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Chen Y, Ge E, Zhou L, Du J, Mace R. Gender inequality in workloads explained by operational sex ratio. iScience 2024; 27:110063. [PMID: 38883828 PMCID: PMC11179575 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2024.110063] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/29/2023] [Revised: 03/16/2024] [Accepted: 05/17/2024] [Indexed: 06/18/2024] Open
Abstract
Ecological differences between human populations can affect the relative strength of sexual selection, and hence drive gender inequality. Here, we exploit the cultural diversity of southwestern China, where some village sex ratios are female-biased, in part due to a proportion of males entering monastic celibacy, to evaluate the role of sex ratio on the sexual division of labor. We used a detachable activity tracker to measure workload by step counts in both sexes among 561 individuals in 55 villages in six different areas. We show that a lower sex ratio and a higher prevalence of monasticism are associated with higher women's workloads and reduced men's workloads in the non-celibate population. As the operational sex ratio increases, gender inequality diminishes. This study offers valuable insights into the origins of gender disparities by examining the role of sex ratio on the sexual division of labor.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuan Chen
- Department of Anthropology, University College London, 14 Taviton Street, WC1H 0BW London, UK
- State Key Laboratory of Grassland and Agro-Ecosystems, College of Ecology, Lanzhou University, 222 Tianshui South Road, Lanzhou, Gansu Province 730000, P.R. China
| | - Erhao Ge
- Department of Anthropology, University College London, 14 Taviton Street, WC1H 0BW London, UK
- State Key Laboratory of Grassland and Agro-Ecosystems, College of Ecology, Lanzhou University, 222 Tianshui South Road, Lanzhou, Gansu Province 730000, P.R. China
| | - Liqiong Zhou
- State Key Laboratory of Grassland and Agro-Ecosystems, College of Ecology, Lanzhou University, 222 Tianshui South Road, Lanzhou, Gansu Province 730000, P.R. China
| | - Juan Du
- Department of Anthropology, University College London, 14 Taviton Street, WC1H 0BW London, UK
- State Key Laboratory of Grassland and Agro-Ecosystems, College of Ecology, Lanzhou University, 222 Tianshui South Road, Lanzhou, Gansu Province 730000, P.R. China
| | - Ruth Mace
- Department of Anthropology, University College London, 14 Taviton Street, WC1H 0BW London, UK
- Institute for Advanced Study in Toulouse, Université de Toulouse 1 Capitole, France
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2
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Scelza BA. The cuckoldry conundrum. Evol Anthropol 2024; 33:e22023. [PMID: 38340074 DOI: 10.1002/evan.22023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/30/2023] [Revised: 01/23/2024] [Accepted: 01/26/2024] [Indexed: 02/12/2024]
Abstract
Concerns about cuckoldry are a dominant theme in evolutionary studies of mating, frequently used to explain sex differences in reproductive strategies. However, studies in nonhuman species have shown that cuckoldry can be associated with important benefits. These insights have not been well integrated with the human literature, which continues to focus on anticuckoldry tactics and negative repercussions for men. I evaluate two key assumptions central to human models of cuckoldry: (1) men are being tricked into investing in nonbiological offspring and (2) investment in nonbiological offspring is wasted. The ethnographic data on fatherhood shows that the concepts of pater and genitor are complex and locally constructed ideas that often include explicit knowledge of extra-pair paternity, countering the idea that nonpaternity results from trickery. Furthermore, rather than being a "waste," paternity loss can be associated with important gains for men, helping to explain why men invest in nonbiological offspring.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brooke A Scelza
- Department of Anthropology, UCLA Anthropology, Los Angeles, CA, USA
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3
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Godoy I, Korsten P, Perry SE. Mother of all bonds: Influences on spatial association across the lifespan in capuchins. Dev Sci 2024:e13486. [PMID: 38414216 DOI: 10.1111/desc.13486] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/25/2023] [Revised: 12/22/2023] [Accepted: 01/08/2024] [Indexed: 02/29/2024]
Abstract
In humans, being more socially integrated is associated with better physical and mental health and/or with lower mortality. This link between sociality and health may have ancient roots: sociality also predicts survival or reproduction in other mammals, such as rats, dolphins, and non-human primates. A key question, therefore, is which factors influence the degree of sociality over the life course. Longitudinal data can provide valuable insight into how environmental variability drives individual differences in sociality and associated outcomes. The first year of life-when long-lived mammals are the most reliant on others for nourishment and protection-is likely to play an important role in how individuals learn to integrate into groups. Using behavioral, demographic, and pedigree information on 376 wild capuchin monkeys (Cebus imitator) across 20 years, we address how changes in group composition influence spatial association. We further try to determine the extent to which early maternal social environments have downstream effects on sociality across the juvenile and (sub)adult stages. We find a positive effect of early