Problems of Parenting Flashcards
Why do women invest more than men?
- Paternal uncertainty for men
- Mating opportunity cost for men
What is primary caretaker hypothesis
Women have evolved adaptations that increase the odds that their children will survive
Ex) Women are better than men at decoding infant facial expressions of emotion
What are two hypotheses on women and their ability to understand emotions?
- Attachment promotion hypothesis
-> Women should be better than men at decoding all facial expressions of emotion - Fitness threat hypothesis
-> Women should be particularly sensitive to dangers that might be conveyed by negative emotions
What is the tend-and-befriend hypothesis?
Tending:
Involves protecting children and calming them down
Befriending:
Involves creating and maintaining social networks that offer a social cocoon of protection
What is the baby effect?
Women take less risk in the presence of an infant
What is the Cinderella effect?
Compared to actual parents, stepparents are substantially less likely to report having parental feelings for stepchildren
What is the healthy baby hypothesis?
The health status of the child would affect the degree of positive maternal behavior the mother would show after death
However, mothers who have a lot of resources invest more in high-risk than in low-risk infants
What is Triviers-Willard hypothesis?
Generally sons and daughters should have equal reproductive success, but parents in good conditions are likely to produce more sons who will be successful at the mating game, while parents in poor conditions would invest more in their daughters
What are the takeaways of alternative use for investment available for parental investment?
- Time and energy are finite; natural selection would decree that parents should invest when the fitness benefits of parental care outweigh the opportunity cost
- Men are less likely than women to provide parental care
- Women’s age is related to infanticide; as younger women have higher reproductive value than older women
- Women’s marital status is related to infanticide; unmarried women are much more likely to engage in infanticide
How does parent-child conflict occur in the uterus?
Mothers:
Evolved adaptations to spontaneously abort risky pregnancies that risk their lives
Fetus:
Evolved adaptations that ensure the persistence of pregnancy
How does parent-child conflict occur in sibling relations?
Parents are more likely to channel resources to offspring with the highest reproductive success odds
How does parent-child conflict occur in the offspring’s mate decisions?
Parents:
May prioritize the formation of alliances and cooperations favoring the mates’ status and family background
Offspring:
Benefit more from choosing a physically attractive mate to provide superior genes
