Human Mating Systems Flashcards
Why are human mating systems so challenging to study?
- Strong cultural mediation (culture is a better predictor than biology, rapidly changing because of new inventions)
- People lie when asked (under/over report of sexual activity, paternity)
- Sexuality and romantic relationships are complicated
Discuss human males.
- Paternal investment variable
- Should prefer female mates that have higher potential fertility
- Sexual fidelity should be very important (they might lose RS)
Discuss human females.
- Maternal investment is always high
- Very selective in choosing mates
- Select mates that provide resources for them and offspring
- minimal concern for age (preference for males)
- Fidelity is important, but less than males
- Conservative in initiating sexual relationship
Discuss both human genders.
- Value physical attraction and love
- Value stability, pleasantness, sociability, and compatibility
They prefer this because humans choose long term partners (long term investment in children so you probably don’t want someone who sucks)
What is the first factor in human mating systems?
Humans form unions to mate and rear offspring “marriage”.
- Incorporate exclusive sexual access
- Investment by male and female
- Defines social status of offspring (recognition that that child can refer to parents and mom and dad)
What is the second factor in human mating systems?
Functions.
- Minimize male-male competition
- Concealed ovulation
- Protect females from aggression (recognized relationships)
- Maximize paternity certainty
What is the third factor in human mating systems?
Variability.
- Number of mates and children
- How marriages are regulated (arranged, official, terminated)
- Relationships between individuals
- Where they live
What is polygyny in males?
- Men have multiple wives
- Varies between men in rate (men who can provide more will have more wives)
- This means some men will have no wife
- Actual rates vary widely
- Often tolerated, but not the norm
- Men have fewer wives than they aspire to
What is monogamy in humans?
Even with monogamy extramarital sex is not infrequent.
- biological father of children is not the mothers husband
- serial monogamy (change partners) and frequent divorce
What is infidelity in humans?
- Major cause of marriage termination
- Rates vary between cultures as does social acceptance
- More common in males than females
- Female infidelity matters more from a biological stand point
What is the first financial consideration for mating humans?
Bridewealth/bride price.
- Paid to family of the bride by groom/grooms family
- compensation to brides family for loss of her labour
- more common in polygynous societies because man marrying multiple wives divert offspring resources
What is the second financial consideration for mating humans?
- Paid by brides family to the groom/grooms family
- Common in highly stratified societies and monogamous societies
- Strategy to marry females to higher status males whose status will be passed to offspring
Is there competition in polygyny of the Kipsigas?
High competition for young women (each normally receives several offers)
What is polyandry in humans?
Really rare.
- Men in polyandrous marriages have lower RS
- Fraternal polyandry is a common thing (woman marries brothers, reduces the impact of fitness because children he helps raise are his brothers children, share some genetic material)
- Paternity is tracked and considered important
When does infanticide happen in humans?
- Usually carried out by mother
- Occurs when child is unlikely to survive
- Parents cannot care for child
- Child not sired by husband