maternal spatial association, where female infants whose mothers spent more time around others also later spent more time around others as juveniles and subadults. Our results also highlight the importance of kin availability and other aspects of group composition (e.g., group size) in dynamically influencing spatial association across developmental stages. We bring attention to the importance of-and difficulty in-determining the social versus genetic influences that parents have on offspring phenotypes. RESEARCH HIGHLIGHTS: Having more maternal kin (mother and siblings) is associated with spending more time near others across developmental stages in both male and female capuchins. Having more offspring as a subadult or adult female is additionally associated with spending more time near others. A mother's average sociality (time near others) is predictive of how social her daughters (but not sons) become as juveniles and subadults (a between-mother effect). Additional variation within sibling sets in this same maternal phenotype is not predictive of how social they become later relative to each other (no within-mother effect).
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Affiliation(s)
- Irene Godoy
- Department of Animal Behaviour, Bielefeld University, Bielefeld, Germany
- Lomas Barbudal Monkey Project, Lomas Barbudal Biological Reserve, Guanacaste, Costa Rica
| | - Peter Korsten
- Department of Life Sciences, Aberystwyth University, Aberystwyth, UK
| | - Susan E Perry
- Lomas Barbudal Monkey Project, Lomas Barbudal Biological Reserve, Guanacaste, Costa Rica
- Department of Anthropology, University of California, Los Angeles, California, USA
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4
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Hagen RV, Scelza BA. Sex ratios and gender norms: why both are needed to understand sexual conflict in humans. EVOLUTIONARY HUMAN SCIENCES 2024; 6:e10. [PMID: 38414809 PMCID: PMC10897493 DOI: 10.1017/ehs.2024.3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/14/2023] [Revised: 12/26/2023] [Accepted: 12/28/2023] [Indexed: 02/29/2024] Open
Abstract
Sexual conflict theory has been successfully applied to predict how in non-human animal populations, sex ratios can lead to conflicting reproductive interests of females and males and affect their bargaining positions in resolving such conflicts of interests. Recently this theory has been extended to understand the resolution of sexual conflict in humans, but with mixed success. We argue that an underappreciation of the complex relationship between gender norms and sex ratios has hampered a successful understanding of sexual conflict in humans. In this paper, we review and expand upon existing theory to increase its applicability to humans, where gender norms regulate sex ratio effects on sexual conflict. Gender norms constrain who is on the marriage market and how they are valued, and may affect reproductive decision-making power. Gender norms can also directly affect sex ratios, and we hypothesize that they structure how individuals respond to market value gained or lost through biased sex ratios. Importantly, gender norms are in part a product of women's and men's sometimes conflicting reproductive interests, but these norms are also subject to other evolutionary processes. An integration of sexual conflict theory and cultural evolutionary theory is required to allow for a full understanding of sexual conflict in humans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Renée V Hagen
- Department of Anthropology, University of California, Los Angeles. United States of America
| | - Brooke A Scelza
- Department of Anthropology, University of California, Los Angeles. United States of America
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5
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Uggla C, Saarela J. First Partner Choice in a Native Minority: The Role of Own and Parental Ethnolinguistic Affiliation. EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF POPULATION = REVUE EUROPEENNE DE DEMOGRAPHIE 2024; 40:3. [PMID: 38227147 DOI: 10.1007/s10680-023-09683-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/09/2022] [Accepted: 10/16/2023] [Indexed: 01/17/2024]
Abstract
Despite increasing diversity within many societies, ethnically endogamous unions remain common. In contexts where one ethnic minority has lived alongside the majority for centuries, understanding who partners with whom is central to understanding how ethnic boundaries are maintained or dissolved. This study examines the role of own and parental ethnolinguistic affiliation for the first partner choice in Finland. We provide a unique test of the relevance of ethnic endogamy across two generations, in a context where both groups are native, but one (Finnish speakers) overwhelmingly outnumbers the other (Swedish speakers). Using register data on the total population, we examine how a person's ethnolinguistic affiliation and background affect the choice of the first cohabiting partner in terms of the partner's ethnolinguistic affiliation and background. We apply discrete-time competing risk models for men and women born 1970-1983. Results indicate that Swedish-registered individuals with two Swedish-registered parents are, by far, the most likely to partner with another Swedish-registered person with endogamous background. Partnering with a Swedish-registered person with exogamous background is most likely among individuals who themselves come from mixed unions. Patterns are remarkably consistent across gender, and adjustments for education and residential area only marginally alter the results.
