201
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Yogman M, Garfield CF. Fathers' Roles in the Care and Development of Their Children: The Role of Pediatricians. Pediatrics 2016; 138:peds.2016-1128. [PMID: 27296867 DOI: 10.1542/peds.2016-1128] [Citation(s) in RCA: 156] [Impact Index Per Article: 19.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Fathers' involvement in and influence on the health and development of their children have increased in a myriad of ways in the past 10 years and have been widely studied. The role of pediatricians in working with fathers has correspondingly increased in importance. This report reviews new studies of the epidemiology of father involvement, including nonresidential as well as residential fathers. The effects of father involvement on child outcomes are discussed within each phase of a child's development. Particular emphasis is placed on (1) fathers' involvement across childhood ages and (2) the influence of fathers' physical and mental health on their children. Implications and advice for all child health providers to encourage and support father involvement are outlined.
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202
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Gettler LT, Oka RC. Are testosterone levels and depression risk linked based on partnering and parenting? Evidence from a large population-representative study of U.S. men and women. Soc Sci Med 2016; 163:157-67. [PMID: 27441465 DOI: 10.1016/j.socscimed.2016.06.044] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/14/2016] [Revised: 06/23/2016] [Accepted: 06/24/2016] [Indexed: 01/24/2023]
Abstract
Partnered adults tend to have lower risks of depression than do single individuals, while parents are more commonly depressed than non-parents. Low testosterone men, and possibly women, are also at greater risk of depression. A large body of research has shown that partnered parents have lower testosterone than single non-parents in some cultural settings, including the U.S. Here, we drew on a large (n = 2438), U.S.-population representative cohort of reproductive aged adults (age: 38.1 years ± 11.1 SD) to test hypotheses regarding the intersections between partnering and parenting, testosterone, socio-demographic characteristics, and depression outcomes. Men and women's depression prevalence did not vary based on testosterone. Partnered fathers had lower testosterone than single (never married, divorced) non-fathers, but were less commonly depressed than those single non-fathers. Partnered mothers had reduced testosterone compared to never married and partnered non-mothers. Never married mothers had higher depression prevalence and elevated depressive symptomology compared to partnered mothers; these differences were largely accounted for by key health-related covariates (e.g. cigarette smoking, BMI). We found significant three-way-interactions between socioeconomic status (SES), testosterone, and parenting for adults' depression risks. High testosterone, high SES fathers had the lowest prevalence of mild depression, whereas low testosterone, low SES non-fathers had the highest. Compared to other mothers, low SES, low testosterone mothers had elevated prevalence of mild depression. Overall, low SES, high testosterone non-mothers had substantially elevated depression risks compared to other women. We suggest that psychobiological profiles (e.g. a male with low testosterone) can emerge through variable psychosomatic and psychosocial pathways and the net effect of those profiles for depression are influenced by the social (e.g. partnering and parenting status; socioeconomic gradients), cultural (e.g. gender and family life domains), and ecological (e.g. the lived environment, particularly related to low SES and poverty) contexts in which individuals find themselves.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lee T Gettler
- Department of Anthropology, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN, USA; The Eck Institute for Global Health, University of Notre Dame, IN, USA.
| | - Rahul C Oka
- Department of Anthropology, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN, USA
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203
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Gettler LT. Becoming DADS: Considering the Role of Cultural Context and Developmental Plasticity for Paternal Socioendocrinology. CURRENT ANTHROPOLOGY 2016. [DOI: 10.1086/686149] [Citation(s) in RCA: 54] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/04/2022]
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204
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Amir D, Jordan MR, Bribiescas RG. A Longitudinal Assessment of Associations between Adolescent Environment, Adversity Perception, and Economic Status on Fertility and Age of Menarche. PLoS One 2016; 11:e0155883. [PMID: 27249338 PMCID: PMC4889152 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0155883] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/18/2015] [Accepted: 05/05/2016] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Purpose Perceptions of environmental adversity and access to economic resources in adolescence can theoretically affect the timing of life history transitions and investment in reproductive effort. Here we present evidence of correlations between variables associated with subjective extrinsic mortality, economic status, and reproductive effort in a nationally representative American population of young adults. Methods We used a longitudinal database that sampled American participants (N ≥ 1,579) at four points during early adolescence and early adulthood to test whether perceptions of environmental adversity and early economic status were associated with reproductive effort. Results We found that subjectively high ratings of environmental danger and low access to economic resources in adolescence were significantly associated with an earlier age of menarche in girls and earlier, more robust fertility in young adulthood. Conclusion While energetics and somatic condition remain as possible sources of variation, the results of this study support the hypothesis that perceptions of adversity early in life and limited access to economic resources are associated with differences in reproductive effort and scheduling. How these factors may covary with energetics and somatic condition merits further investigation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dorsa Amir
- Department of Anthropology, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut, United States of America
- * E-mail:
| | - Matthew R. Jordan
- Department of Psychology, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut, United States of America
| | - Richard G. Bribiescas
- Department of Anthropology, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut, United States of America
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205
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Wirth MM, Gaffey AE, Martinez BS. Effects of intranasal oxytocin on steroid hormones in men and women. Neuropsychobiology 2016; 71:202-11. [PMID: 26044829 DOI: 10.1159/000381023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/15/2014] [Accepted: 02/16/2015] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Recent interest in the social and cognitive effects of intranasal oxytocin prompts a need for understanding its physiological effects in humans. Few studies have examined the effects of intranasal oxytocin on steroid hormones. Filling this gap is especially important given the evidence that steroid hormones participate in some of the same behavioral functions as oxytocin, e.g. in stress, processing of emotional stimuli, aggression, trust, empathy, and parental care. METHODS In randomized, double-blind experiments, we administered oxytocin (24 IU) or saline placebo to 97 healthy participants. Saliva samples were collected before and at several time points after the oxytocin/placebo administration to assess the levels of cortisol, progesterone, and testosterone. RESULTS Oxytocin had no effects on testosterone, progesterone, or cortisol in women or men. CONCLUSION Acute intranasal oxytocin does not affect the levels of cortisol, testosterone or progesterone in humans, at least in the absence of a stressful context. These data suggest that acute oxytocin does not have a direct impact on the human hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal or hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axes under nonstressful circumstances. This knowledge helps rule out potential mechanisms for some of the effects of oxytocin in humans and adds to the generally limited body of knowledge on the basic physiological or psychological effects of intranasal oxytocin in human beings.
