Men tend to have higher sociosexuality scores and be more unrestricted than women across a variety of cultures.

One review assessed that sociosexuality was affected almost equally by heredity and environment unshared with siblings shared environment had relatively little effect. Nevertheless, pertaining to the nature and nurture debate, there is some data emphasizing cultural factors, more so for women than for men. Studies have related sociosexual orientation to sex drive, especially in women, where the higher the sex drive the less restricted the sociosexual orientation, or interest in sex outside committed relationships. See also: Hormones and sexual motivation, Sexual desire § Sex differences in sexual desire, and Libido § Factors