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Affiliation(s)
- Caroline Uggla
- Demography Unit, Department of Sociology, Stockholm Univeristy, Stockholm, Sweden.
- Åbo Akademi, Vasa, Finland.
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6
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Lawson DW, Alami S, Somefun OD. Gendered conflict in the human family. EVOLUTIONARY HUMAN SCIENCES 2023; 5:e12. [PMID: 37587929 PMCID: PMC10426121 DOI: 10.1017/ehs.2023.8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/30/2023] [Accepted: 04/02/2023] [Indexed: 08/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Sexual conflict is a thriving area of animal behaviour research. Yet parallel research in the evolutionary human sciences remains underdeveloped and has become mired by controversy. In this special collection, we aim to invigorate the study of fitness-relevant conflicts between women and men, advocating for three synergistic research priorities. First, we argue that a commitment to diversity is required to innovate the field, achieve ethical research practice, and foster fruitful dialogue with neighbouring social sciences. Accordingly, we have prioritised issues of diversity as editors, aiming to stimulate new connections and perspectives. Second, we call for greater recognition that human sex/gender roles and accompanying conflict behaviours are both subject to natural selection and culturally determined. This motivates our shift in terminology from sexual to gendered conflict when addressing human behaviour, countering stubborn tendencies to essentialise differences between women and men and directing attention to the role of cultural practices, normative sanctions and social learning in structuring conflict battlegrounds. Finally, we draw attention to contemporary policy concerns, including the wellbeing consequences of marriage practices and the gendered implications of market integration. Focus on these themes, combined with attendance to the dangers of ethnocentrism, promises to inform culturally sensitive interventions promoting gender equality worldwide.
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Affiliation(s)
- David W Lawson
- Department of Anthropology, University of California Santa Barbara, USA
| | - Sarah Alami
- The School of Collective Intelligence, Mohammed VI Polytechnic University, Morocco
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7
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Schacht R, Beissinger SR, Wedekind C, Jennions MD, Geffroy B, Liker A, Kappeler PM, Weissing FJ, Kramer KL, Hesketh T, Boissier J, Uggla C, Hollingshaus M, Székely T. Adult sex ratios: causes of variation and implications for animal and human societies. Commun Biol 2022; 5:1273. [PMID: 36402823 PMCID: PMC9675760 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-022-04223-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/13/2022] [Accepted: 11/03/2022] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Converging lines of inquiry from across the social and biological sciences target the adult sex ratio (ASR; the proportion of males in the adult population) as a fundamental population-level determinant of behavior. The ASR, which indicates the relative number of potential mates to competitors in a population, frames the selective arena for competition, mate choice, and social interactions. Here we review a growing literature, focusing on methodological developments that sharpen knowledge of the demographic variables underlying ASR variation, experiments that enhance understanding of the consequences of ASR imbalance across societies, and phylogenetic analyses that provide novel insights into social evolution. We additionally highlight areas where research advances are expected to make accelerating contributions across the social sciences, evolutionary biology, and biodiversity conservation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ryan Schacht
- grid.255364.30000 0001 2191 0423Department of Anthropology, East Carolina University, Greenville, NC USA
| | - Steven R. Beissinger
- grid.47840.3f0000 0001 2181 7878Department of Environmental Science, Policy and Management and Museum of Vertebrate Zoology, University of California, Berkeley, CA 94720 USA
| | - Claus Wedekind
- grid.9851.50000 0001 2165 4204Department of Ecology and Evolution, University of Lausanne, 1015 Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Michael D. Jennions
- grid.1001.00000 0001 2180 7477Ecology & Evolution, Research School of Biology, The Australian National University, Acton, Canberra 2601 Australia
| | - Benjamin Geffroy
- MARBEC Univ Montpellier, CNRS, Ifremer, IRD, Montpellier, France