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206
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Boddy AM, Kokko H, Breden F, Wilkinson GS, Aktipis CA. Cancer susceptibility and reproductive trade-offs: a model of the evolution of cancer defences. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci 2016; 370:rstb.2014.0220. [PMID: 26056364 PMCID: PMC4581025 DOI: 10.1098/rstb.2014.0220] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
The factors influencing cancer susceptibility and why it varies across species are major open questions in the field of cancer biology. One underexplored source of variation in cancer susceptibility may arise from trade-offs between reproductive competitiveness (e.g. sexually selected traits, earlier reproduction and higher fertility) and cancer defence. We build a model that contrasts the probabilistic onset of cancer with other, extrinsic causes of mortality and use it to predict that intense reproductive competition will lower cancer defences and increase cancer incidence. We explore the trade-off between cancer defences and intraspecific competition across different extrinsic mortality conditions and different levels of trade-off intensity, and find the largest effect of competition on cancer in species where low extrinsic mortality combines with strong trade-offs. In such species, selection to delay cancer and selection to outcompete conspecifics are both strong, and the latter conflicts with the former. We discuss evidence for the assumed trade-off between reproductive competitiveness and cancer susceptibility. Sexually selected traits such as ornaments or large body size require high levels of cell proliferation and appear to be associated with greater cancer susceptibility. Similar associations exist for female traits such as continuous egg-laying in domestic hens and earlier reproductive maturity. Trade-offs between reproduction and cancer defences may be instantiated by a variety of mechanisms, including higher levels of growth factors and hormones, less efficient cell-cycle control and less DNA repair, or simply a larger number of cell divisions (relevant when reproductive success requires large body size or rapid reproductive cycles). These mechanisms can affect intra- and interspecific variation in cancer susceptibility arising from rapid cell proliferation during reproductive maturation, intrasexual competition and reproduction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amy M Boddy
- Department of Psychology, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ, USA Center for Evolution and Cancer, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA Wissenschaftskolleg zu Berlin, Institute for Advanced Study, 14193 Berlin, Germany
| | - Hanna Kokko
- Wissenschaftskolleg zu Berlin, Institute for Advanced Study, 14193 Berlin, Germany Institute of Evolutionary Biology and Environmental Studies, University of Zurich, Winterthurerstrasse 190, 8057 Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Felix Breden
- Wissenschaftskolleg zu Berlin, Institute for Advanced Study, 14193 Berlin, Germany Department of Biological Sciences, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, British Columbia, Canada V5A 1S6
| | - Gerald S Wilkinson
- Wissenschaftskolleg zu Berlin, Institute for Advanced Study, 14193 Berlin, Germany Department of Biology, University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20742, USA
| | - C Athena Aktipis
- Department of Psychology, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ, USA Center for Evolution and Cancer, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA Wissenschaftskolleg zu Berlin, Institute for Advanced Study, 14193 Berlin, Germany
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207
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Endendijk JJ, Hallers-Haalboom ET, Groeneveld MG, van Berkel SR, van der Pol LD, Bakermans-Kranenburg MJ, Mesman J. Diurnal testosterone variability is differentially associated with parenting quality in mothers and fathers. Horm Behav 2016; 80:68-75. [PMID: 26850837 DOI: 10.1016/j.yhbeh.2016.01.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/27/2015] [Revised: 12/15/2015] [Accepted: 01/29/2016] [Indexed: 01/02/2023]
Abstract
Previous studies on the relation between testosterone (T) levels and parenting have found ample evidence for the challenge hypothesis, demonstrating that high T levels inhibit parental involvement and that becoming a parent is related to a decrease in T levels in both mothers and fathers. However, less is known about the relation between T levels and more qualitative aspects of parenting. In the current study we examined basal T levels and diurnal variability in T levels in relation to mothers' and fathers' parenting quality. Participants included 217 fathers and 124 mothers with two children (3 and 5years of age). Evening and morning salivary T samples were analyzed with radio-immunoassays to determine circulating T levels. Parental sensitivity (i.e., child-centered responsiveness) and respect for children's autonomy were observed during free play in the family home. The results showed that higher evening T levels in mothers were associated with more sensitivity to the oldest and youngest child. Diurnal T variability was more consistently associated with parenting behavior towards their children than basal T levels. For fathers, more diurnal variability in T was associated with more sensitivity and more respect for autonomy with their youngest children. For mothers, more diurnal variability in T was associated with less sensitivity to both children and less respect for the youngest child's autonomy. These findings suggest that the T system might act differently in relation to parenting behavior in males and females.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joyce J Endendijk
- Centre for Child and Family Studies, Leiden University, The Netherlands
| | | | | | | | | | | | - Judi Mesman
- Centre for Child and Family Studies, Leiden University, The Netherlands.
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208
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Cushing BS. Estrogen Receptor Alpha Distribution and Expression in the Social Neural Network of Monogamous and Polygynous Peromyscus. PLoS One 2016; 11:e0150373. [PMID: 26959827 PMCID: PMC4784910 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0150373] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/16/2015] [Accepted: 02/12/2016] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
In microtine and dwarf hamsters low levels of estrogen receptor alpha (ERα) in the bed nucleus of the stria terminalis (BST) and medial amygdala (MeA) play a critical role in the expression of social monogamy in males, which is characterized by high levels of affiliation and low levels of aggression. In contrast, monogamous Peromyscus males display high levels of aggression and affiliative behavior with high levels of testosterone and aromatase activity. Suggesting the hypothesis that in Peromyscus ERα expression will be positively correlated with high levels of male prosocial behavior and aggression. ERα expression was compared within the social neural network, including the posterior medial BST, MeA posterodorsal, medial preoptic area (MPOA), ventromedial hypothalamus (VMH), and arcuate nucleus in two monogamous species, P. californicus and P. polionotus, and two polygynous species, P. leucopus and P. maniculatus. The results supported the prediction, with male P. polionotus and P. californicus expressing higher levels of ERα in the BST than their polygynous counter parts, and ERα expression was sexually dimorphic in the polygynous species, with females expressing significantly more than males in the BST in both polygynous species and in the MeA in P. leucopus. Peromyscus ERα expression also differed from rats, mice and microtines as in neither the MPOA nor the VMH was ERα sexually dimorphic. The results supported the hypothesis that higher levels of ERα are associated with monogamy in Peromyscus and that differential expression of ERα occurs in the same regions of the brains regardless of whether high or low expression is associated with social monogamy. Also discussed are possible mechanisms regulating this differential relationship.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bruce S. Cushing
- Department of Zoology, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, United States of America
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209
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Welling LLM, Moreau BJP, Bird BM, Hansen S, Carré JM. Exogenous testosterone increases men's perceptions of their own physical dominance. Psychoneuroendocrinology 2016; 64:136-42. [PMID: 26671006 DOI: 10.1016/j.psyneuen.2015.11.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/26/2015] [Revised: 11/09/2015] [Accepted: 11/20/2015] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
Abstract
Men's testosterone is associated with several constructs that are linked to dominance rank, such as risk-taking, mating success, and aggression. However, no study has directly tested the relationship between men's self-perceived dominance and testosterone using an experimental design. We employed a within-subjects, double-blind, placebo-controlled paradigm to assess whether testosterone influences men's self-perceived dominance. Exogenous testosterone or a placebo was administered to healthy adult men and self-perceptions of physical dominance were subsequently assessed by having participants select what they believed to be their true face from an array of images digitally manipulated in masculinity. Men picked a more masculine version of their own face after testosterone versus placebo--an effect that was particularly pronounced among men with relatively low baseline testosterone. These findings indicate that a single administration of testosterone can rapidly modulate men's perceptions of their own physical dominance, which may explain links between testosterone and dominance-related behaviors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lisa L M Welling
- Department of Psychology, Oakland University, 2200 N. Squirrel Road, Rochester, MI 48309, USA.
| | - Benjamin J P Moreau
- Department of Psychology, Nipissing University, 100 College Drive, Box 5002, North Bay, ON P1B 8L7, Canada.
| | - Brian M Bird
- Department of Psychology, Laurentian University, 935 Ramsey Lake Road, Sudbury, ON P3E 2C6, Canada.
| | - Steve Hansen
- Physical and Health Education, Nipissing University, 100 College Drive, Box 5002, North Bay, ON P1B 8L7, Canada.
| | - Justin M Carré
- Department of Psychology, Nipissing University, 100 College Drive, Box 5002, North Bay, ON P1B 8L7, Canada.
