s or seller’s markets in college dating pools.
10. Industrialization shifted marriage from survival strategy to emotional and economic partnership.
11. Higher-educated individuals prioritize credential matching over physical attraction in long-term partners.
12. Bill Gates avoids harems because social norms penalize overt wealth-driven mating strategies.

About the Author of Dollars and Sex

Marina Adshade, Ph.D., is a renowned economist and author of Dollars and Sex: How Economics Influences Sex and Love, merging rigorous academic analysis with provocative insights into human relationships.

A faculty member at the University of British Columbia’s Vancouver School of Economics, she gained international recognition for her groundbreaking undergraduate course “Economics of Sex and Love,” which inspired her popular blog Dollars and Sex—garnering over 750,000 unique visitors.

Her work explores how market forces shape dating, marriage, and intimacy, blending economics with sociology and psychology. Adshade’s expertise extends to Dirty Money: The Economics of Sex and Love and The Love Market, cementing her authority on relationship dynamics.

A frequent commentator for The Globe and Mail, CBC, and NPR, her research has been featured in Time Magazine, the Daily Mail, and academic circles worldwide. Dollars and Sex has sparked global discourse on modern love, referenced in over 45 media reviews and interdisciplinary studies.

FAQs About Dollars and Sex

What is Dollars and Sex about?

Dollars and Sex: How Economics Influences Sex and Love by Marina Adshade explores how economic principles like supply, demand, and market forces shape dating, marriage, and sexual behavior. The book applies analysis to trends like online dating, gender imbalances, and infidelity, arguing that economic incentives drive decisions in relationships. It blends research, humor, and real-world examples to reframe love as a marketplace.

Who should read Dollars and Sex?

This book suits readers interested in unconventional perspectives on relationships, economics enthusiasts, and those curious about behavioral science. It’s valuable for sociology students, dating app users, and anyone exploring how societal trends like income inequality or technology reshape romantic choices. Adshade’s accessible style caters to both academics and casual readers.

Is Dollars and Sex worth reading?

Yes, for its unique lens on love and sex through economics. While some critics note repetitive arguments or a casual tone, the book offers actionable insights, such as how education impacts marriage rates or why wealth affects attraction. It’s particularly valuable for understanding modern dating dynamics and the hidden economic forces behind personal choices.

What economic theories does Dollars and Sex use to explain relationships?

Adshade uses supply-demand dynamics to analyze gender ratios in dating markets, cost-benefit frameworks for infidelity, and human capital theory for marriage decisions. For example, she explains why college-educated individuals delay marriage (prioritizing career investments) and how income disparities influence mate selection. The book also applies game theory to negotiation power in relationships.

How does Dollars and Sex explain the impact of online dating?

The book argues dating apps reduce search costs, creating efficient markets where users “shop” for partners based on traits like income or education. This shifts power dynamics, enabling niche preferences (e.g., filtering by political views) and altering traditional courtship patterns. Adshade also discusses how apps increase casual sex accessibility but reduce long-term commitment rates.

What does Dollars and Sex say about gender imbalances in dating?

Adshade highlights how skewed gender ratios (e.g., more women in cities) intensify competition, raising men’s bargaining power. She ties this to higher rates of casual relationships in male-scarce environments and explains why women in these markets often prioritize financial stability over physical attractiveness in partners.

How does economics influence marriage, per Dollars and Sex?

Marriage is framed as a contractual investment where partners exchange resources (e.g., income for childcare). Adshade discusses specialization—where one spouse focuses on earning and the other on domestic labor—and how rising female earnings reduce marriage incentives. She also explores divorce as a “market correction” when investments no longer align.

What are the criticisms of Dollars and Sex?

Critics argue the tone occasionally veers into overly simplistic or sensationalized comparisons (e.g., likening dating to stock markets). Some find the economic lens reductive, ignoring emotional nuances. However, most praise its originality, with The National Post calling it “stimulating” despite advising readers to “selectively abandon” certain conclusions.

How does Dollars and Sex apply economics to infidelity?

Adshade frames cheating as a cost-benefit calculation: potential gains (e.g., sexual satisfaction) vs. risks (divorce, financial loss). She cites studies showing higher-income individuals cheat less due to greater losses, while biological drives and opportunity costs (e.g., childcare duties) also play roles. The analysis excludes moral judgments, focusing purely on rational actor models.

What is “sexonomics” in Dollars and Sex?

Coined by Adshade, “sexonomics” refers to studying romantic and sexual behavior through economic frameworks. It includes analyzing pricing (e.g., dowries, alimony), market efficiency (dating apps), and labor division in marriages. The term encapsulates the book’s core premise: love and sex are transactional, whether consciously or subconsciously.

How does technology affect relationships in Dollars and Sex?

Adshade argues technology expands partner options but commodifies traits (e.g., via profile metrics), reducing relationships to transactional exchanges. She also examines how social media raises comparison costs, fostering dissatisfaction, and how platforms like OnlyFans commercialize intimacy, blurring lines between romance and economic exchange.

How does Dollars and Sex compare to other relationship economics books?

Unlike purely academic texts, Adshade blends data with pop-culture references, making complex theories accessible. It diverges from self-help guides by avoiding prescriptive advice, instead explaining why patterns emerge. Comparatively, it focuses less on psychology than behavioral economics books, prioritizing market analogies over emotional drivers.