| | - András Liker
- grid.7336.10000 0001 0203 5854ELKH-PE Evolutionary Ecology Research Group, University of Pannonia, 8210 Veszprém, Hungary ,grid.7336.10000 0001 0203 5854Behavioural Ecology Research Group, Center for Natural Sciences, University of Pannonia, 8210 Veszprém, Hungary
| | - Peter M. Kappeler
- grid.418215.b0000 0000 8502 7018Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology Unit, German Primate Center, Leibniz Institute of Primate Biology, 37077 Göttingen, Germany ,grid.7450.60000 0001 2364 4210Department of Sociobiology/Anthropology, University of Göttingen, 37077 Göttingen, Germany
| | - Franz J. Weissing
- grid.4830.f0000 0004 0407 1981Groningen Institute for Evolutionary Life Sciences, University of Groningen, 9747 AG Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Karen L. Kramer
- grid.223827.e0000 0001 2193 0096Department of Anthropology, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT USA
| | - Therese Hesketh
- grid.83440.3b0000000121901201Institute of Global Health, University College London, London, UK ,grid.13402.340000 0004 1759 700XCentre for Global Health, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, P.R. China
| | - Jérôme Boissier
- grid.4444.00000 0001 2112 9282IHPE Univ Perpignan Via Domitia, CNRS, Ifremer, Univ Montpellier, Perpignan, France
| | - Caroline Uggla
- grid.10548.380000 0004 1936 9377Stockholm University Demography Unit, Sociology Department, Stockholm University, 106 91 Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Mike Hollingshaus
- grid.223827.e0000 0001 2193 0096Kem C. Gardner Policy Institute, David Eccles School of Business, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT USA
| | - Tamás Székely
- grid.7340.00000 0001 2162 1699Milner Centre for Evolution, University of Bath, Bath, BA2 7AY UK ,grid.7122.60000 0001 1088 8582ELKH-DE Reproductive Strategies Research Group, Department of Zoology and Human Biology, University of Debrecen, H-4032 Debrecen, Hungary
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8
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Filser A, Willführ KP. Sex ratios and union formation in the historical population of the St. Lawrence Valley. PLoS One 2022; 17:e0268039. [PMID: 35675315 PMCID: PMC9176776 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0268039] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/06/2021] [Accepted: 04/20/2022] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
The ratio of men and women in the adult population, i.e. sex ratio, has long been recognized as a key demographic constraint for partnering behavior. However, the literature remains contradictory on how sex ratio imbalances influence partnering behavior, suggesting either higher or lower rates of male marriage being associated with male-skewed sex ratios. These contradictory findings are likely due to data limitations. Cross-sectional data or limited observation periods preclude studies from distinguishing sex ratio effects on timing from effects on the overall likelihood of marriage. In this paper, we use historical family reconstitution data to study the association of sex ratios with marriage patterns in the French colony of the St. Lawrence Valley in North America (1680–1750). The population experienced a substantial male-skew from sex-selective immigration during the early period of the colony. The long-running observation period allow for differentiating the timing and overall likelihood of marriage. Finally, the data enable us to study the effects of male-skews on the population-level as well as the regional and parish level. Cox proportional hazard models reveal that while male-skewed sex ratios are associated earlier marriage for women, the association with men’s marital biographies is less clear-cut. We find that men marry later when sex ratios are more male-skewed, yet we do not find a substantial reduction in the overall likelihood of marriage for men. Our findings reveal that male-skewed sex ratios do not necessarily result in an increase of never married men. We discuss the implications of our findings for the sex ratio literature.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andreas Filser
- Institute for Social Sciences, University of Oldenburg, Oldenburg, Germany
- Institute for Employment Research, Nuremberg, Germany
- * E-mail:
| | - Kai P. Willführ
- Institute for Social Sciences, University of Oldenburg, Oldenburg, Germany
- Center for Economic Demography, Department of Economic History, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
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9