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210
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Gettler LT, Oka RC. Aging US males with multiple sources of emotional social support have low testosterone. Horm Behav 2016; 78:32-42. [PMID: 26472597 DOI: 10.1016/j.yhbeh.2015.10.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/14/2015] [Revised: 10/06/2015] [Accepted: 10/09/2015] [Indexed: 01/15/2023]
Abstract
Among species expressing bi-parental care, males' testosterone is often low when they cooperate with females to raise offspring. In humans, low testosterone men might have an advantage as nurturant partners and parents because they are less prone to anger and reactive aggression and are more empathetic. However, humans engage in cooperative, supportive relationships beyond the nuclear family, and these prosocial capacities were likely critical to our evolutionary success. Despite the diversity of human prosociality, no prior study has tested whether men's testosterone is also reduced when they participate in emotionally supportive relationships, beyond partnering and parenting. Here, we draw on testosterone and emotional social support data that were collected from older men (n=371; mean: 61.2years of age) enrolled in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, a US nationally-representative study. Men who reported receiving emotional support from two or more sources had lower testosterone than men reporting zero support (all p<0.01). Males with the most support (4+ sources) also had lower testosterone than those with one source of support (p<0.01). Men who reported emotional support from diverse (kin+non-kin or multiple kin) sources had lower testosterone than those with no support (p<0.05). Expanding on research on partnering and parenting, our findings are consistent with the notion that low testosterone is downstream of and/or facilitates an array of supportive social relationships. Our results contribute novel insights on the intersections between health, social support, and physiology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lee T Gettler
- Department of Anthropology, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN, United States.
| | - Rahul C Oka
- Department of Anthropology, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN, United States
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211
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Storey AE, Ziegler TE. Primate paternal care: Interactions between biology and social experience. Horm Behav 2016; 77:260-71. [PMID: 26253726 PMCID: PMC4968077 DOI: 10.1016/j.yhbeh.2015.07.024] [Citation(s) in RCA: 62] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/03/2015] [Revised: 07/30/2015] [Accepted: 07/31/2015] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
This article is part of a Special Issue "Parental Care".We review recent research on the roles of hormones and social experiences on the development of paternal care in humans and non-human primates. Generally, lower concentrations of testosterone and higher concentrations of oxytocin are associated with greater paternal responsiveness. Hormonal changes prior to the birth appear to be important in preparation for fatherhood and changes after the birth are related to how much time fathers spend with offspring and whether they provide effective care. Prolactin may facilitate approach and the initiation of infant care, and in some biparental non-human primates, it affects body mass regulation. Glucocorticoids may be involved in coordinating reproductive and parental behavior between mates. New research involving intranasal oxytocin and neuropeptide receptor polymorphisms may help us understand individual variation in paternal responsiveness. This area of research, integrating both biological factors and the role of early and adult experience, has the potential to suggest individually designed interventions that can strengthen relationships between fathers and their partners and offspring.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anne E Storey
- Department of Psychology, Memorial University of Newfoundland, St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador A1B 3X9, Canada; Department of Biology, Memorial University of Newfoundland, St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador A1B 3X9, Canada.
| | - Toni E Ziegler
- National Primate Research Center University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53715, USA
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212
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Kott J, Mooney-Leber S, Shoubah F, Brummelte S. Effectiveness of different corticosterone administration methods to elevate corticosterone serum levels, induce depressive-like behavior, and affect neurogenesis levels in female rats. Neuroscience 2016; 312:201-14. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2015.11.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/03/2015] [Revised: 11/03/2015] [Accepted: 11/03/2015] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
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213
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Nelson RG. Residential context, institutional alloparental care, and child growth in Jamaica. Am J Hum Biol 2015; 28:493-502. [DOI: 10.1002/ajhb.22819] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/18/2014] [Revised: 09/18/2015] [Accepted: 11/21/2015] [Indexed: 11/07/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Robin G. Nelson
- Skidmore University, Department of Anthropology; Saratoga Springs New York 12866
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214
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215
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Zilioli S, Ponzi D, Henry A, Kubicki K, Nickels N, Wilson MC, Maestripieri D. Interest in Babies Negatively Predicts Testosterone Responses to Sexual Visual Stimuli Among Heterosexual Young Men. Psychol Sci 2015; 27:114-8. [PMID: 26626441 DOI: 10.1177/0956797615615868] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/15/2015] [Accepted: 10/15/2015] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Men's testosterone may be an important physiological mechanism mediating motivational and behavioral aspects of the mating/parenting trade-off not only over time but also in terms of stable differences between mating-oriented and parenting-oriented individuals. In this study, we tested the hypothesis that self-reported interest in babies is inversely related to testosterone reactivity to cues of short-term mating among heterosexual young men. Among 100 participants, interest in babies was related to a slow life-history strategy, as assessed by the Mini-K questionnaire, and negatively related to testosterone responses to an erotic video. Interest in babies was not associated with baseline testosterone levels or with testosterone reactivity to nonsexual social stimuli. These results provide the first evidence that differential testosterone reactivity to sexual stimuli may be an important aspect of individual differences in life-history strategies among human males.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Davide Ponzi
- Institute for Mind and Biology, The University of Chicago
| | - Andrea Henry
- Institute for Mind and Biology, The University of Chicago
| | - Konrad Kubicki
- Institute for Mind and Biology, The University of Chicago
| | - Nora Nickels
- Institute for Mind and Biology, The University of Chicago
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216
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Cohen-Bendahan CC, Beijers R, van Doornen LJ, de Weerth C. Explicit and implicit caregiving interests in expectant fathers: Do endogenous and exogenous oxytocin and vasopressin matter? Infant Behav Dev 2015; 41:26-37. [DOI: 10.1016/j.infbeh.2015.06.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/07/2014] [Revised: 03/06/2015] [Accepted: 06/10/2015] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
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217
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Kuo PX, Saini EK, Thomason E, Schultheiss OC, Gonzalez R, Volling BL. Individual variation in fathers' testosterone reactivity to infant distress predicts parenting behaviors with their 1-year-old infants. Dev Psychobiol 2015; 58:303-14. [PMID: 26497119 DOI: 10.1002/dev.21370] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/20/2015] [Accepted: 10/05/2015] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
Abstract
Positive father involvement is associated with positive child outcomes. There is great variation in fathers' involvement and fathering behaviors, and men's testosterone (T) has been proposed as a potential biological contributor to paternal involvement. Previous studies investigating testosterone changes in response to father-infant interactions or exposure to infant cues were unclear as to whether individual variation in T is predictive of fathering behavior. We show that individual variation in fathers' T reactivity to their infants during a challenging laboratory paradigm (Strange Situation) uniquely predicted fathers' positive parenting behaviors during a subsequent father-infant interaction, in addition to other psychosocial determinants of paternal involvement, such as dispositional empathy and marital quality. The findings have implications for understanding fathering behaviors and how fathers can contribute to their children's socioemotional development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Patty X Kuo
- Department of Psychology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, 48109.
| | - Ekjyot K Saini
- Human Development and Family Studies, Auburn University, Auburn, AL
| | | | - Oliver C Schultheiss
- Department of Psychology and Sport Sciences, Friedrich-Alexander University, Erlangen, Germany
| | - Richard Gonzalez
- Department of Psychology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, 48109.,Center for Human Growth and Development, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI
| | - Brenda L Volling
- Department of Psychology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, 48109.,Center for Human Growth and Development, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI
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218
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Fletcher GJO, Simpson JA, Campbell L, Overall NC. Pair-bonding, romantic love, and evolution: the curious case of Homo sapiens. PERSPECTIVES ON PSYCHOLOGICAL SCIENCE 2015; 10:20-36. [PMID: 25910380 DOI: 10.1177/1745691614561683] [Citation(s) in RCA: 118] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
Abstract
This article evaluates a thesis containing three interconnected propositions. First, romantic love is a "commitment device" for motivating pair-bonding in humans. Second, pair-bonding facilitated the idiosyncratic life history of hominins, helping to provide the massive investment required to rear children. Third, managing long-term pair bonds (along with family relationships) facilitated the evolution of social intelligence and cooperative skills. We evaluate this thesis by integrating evidence from a broad range of scientific disciplines. First, consistent with the claim that romantic love is an evolved commitment device, our review suggests that it is universal; suppresses mate-search mechanisms; has specific behavioral, hormonal, and neuropsychological signatures; and is linked to better health and survival. Second, we consider challenges to this thesis posed by the existence of arranged marriage, polygyny, divorce, and infidelity. Third, we show how the intimate relationship mind seems to be built to regulate and monitor relationships. Fourth, we review comparative evidence concerning links among mating systems, reproductive biology, and brain size. Finally, we discuss evidence regarding the evolutionary timing of shifts to pair-bonding in hominins. We conclude there is interdisciplinary support for the claim that romantic love and pair-bonding, along with alloparenting, played critical roles in the evolution of Homo sapiens.