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Salas-Rodríguez J, Gómez-Jacinto L, Hombrados-Mendieta I, Del Pino-Brunet N. Too Many Males or Too Many Females? Classroom Sex Ratio, Life History Strategies and Risk-Taking Behaviors. J Youth Adolesc 2022; 51:2033-2045. [PMID: 35648260 PMCID: PMC9363336 DOI: 10.1007/s10964-022-01635-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/29/2022] [Accepted: 05/18/2022] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
Prior research finds that sex ratio, defined as the proportion of males and females in a given context, is related to engagement in risk-taking behaviors. However, most research operationalizes sex ratio at a local context (e.g., regional or county), which fails to reflect with precision the sex ratios contexts of individuals at a closer level. Furthermore, the relationship between sex ratio and risk-taking behaviors may be affected by individuals’ life history strategy, with previous studies showing fast life history strategies linked to risk-taking behaviors, compared to slow life history strategies. The present study analyzes the relationship between classroom sex ratio and risk-taking behaviors and the interaction between classroom sex ratio and life history strategy in adolescents. The sample comprised 1214 participants nested in 57 classrooms, 49.75% females, 91.5% Spanish and a mean age of 16.15 years (SD = 1.23, range 14–21). Results from multilevel modeling showed a negative relation between classroom sex ratio and risk-taking behaviors in female adolescents with faster life history strategy. By contrast, classroom sex ratio in male adolescents related positively to risk-taking behaviors but did not interact with life history strategy. These findings underscore the importance of studying proximate sex ratio on risk-taking behaviors in adolescents and underline its potential influence in the development and expression of life history strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Javier Salas-Rodríguez
- Department of Social Psychology, Social Work and Social Services, and Social Anthropology, University of Málaga, Málaga, Spain.
| | - Luis Gómez-Jacinto
- Department of Social Psychology, Social Work and Social Services, and Social Anthropology, University of Málaga, Málaga, Spain
| | - Isabel Hombrados-Mendieta
- Department of Social Psychology, Social Work and Social Services, and Social Anthropology, University of Málaga, Málaga, Spain
| | - Natalia Del Pino-Brunet
- Department of Social Psychology, Social Work and Social Services, and Social Anthropology, University of Málaga, Málaga, Spain
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10
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Zhu Y, Yi C. The role of gender imbalance perceptions, risk preference, and age in the effect of mating motives on mating standards: A moderated mediation model. CURRENT PSYCHOLOGY 2022. [DOI: 10.1007/s12144-021-01479-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
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11
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Međedović J. Phenotypic Signals of Sexual Selection and Fast Life History Dynamics for the Long-Term but Not Short-Term Mating. EVOLUTIONARY PSYCHOLOGY 2021; 19:14747049211057158. [PMID: 34841944 PMCID: PMC10461799 DOI: 10.1177/14747049211057158] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/14/2021] [Revised: 09/11/2021] [Accepted: 10/15/2021] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Mating patterns are crucial for understanding selection regimes in current populations and highly implicative for sexual selection and life history theory. However, empirical data on the relations between mating and reproductive outcomes in contemporary humans are lacking. In the present research we examined the sexual selection on mating (with an emphasis on Bateman's third parameter - the association between mating and reproductive success) and life history dynamics of mating by examining the relations between mating patterns and a comprehensive set of variables which determine human reproductive ecology. We conducted two studies (Study 1: N = 398, Study 2: N = 996, the sample was representative for participants' sex, age, region, and settlement size). The findings from these studies were mutually congruent and complementary. In general, the data suggested that short-term mating was unrelated or even negatively related to reproductive success. Conversely, long-term mating was positively associated with reproductive success (number of children in Study 1; number of children and grandchildren in Study 2) and there were indices that the beneficial role of long-term mating is more pronounced in males, which is in accordance with Bateman's third principle. Observed age of first reproduction mediated the link between long-term mating and number of children but only in male participants (Study 2). There were no clear indications of the position of the mating patterns in human life history trajectories; however, the obtained data suggested that long-term mating has some characteristics of fast life history dynamics. Findings are implicative for sexual selection and life history theory in humans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Janko Međedović