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219
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220
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Kamilar JM, Tecot SR. Connecting proximate mechanisms and evolutionary patterns: pituitary gland size and mammalian life history. J Evol Biol 2015; 28:1997-2008. [DOI: 10.1111/jeb.12715] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/23/2015] [Revised: 07/30/2015] [Accepted: 07/30/2015] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- J. M. Kamilar
- Department of Anthropology; University of Massachusetts; Amherst MA USA
- Graduate Program in Organismic and Evolutionary Biology; University of Massachusetts; Amherst MA USA
- School of Human Evolution and Social Change; Arizona State University; Tempe AZ USA
| | - S. R. Tecot
- School of Anthropology; University of Arizona; Tucson AZ USA
- Laboratory for the Evolutionary Endocrinology of Primates; University of Arizona; Tucson AZ USA
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Marcinkowska UM, Dixson BJ, Kozlov MV, Prasai K, Rantala MJ. Men's Preferences for Female Facial Femininity Decline With Age. J Gerontol B Psychol Sci Soc Sci 2015; 72:180-186. [PMID: 26320118 DOI: 10.1093/geronb/gbv077] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/29/2015] [Accepted: 07/23/2015] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Women tend to have a smaller chin, fuller lips, and rounder eyes than men, due in part to the effects of estrogen. These features associated with facial femininity have been found to be positively associated with fertility. Although young men in their 20s typically judge facial femininity as more attractive than facial masculinity, at all ages, men with higher sexual desire and testosterone levels tend to show a marked preference for feminine faces. In the current study, we extend this research using a large cross-national sample to test the hypothesis that facial femininity preferences will be stronger among younger men than among older men. We also tested whether these preferences are influenced by self-reported sexual openness, national health indices, and gross national income. METHOD We quantified attractiveness judgments (i.e., preferences) among 2,125 heterosexual men (aged 17-73 years) for female faces that were manipulated to appear more or less feminine using a computer graphics program. RESULTS Facial femininity preferences decreased with age, being highest among men in their 30s and lowest among men in their 70s. This pattern was independent of men's sexual openness and cross-national variation in health and socioeconomic development. DISCUSSION Our study shows that men's preferences for facial femininity are age dependent. At the proximate level, differences in preferences could reflect age-related declines in testosterone levels. These age-related declines in preferences could benefit older men, who are less able to invest in mating effort, and thus may opt out of competition with younger men for mates with potentially higher fertility.
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Affiliation(s)
- Urszula M Marcinkowska
- Department of Environmental Health, Faculty of Health Sciences, Jagiellonian University Medical College, Krakow, Poland. .,Section of Ecology, Department of Biology, University of Turku, Finland
| | - Barnaby J Dixson
- Evolution and Ecology Research Centre, School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of New South Wales, Kensington, Sydney, Australia.,School of Psychology, University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia
| | - Mikhail V Kozlov
- Section of Ecology, Department of Biology, University of Turku, Finland
| | | | - Markus J Rantala
- Section of Ecology, Department of Biology, University of Turku, Finland.,Turku Brain and Mind Center, University of Turku, Finland
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222
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Hisasue SI. Contemporary perspective and management of testosterone deficiency: Modifiable factors and variable management. Int J Urol 2015; 22:1084-95. [DOI: 10.1111/iju.12880] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/05/2015] [Accepted: 06/16/2015] [Indexed: 01/10/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Shin-ichi Hisasue
- Department of Urology; Graduate School of Medicine; Juntendo University; Tokyo Japan
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223
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Butovskaya ML, Lazebny OE, Vasilyev VA, Dronova DA, Karelin DV, Mabulla AZP, Shibalev DV, Shackelford TK, Fink B, Ryskov AP. Androgen Receptor Gene Polymorphism, Aggression, and Reproduction in Tanzanian Foragers and Pastoralists. PLoS One 2015; 10:e0136208. [PMID: 26291982 PMCID: PMC4546275 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0136208] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/25/2015] [Accepted: 07/30/2015] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
The androgen receptor (AR) gene polymorphism in humans is linked to aggression and may also be linked to reproduction. Here we report associations between AR gene polymorphism and aggression and reproduction in two small-scale societies in northern Tanzania (Africa)--the Hadza (monogamous foragers) and the Datoga (polygynous pastoralists). We secured self-reports of aggression and assessed genetic polymorphism of the number of CAG repeats for the AR gene for 210 Hadza men and 229 Datoga men (aged 17-70 years). We conducted structural equation modeling to identify links between AR gene polymorphism, aggression, and number of children born, and included age and ethnicity as covariates. Fewer AR CAG repeats predicted greater aggression, and Datoga men reported more aggression than did Hadza men. In addition, aggression mediated the identified negative relationship between CAG repeats and number of children born.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marina L. Butovskaya
- Department of Cross-Cultural Psychology and Human Ethology, Institute of Ethnology and Anthropology, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, Russia
| | - Oleg E. Lazebny
- Department of Evolutionary and Developmental Genetics, Koltzov Institute of Developmental Biology, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, Russia
| | - Vasiliy A. Vasilyev
- Department of Genome Organization, Institute of Gene Biology, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, Russia
| | - Daria A. Dronova
- Department of Cross-Cultural Psychology and Human Ethology, Institute of Ethnology and Anthropology, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, Russia
| | | | - Audax Z. P. Mabulla
- Department of Archaeology, College of Arts and Social Sciences, University of Dar es Salaam, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania
| | - Dmitri V. Shibalev
- Department of Genome Organization, Institute of Gene Biology, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, Russia
| | - Todd K. Shackelford
- Department of Psychology, Oakland University, Rochester, Michigan, United States of America
| | - Bernhard Fink
- Institute of Psychology, University of Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Alexey P. Ryskov
- Department of Genome Organization, Institute of Gene Biology, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, Russia
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Gettler LT, McDade TW, Bragg JM, Feranil AB, Kuzawa CW. Developmental energetics, sibling death, and parental instability as predictors of maturational tempo and life history scheduling in males from Cebu, Philippines. AMERICAN JOURNAL OF PHYSICAL ANTHROPOLOGY 2015; 158:175-184. [DOI: 10.1002/ajpa.22783] [Citation(s) in RCA: 55] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/05/2015] [Revised: 05/20/2015] [Accepted: 05/21/2015] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Lee T. Gettler
- Department of Anthropology; University of Notre Dame; Notre Dame IN 46556
| | - Thomas W. McDade
- Department of Anthropology; Northwestern University; Evanston IL 60208
- Institute for Policy Research, Northwestern University; Evanston IL 60208
| | - Jared M. Bragg
- Department of Anthropology; Northwestern University; Evanston IL 60208
- Institute for Policy Research, Northwestern University; Evanston IL 60208
| | - Alan B. Feranil
- USC Office of Population Studies Foundation and Department of Anthropology, Sociology, and History, College of Arts and Sciences; University of San Carlos; Talamban Cebu City Philippines
| | - Christopher W. Kuzawa
- Department of Anthropology; Northwestern University; Evanston IL 60208
- Institute for Policy Research, Northwestern University; Evanston IL 60208
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Eagly AH, Wood W. The Nature-Nurture Debates: 25 Years of Challenges in Understanding the Psychology of Gender. PERSPECTIVES ON PSYCHOLOGICAL SCIENCE 2015; 8:340-57. [PMID: 26172976 DOI: 10.1177/1745691613484767] [Citation(s) in RCA: 114] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
Abstract
Nature-nurture debates continue to be highly contentious in the psychology of gender despite the common recognition that both types of causal explanations are important. In this article, we provide a historical analysis of the vicissitudes of nature and nurture explanations of sex differences and similarities during the quarter century since the founding of the Association for Psychological Science. We consider how the increasing use of meta-analysis helped to clarify sex difference findings if not the causal explanations for these effects. To illustrate these developments, this article describes socialization and preferences for mates as two important areas of gender research. We also highlight developing research trends that address the interactive processes by which nature and nurture work together in producing sex differences and similarities. Such theorizing holds the promise of better science as well as a more coherent account of the psychology of women and men that should prove to be more influential with the broader public.
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226
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Bogin B, Bragg J, Kuzawa C. Humans are not cooperative breeders but practice biocultural reproduction. Ann Hum Biol 2015; 41:368-80. [PMID: 24932750 DOI: 10.3109/03014460.2014.923938] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022]
Abstract
CONTEXT Alloparental care and feeding of young is often called "cooperative breeding" and humans are increasingly described as being a cooperative breeding species. OBJECTIVE To critically evaluate whether the human offspring care system is best grouped with that of other cooperative breeders. METHODS (1) Review of the human system of offspring care in the light of definitions of cooperative, communal and social breeding; (2) re-analysis of human lifetime reproductive effort. RESULTS Human reproduction and offspring care are distinct from other species because alloparental behaviour is defined culturally rather than by genetic kinship alone. This system allows local flexibility in provisioning strategies and ensures that care and resources often flow between unrelated individuals. This review proposes the term "biocultural reproduction" to describe this unique human reproductive system. In a re-analysis of human life history data, it is estimated that the intense alloparenting typical of human societies lowers the lifetime reproductive effort of individual women by 14-29% compared to expectations based upon other mammals. CONCLUSION Humans are not cooperative breeders as classically defined; one effect of the unique strategy of human biocultural reproduction is a lowering of human lifetime reproductive effort, which could help explain lifespan extension.
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Affiliation(s)
- Barry Bogin
- School of Sport, Exercise & Health Sciences, Loughborough University , Loughborough , UK and
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227
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Cong X, Ludington-Hoe SM, Hussain N, Cusson RM, Walsh S, Vazquez V, Briere CE, Vittner D. Parental oxytocin responses during skin-to-skin contact in pre-term infants. Early Hum Dev 2015; 91:401-6. [PMID: 25988992 DOI: 10.1016/j.earlhumdev.2015.04.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 91] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/24/2015] [Revised: 04/23/2015] [Accepted: 04/25/2015] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Maternal skin-to-skin contact (M-SSC) has been found to reduce adverse consequences of prematurity, however, its neurobiological mechanisms have been unknown. The purpose of the study was to examine oxytocin mechanism in modulating parental stress and anxiety during M-SSC and P-SSC (paternal SSC) with their pre-term infants. METHODS Twenty-eight stable pre-term infants and their parents (triads) were recruited in a 2-day cross-over study and 26 mothers and 19 fathers completed the study protocol. Each triad was randomly assigned to one of the two sequences: M-SSC was conducted on day-1 and P-SSC on day-2; and P-SSC on day-1 and M-SSC on day-2. Parents' saliva samples for oxytocin and cortisol assays and visual analog anxiety levels were collected pre-SSC, 30-min during-SSC, and 30-min post-SSC. RESULTS Both maternal and paternal oxytocin levels were significantly increased during-SSC from baseline. Maternal oxytocin dropped post-M-SSC, but paternal oxytocin continued to be maintained at a higher level during post-P-SSC. Both maternal and paternal cortisol levels significantly decreased during-SSC from baseline. Maternal cortisol continuously dropped post-M-SSC, but paternal cortisol increased post-P-SSC. Both mothers' and fathers' anxiety levels decreased during-SSC from baseline, and then increased post-SSC. Mother-father dyads also showed correlated or synchronized stress and anxiety responses in the NICU. CONCLUSION M-SSC and P-SSC activated the oxytocin release and reduced stress and anxiety responses in mothers and fathers of pre-term infants. PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS SSC plays a positive role in early post-partum period and patterns of maternal and paternal bio-behavioral responses to SSC with pre-term infants might be different.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaomei Cong
- University of Connecticut, School of Nursing, 231 Glenbrook Road U-4026, Storrs, CT 06269-4026, United States.
| | | | - Naveed Hussain
- Connecticut Children's Medical Center, University of Connecticut School of Medicine, United States.
| | - Regina M Cusson
- University of Connecticut, School of Nursing, 231 Glenbrook Road U-4026, Storrs, CT 06269-4026, United States.
| | - Stephen Walsh
- University of Connecticut, School of Nursing, 231 Glenbrook Road U-4026, Storrs, CT 06269-4026, United States.
| | - Victoria Vazquez
- University of Connecticut, School of Nursing, 231 Glenbrook Road U-4026, Storrs, CT 06269-4026, United States.
| | - Carrie-Ellen Briere
- Connecticut Children's Medical Center, University of Connecticut School of Nursing, United States.
| | - Dorothy Vittner
- University of Connecticut, School of Nursing, 231 Glenbrook Road U-4026, Storrs, CT 06269-4026, United States.
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228
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Alvarado LC, Muller MN, Emery Thompson M, Klimek M, Nenko I, Jasienska G. The Paternal Provisioning Hypothesis: effects of workload and testosterone production on men's musculature. AMERICAN JOURNAL OF PHYSICAL ANTHROPOLOGY 2015; 158:19-35. [PMID: 26123405 DOI: 10.1002/ajpa.22771] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/19/2014] [Revised: 05/11/2015] [Accepted: 05/14/2015] [Indexed: 01/30/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Testosterone supports male reproduction through a broad range of behavioral and physiological effects, including the maintenance of sexually dimorphic muscle used in male-male competition. Although it is often assumed that a persistent relationship exists between men's testosterone production and musculature, most studies either fail to find evidence for such a relationship, or document very weak associations. In nonhuman primates, by contrast, correlations between testosterone and muscle mass are higher. Here, we propose the "Paternal Provisioning Hypothesis," which predicts that men's skeletal muscle is less dependent on the effects of androgens than that of other primates, and more sensitive to the physical demands of men's work. This permits human fathers to downregulate testosterone, which has negative impacts on pair-bonding and parenting effort, but without sacrificing the strength and musculature necessary to provision mates and offspring. METHODS We tested predictions of the Paternal Provisioning Hypothesis by assessing parental status, salivary testosterone levels, anthropometry, and strength among 122 men (ages 18-78) at the Mogielica Human Ecology Study Site in rural Poland. We chose this population because men practice subsistence agriculture, regularly engaging in physically demanding labor. Grip and chest strength were assessed using a dynamometer, and upper-body musculature was estimated from arm muscle circumference. RESULTS In this population, testosterone showed no association with measures of strength or musculature, and was lower in older men and pair-bonded fathers. Marital and parental status and workload, by contrast, were positive predictors of muscle mass and strength measures. DISCUSSION These findings offer support for the Paternal Provisioning Hypothesis.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Martin N Muller
- Department of Anthropology, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, 87131, NM
| | | | - Magdalena Klimek
- Department of Environmental Health, Jagiellonian University, 31-007, Kraków, Poland
| | - Ilona Nenko
- Department of Environmental Health, Jagiellonian University, 31-007, Kraków, Poland
| | - Grazyna Jasienska
- Department of Environmental Health, Jagiellonian University, 31-007, Kraków, Poland
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229
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Nishiyama K, Oishi K, Saito A. Passersby attracted by infants and mothers' acceptance of their approaches: A proximate factor for human cooperative breeding. EVOLUTIONARY PSYCHOLOGY 2015; 13:470-91. [PMID: 26093216 PMCID: PMC10496484] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/02/2014] [Accepted: 04/23/2015] [Indexed: 06/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Humans have engaged in unique cooperative breeding insofar as multiple in-group members help mothers. Two psychological-proximate factors maintain such a breeding system--various individuals' interest in infants and mothers' positive reactions toward individuals approaching their infants--which we investigated in the present study. In Study 1, we conducted field observations to examine the first factor: what types of passersby in Japan reacted to the mother and infant. This replicated studies conducted in Western countries more than 30 years ago, allowing for the examination of the influence of culture and time. The results confirmed the differences among age groups in frequency of looking at mother and infant, and predicted its universality, especially the rise in older adults. The sex difference was not significant. In Study 2, we gathered data via questionnaires and interviews using hypothetical scenarios to investigate the second factor: how mothers felt when their infants were approached by strangers. The results revealed that mothers received strangers' approaches positively. The present study showed that humans engaged in unique cooperative breeding in the Environment of Evolutionary Adaptedness (EEA), where mothers in modern society see strangers as potential helpers as part of the EEA.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kumiko Nishiyama
- Department of Psychology, Rikkyo University, Saitama, Japan; Department of Evolutionary Studies of Biosystems, SOKENDAI (The Graduate University for Advanced Studies), Kanagawa, Japan
| | - Kouji Oishi
- Department of Psychology, Rikkyo University, Saitama, Japan
| | - Atsuko Saito
- Department of Cognitive and Behavioral Sciences, Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan; Department of Childhood Education, Musashino University, Tokyo, Japan
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230
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Feldman R. The adaptive human parental brain: implications for children's social development. Trends Neurosci 2015; 38:387-99. [DOI: 10.1016/j.tins.2015.04.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 180] [Impact Index Per Article: 20.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/05/2015] [Revised: 04/08/2015] [Accepted: 04/10/2015] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
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231
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Crespi BJ, Hurd PL. Genetically based correlates of serum oxytocin and testosterone in autism and schizotypy. PERSONALITY AND INDIVIDUAL DIFFERENCES 2015. [DOI: 10.1016/j.paid.2015.01.052] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/02/2023]
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232
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Puts DA, Pope LE, Hill AK, Cárdenas RA, Welling LLM, Wheatley JR, Marc Breedlove S. Fulfilling desire: evidence for negative feedback between men's testosterone, sociosexual psychology, and sexual partner number. Horm Behav 2015; 70:14-21. [PMID: 25644313 PMCID: PMC4409524 DOI: 10.1016/j.yhbeh.2015.01.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/01/2014] [Revised: 01/21/2015] [Accepted: 01/23/2015] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Abstract
Across human societies and many nonhuman animals, males have greater interest in uncommitted sex (more unrestricted sociosexuality) than do females. Testosterone shows positive associations with male-typical sociosexual behavior in nonhuman animals. Yet, it remains unclear whether the human sex difference in sociosexual psychology (attitudes and desires) is mediated by testosterone, whether any relationships between testosterone and sociosexuality differ between men and women, and what the nature of these possible relationships might be. In studies to resolve these questions, we examined relationships between salivary testosterone concentrations and sociosexual psychology and behavior in men and women. We measured testosterone in all men in our sample, but only in those women taking oral contraception (OC-using women) in order to reduce the influence of ovulatory cycle variation in ovarian hormone production. We found that OC-using women did not differ from normally-ovulating women in sociosexual psychology or behavior, but that circulating testosterone mediated the sex difference in human sociosexuality and predicted sociosexual psychology in men but not OC-using women. Moreover, when sociosexual psychology was controlled, men's sociosexual behavior (number of sexual partners) was negatively related to testosterone, suggesting that testosterone drives sociosexual psychology in men and is inhibited when those desires are fulfilled. This more complex relationship between androgens and male sexuality may reconcile some conflicting prior reports.
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Affiliation(s)
- David A Puts
- Department of Anthropology, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA; Center for Behavior, Brain, and Cognition, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA.
| | - Lauramarie E Pope
- Department of Anthropology, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA
| | - Alexander K Hill
- Department of Anthropology, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA
| | - Rodrigo A Cárdenas
- Department of Psychology, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA
| | - Lisa L M Welling
- Department of Anthropology, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA
| | - John R Wheatley
- Department of Anthropology, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA
| | - S Marc Breedlove
- Neuroscience Program, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824, USA
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233
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Does personality moderate the link between women’s testosterone and relationship status? The role of extraversion and sensation seeking. PERSONALITY AND INDIVIDUAL DIFFERENCES 2015. [DOI: 10.1016/j.paid.2014.12.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/20/2023]
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234
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Farrelly D, Owens R, Elliott HR, Walden HR, Wetherell MA. The effects of being in a "new relationship" on levels of testosterone in men. EVOLUTIONARY PSYCHOLOGY 2015; 13:250-61. [PMID: 25782185 PMCID: PMC10480995] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/21/2014] [Accepted: 12/19/2014] [Indexed: 06/04/2023] Open
Abstract
In light of previous research showing that different types of relationships affect levels of testosterone in men, this study examined whether categorizing relationship types according to relationship length can shed further light on variations in levels of testosterone. Salivary testosterone samples were obtained from a sample of men and details about their relationship status, sociosexual orientation, extra-pair sexual interest, and their perceptions of their relationships were recorded. Using a median split analysis, participants who indicated that they had been in their relationship for less than 12 months were categorized as being in "new relationships" and those in longer relationships being categorized as in long-term relationships. Results showed that levels of testosterone of single men and men in new relationships did not differ, but both had significantly greater levels of testosterone than men in long-term relationships. Differences in levels of testosterone were unrelated to sociosexual orientation and extra-pair sexual interest. These findings support the evolutionary explanation of levels of testosterone in men varying in accordance with their internal motivation to seek new potential mates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel Farrelly
- Department of Psychology, University of Sunderland, Sunderland, UK; Institute of Health and Society, University of Worcester, Worcester, UK
| | - Rebecca Owens
- Department of Psychology, University of Sunderland, Sunderland, UK
| | | | - Hannah R. Walden
- Biomedical and Biomolecular Research Centre, Northumbria University, Newcastle, UK
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235
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Barrett ES, Tran V, Thurston SW, Frydenberg H, Lipson SF, Thune I, Ellison PT. Women who are married or living as married have higher salivary estradiol and progesterone than unmarried women. Am J Hum Biol 2015; 27:501-7. [PMID: 25753399 DOI: 10.1002/ajhb.22676] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/04/2014] [Revised: 12/02/2014] [Accepted: 12/20/2014] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Extensive research has demonstrated that marriage and parenting are associated with lower testosterone levels in men, however, very little is known about associations with hormone concentrations in women. Two studies have found lower testosterone in relation to pair-bonding and motherhood in women, with several others suggesting that estradiol levels are lower among parous women than nulliparous women. Here, we examine estradiol and progesterone concentrations in relation to marriage and motherhood in naturally cycling, reproductive age women. METHODS In 185 Norwegian women, estradiol and progesterone concentrations were assayed from waking saliva samples collected daily over the course of a menstrual cycle. Cycles were aligned on day 0, the day of ovulation. Mean periovulatory estradiol (days -7 to +6) and luteal progesterone (day +2 to +10) indices were calculated. Marital status and motherhood (including age of youngest child) were reported in baseline questionnaires. Multivariable linear regression models were used to examine associations between ovarian hormones, marital status, and motherhood. RESULTS Women who were married or living as married had higher estradiol than unmarried women (β = 0.19; 95% CI: 0.02, 0.36) and higher luteal progesterone as well (β = 0.19; 95% CI: -0.01, 0.39). There were no notable differences in hormone levels in relationship to motherhood status. CONCLUSIONS Our results indicate that ovarian steroid hormones may be higher among women who are married or living as married, and suggest several possible explanations, however, additional research is needed to elucidate any causal relationships.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emily S Barrett
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry, Rochester, New York
| | - Van Tran
- Department of Biostatistics, University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry, Rochester, New York
| | - Sally W Thurston
- Department of Biostatistics, University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry, Rochester, New York
| | | | - Susan F Lipson
- Department of Human Evolutionary Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts
| | - Inger Thune
- The Cancer Center, Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway.,Department of Community Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Tromsø, Tromsø, Norway
| | - Peter T Ellison
- Department of Human Evolutionary Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts
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Intimate Relationships Then and Now: How Old Hormonal Processes are Influenced by Our Modern Psychology. ADAPTIVE HUMAN BEHAVIOR AND PHYSIOLOGY 2015. [DOI: 10.1007/s40750-015-0021-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/15/2023]
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237
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Mokkonen M, Crespi BJ. Genomic conflicts and sexual antagonism in human health: insights from oxytocin and testosterone. Evol Appl 2015; 8:307-25. [PMID: 25926877 PMCID: PMC4408143 DOI: 10.1111/eva.12244] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/07/2014] [Revised: 12/17/2014] [Accepted: 12/22/2014] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
We review the hypothesized and observed effects of two of the major forms of genomic conflicts, genomic imprinting and sexual antagonism, on human health. We focus on phenotypes mediated by peptide and steroid hormones (especially oxytocin and testosterone) because such hormones centrally mediate patterns of physical and behavioral resource allocation that underlie both forms of conflict. In early development, a suite of imprinted genes modulates the human oxytocinergic system as predicted from theory, with paternally inherited gene expression associated with higher oxytocin production, and increased solicitation to mothers by infants. This system is predicted to impact health through the incompatibility of paternal-gene and maternal-gene optima and increased vulnerability of imprinted gene systems to genetic and epigenetic changes. Early alterations to oxytocinergic systems have long-term negative impacts on human psychological health, especially through their effects on attachment and social behavior. In contrast to genomic imprinting, which generates maladaptation along an axis of mother–infant attachment, sexual antagonism is predicted from theory to generate maladaptation along an axis of sexual dimorphism, modulated by steroid and peptide hormones. We describe evidence of sexual antagonism from studies of humans and other animals, demonstrating that sexually antagonistic effects on sex-dimorphic phenotypes, including aspects of immunity, life history, psychology, and behavior, are commonly observed and lead to forms of maladaptation that are demonstrated, or expected, to impact human health. Recent epidemiological and psychiatric studies of schizophrenia in particular indicate that it is mediated, in part, by sexually antagonistic alleles. The primary implication of this review is that data collection focused on (i) effects of imprinted genes that modulate the oxytocin system, and (ii) effects of sexually antagonistic alleles on sex-dimorphic, disease-related phenotypes will lead to novel insights into both human health and the evolutionary dynamics of genomic conflicts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mikael Mokkonen
- Department of Biological Sciences, Simon Fraser University Burnaby, BC, Canada ; Department of Biological and Environmental Science, University of Jyväskylä Jyväskylä, Finland
| | - Bernard J Crespi
- Department of Biological Sciences, Simon Fraser University Burnaby, BC, Canada
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Crespi BJ. Oxytocin, testosterone, and human social cognition. Biol Rev Camb Philos Soc 2015; 91:390-408. [PMID: 25631363 DOI: 10.1111/brv.12175] [Citation(s) in RCA: 99] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/31/2014] [Revised: 12/15/2014] [Accepted: 12/19/2014] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
I describe an integrative social-evolutionary model for the adaptive significance of the human oxytocinergic system. The model is based on a role for this hormone in the generation and maintenance of social familiarity and affiliation across five homologous, functionally similar, and sequentially co-opted contexts: mothers with offspring, female and male mates, kin groups, individuals with reciprocity partners, and individuals within cooperating and competing social groups defined by culture. In each situation, oxytocin motivates, mediates and rewards the cognitive and behavioural processes that underlie the formation and dynamics of a more or less stable social group, and promotes a relationship between two or more individuals. Such relationships may be positive (eliciting neurological reward, reducing anxiety and thus indicating fitness-enhancing effects), or negative (increasing anxiety and distress, and thus motivating attempts to alleviate a problematic, fitness-reducing social situation). I also present evidence that testosterone exhibits opposite effects from oxytocin on diverse aspects of cognition and behaviour, most generally by favouring self-oriented, asocial and antisocial behaviours. I apply this model for effects of oxytocin and testosterone to understanding human psychological disorders centrally involving social behaviour. Reduced oxytocin and higher testosterone levels have been associated with under-developed social cognition, especially in autism. By contrast, some combination of oxytocin increased above normal levels, and lower testosterone, has been reported in a notable number of studies of schizophrenia, bipolar disorder and depression, and, in some cases, higher oxytocin involves maladaptively 'hyper-developed' social cognition in these conditions. This pattern of findings suggests that human social cognition and behaviour are structured, in part, by joint and opposing effects of oxytocin and testosterone, and that extremes of such joint effects partially mediate risks and phenotypes of autism and psychotic-affective conditions. These considerations have direct implications for the development of therapies for alleviating disorders of social cognition, and for understanding how such disorders are associated with the evolution of human cognitive-affective architecture.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bernard J Crespi
- Department of Biological Sciences, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, British Columbia V5A 1S6, Canada
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241
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Berenbaum SA, Beltz AM, Corley R. The importance of puberty for adolescent development: conceptualization and measurement. ADVANCES IN CHILD DEVELOPMENT AND BEHAVIOR 2015; 48:53-92. [PMID: 25735941 DOI: 10.1016/bs.acdb.2014.11.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 84] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
How and why are teenagers different from children and adults? A key question concerns the ways in which pubertal development shapes psychological changes in adolescence directly through changes to the brain and indirectly through the social environment. Empirical work linking pubertal development to adolescent psychological function draws from several different perspectives, often with varying approaches and a focus on different outcomes and mechanisms. The main themes concern effects of atypical pubertal timing on behavior problems during adolescence, effects of pubertal status (and associated hormones) on normative changes in behaviors that can facilitate or hinder development (especially risk-taking, social reorientation, and stress responsivity), and the role of puberty in triggering psychopathology in vulnerable individuals. There is also interest in understanding the ways in which changes in the brain reflect pubertal processes and underlie psychological development in adolescence. In this chapter, we consider the ways that puberty might affect adolescent psychological development, and why this is of importance to developmentalists. We describe the processes of pubertal development; summarize what is known about pubertal influences on adolescent development; consider the assumptions that underlie most work and the methodological issues that affect the interpretation of results; and propose research directions to help understand paths from puberty to behavior. Throughout, we emphasize the importance of pubertal change in all aspects of psychological development, and the ways in which puberty represents an opportunity to study the interplay of biological and social influences.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sheri A Berenbaum
- Department of Psychology, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania, USA; Department of Pediatrics, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania, USA.
| | - Adriene M Beltz
- Department of Psychology, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania, USA; Department of Human Development and Family Studies, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Robin Corley
- Institute for Behavioral Genetics, University of Colorado, Boulder, Colorado, USA
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242
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Uggla C, Mace R. Someone to live for: effects of partner and dependent children on preventable death in a population wide sample from Northern Ireland. EVOL HUM BEHAV 2015; 36:1-7. [PMID: 25593513 PMCID: PMC4286120 DOI: 10.1016/j.evolhumbehav.2014.07.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/20/2014] [Accepted: 07/22/2014] [Indexed: 01/30/2023]
Abstract
How to allocate resources between somatic maintenance and reproduction in a manner that maximizes inclusive fitness is a fundamental challenge for all organisms. Life history theory predicts that effort put into somatic maintenance (health) should vary with sex, mating and parenting status because men and women have different costs of reproduction, and because life transitions such as family formation alter the fitness payoffs from investing in current versus future reproduction. However, few tests of how such life history parameters influence behaviours closely linked to survival exist. Here we examine whether specific forms of preventable death (accidents/suicides, alcohol-related causes, and other preventable diseases) are predicted by marital status and dependent offspring in a modern developed context; that of Northern Ireland. We predict that men, non-partnered individuals and individuals who do not have dependent offspring will be at higher risk of preventable death. Running survival analyses on the entire adult population (aged 16-59, n = 927,134) controlling for socioeconomic position (SEP) and other potential confounds, we find that being single (compared to cohabiting/married) increases risk of accidental/suicide death for men (but not for women), whereas having dependent children is associated with lower risk of preventable mortality for women but less so for men. We also find that the protective effect of partners is larger for men with low SEP than for high SEP men. Findings support life history predictions and suggest that individuals respond to variation in fitness costs linked to their mating and parenting status.
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Affiliation(s)
- Caroline Uggla
- Department of Anthropology, University College London, UK
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243
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Farrelly D, Owens R, Elliott HR, Walden HR, Wetherell MA. The Effects of Being in a “New Relationship” on Levels of Testosterone in Men. EVOLUTIONARY PSYCHOLOGY 2015; 13:147470491501300116. [PMCID: PMC10480995 DOI: 10.1177/147470491501300116] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/21/2014] [Accepted: 12/19/2014] [Indexed: 11/03/2023] Open
Abstract
In light of previous research showing that different types of relationships affect levels of testosterone in men, this study examined whether categorizing relationship types according to relationship length can shed further light on variations in levels of testosterone. Salivary testosterone samples were obtained from a sample of men and details about their relationship status, sociosexual orientation, extra-pair sexual interest, and their perceptions of their relationships were recorded. Using a median split analysis, participants who indicated that they had been in their relationship for less than 12 months were categorized as being in “new relationships” and those in longer relationships being categorized as in long-term relationships. Results showed that levels of testosterone of single men and men in new relationships did not differ, but both had significantly greater levels of testosterone than men in long-term relationships. Differences in levels of testosterone were unrelated to sociosexual orientation and extra-pair sexual interest. These findings support the evolutionary explanation of levels of testosterone in men varying in accordance with their internal motivation to seek new potential mates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel Farrelly
- Department of Psychology, University of Sunderland, Sunderland, UK; Institute of Health and Society, University of Worcester, Worcester, UK
| | - Rebecca Owens
- Department of Psychology, University of Sunderland, Sunderland, UK
| | | | - Hannah R. Walden
- Biomedical and Biomolecular Research Centre, Northumbria University, Newcastle, UK
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244
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Hormonal effects on women's facial masculinity preferences: The influence of pregnancy, post-partum, and hormonal contraceptive use. Biol Psychol 2015; 104:35-40. [DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsycho.2014.11.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/08/2014] [Revised: 10/03/2014] [Accepted: 11/06/2014] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
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245
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Gettler LT, McDade TW, Agustin SS, Feranil AB, Kuzawa CW. Longitudinal Perspectives on Fathers’ Residence Status, Time Allocation, and Testosterone in the Philippines. ADAPTIVE HUMAN BEHAVIOR AND PHYSIOLOGY 2014. [DOI: 10.1007/s40750-014-0018-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
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246
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Prenatal hormones in first-time expectant parents: Longitudinal changes and within-couple correlations. Am J Hum Biol 2014; 27:317-25. [DOI: 10.1002/ajhb.22670] [Citation(s) in RCA: 56] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/29/2014] [Revised: 11/08/2014] [Accepted: 11/15/2014] [Indexed: 01/27/2023] Open
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247
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Meredith SL. Comparative perspectives on human gender development and evolution. AMERICAN JOURNAL OF PHYSICAL ANTHROPOLOGY 2014; 156 Suppl 59:72-97. [DOI: 10.1002/ajpa.22660] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
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248
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Abstract
Two-thirds of individuals with Alzheimer's disease (AD) are women, owing largely to the fact that women outlive men (https://www.alz.org/downloads/facts_figures_2012.pdf). Women's increased longevity, however, is not sufficient to explain the fact that women are 1.5 times more likely than men to develop the disease (Gao et al., 1998). After age 80, the incidence of AD is much higher in women than in men, such that the proportion of women with AD is almost twice the proportion of men with the disease (e.g., Zandi et al., 2002; Plassman et al., 2007). Moreover, once diagnosed with AD, women decline more rapidly, both cognitively and functionally, compared to men (Ito et al., 2011; Tschanz et al., 2011).
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249
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Neural and behavioral responses to attractiveness in adult and infant faces. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2014; 46 Pt 4:591-603. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2014.08.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 91] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2014] [Revised: 07/24/2014] [Accepted: 08/26/2014] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
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250
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Saltzman W, Ziegler TE. Functional significance of hormonal changes in mammalian fathers. J Neuroendocrinol 2014; 26:685-96. [PMID: 25039657 PMCID: PMC4995091 DOI: 10.1111/jne.12176] [Citation(s) in RCA: 87] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/15/2014] [Revised: 07/09/2014] [Accepted: 07/10/2014] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
Abstract
In the 5-10% of mammals in which both parents routinely provide infant care, fathers as well as mothers undergo systematic endocrine changes as they transition into parenthood. Although fatherhood-associated changes in such hormones and neuropeptides as prolactin, testosterone, glucocorticoids, vasopressin and oxytocin have been characterised in only a small number of biparental rodents and primates, they appear to be more variable than corresponding changes in mothers, and experimental studies typically have not provided strong or consistent evidence that these endocrine shifts play causal roles in the activation of paternal care. Consequently, their functional significance remains unclear. We propose that endocrine changes in mammalian fathers may enable males to meet the species-specific demands of fatherhood by influencing diverse aspects of their behaviour and physiology, similar to many effects of hormones and neuropeptides in mothers. We review the evidence for such effects, focusing on recent studies investigating whether mammalian fathers in biparental species undergo systematic changes in (i) energetics and body composition; (ii) neural plasticity, cognition and sensory physiology; and (iii) stress responsiveness and emotionality, all of which may be mediated by endocrine changes. The few published studies, based on a small number of rodent and primate species, suggest that hormonal and neuropeptide alterations in mammalian fathers might mediate shifts in paternal energy balance, body composition and neural plasticity, although they do not appear to have major effects on stress responsiveness or emotionality. Further research is needed on a wider variety of biparental mammals, under more naturalistic conditions, to more fully determine the functional significance of hormone and neuropeptide profiles of mammalian fatherhood and to clarify how fatherhood may trade off with (or perhaps enhance) aspects of organismal function in biparental mammals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wendy Saltzman
- Department of Biology, University of California, Riverside
| | - Toni E. Ziegler
- Wisconsin National Primate Research Center, University of Wisconsin – Madison
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