- Institute of Criminological and Sociological
Research, Belgrade, Serbia
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12
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Walter KV, Conroy-Beam D, Buss DM, Asao K, Sorokowska A, Sorokowski P, Aavik T, Akello G, Alhabahba MM, Alm C, Amjad N, Anjum A, Atama CS, Duyar DA, Ayebare R, Batres C, Bendixen M, Bensafia A, Bizumic B, Boussena M, Butovskaya M, Can S, Cantarero K, Carrier A, Cetinkaya H, Croy I, Cueto RM, Czub M, Dronova D, Dural S, Duyar I, Ertugrul B, Espinosa A, Estevan I, Esteves CS, Fang L, Frackowiak T, Garduño JC, González KU, Guemaz F, Gyuris P, Halamová M, Herak I, Horvat M, Hromatko I, Hui CM, Jaafar JL, Jiang F, Kafetsios K, Kavčič T, Kennair LEO, Kervyn N, Khanh Ha TT, Khilji IA, Köbis NC, Lan HM, Láng A, Lennard GR, León E, Lindholm T, Linh TT, Lopez G, Luot NV, Mailhos A, Manesi Z, Martinez R, McKerchar SL, Meskó N, Misra G, Monaghan C, Mora EC, Moya-Garófano A, Musil B, Natividade JC, Niemczyk A, Nizharadze G, Oberzaucher E, Oleszkiewicz A, Omar-Fauzee MS, Onyishi IE, Özener B, Pagani AF, Pakalniskiene V, Parise M, Pazhoohi F, Pisanski A, Pisanski K, Ponciano E, Popa C, Prokop P, Rizwan M, Sainz M, Salkičević S, Sargautyte R, Sarmány-Schuller I, Schmehl S, Sharad S, Siddiqui RS, Simonetti F, Stoyanova SY, Tadinac M, Correa Varella MA, Vauclair CM, Vega LD, Widarini DA, Yoo G, Zaťková MM, Zupančič M. Sex differences in human mate preferences vary across sex ratios. Proc Biol Sci 2021; 288:20211115. [PMID: 34284630 PMCID: PMC8292757 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2021.1115] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/07/2020] [Accepted: 06/28/2021] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
A wide range of literature connects sex ratio and mating behaviours in non-human animals. However, research examining sex ratio and human mating is limited in scope. Prior work has examined the relationship between sex ratio and desire for short-term, uncommitted mating as well as outcomes such as marriage and divorce rates. Less empirical attention has been directed towards the relationship between sex ratio and mate preferences, despite the importance of mate preferences in the human mating literature. To address this gap, we examined sex ratio's relationship to the variation in preferences for attractiveness, resources, kindness, intelligence and health in a long-term mate across 45 countries (n = 14 487). We predicted that mate preferences would vary according to relative power of choice on the mating market, with increased power derived from having relatively few competitors and numerous potential mates. We found that each sex tended to report more demanding preferences for attractiveness and resources where the opposite sex was abundant, compared to where the opposite sex was scarce. This pattern dovetails with those found for mating strategies in humans and mate preferences across species, highlighting the importance of sex ratio for understanding variation in human mate preferences.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kathryn V. Walter
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, University of California, Santa Barbara, CA 93106, USA
| | - Daniel Conroy-Beam
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, University of California, Santa Barbara, CA 93106, USA
| | - David M. Buss
- Department of Psychology, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712, USA
| | - Kelly Asao
- Department of Psychology, Westminster College, Salt Lake City, UT 84105, USA
| | - Agnieszka Sorokowska
- Institute of Psychology, University of Wroclaw, Wroclaw 50137, Poland
- Smell and Taste Clinic, Department of Otorhinolaryngology, TU Dresden, Dresden 01307, Germany
| | - Piotr Sorokowski
- Institute of Psychology, University of Wroclaw, Wroclaw 50137, Poland
| | - Toivo Aavik
- Institute of Psychology, University of Tartu, Tartu 50090, Estonia
| | - Grace Akello
- Department of Mental Health, Faculty of Medicine, Gulu University, Gulu 166, Uganda
| | | | - Charlotte Alm
- Department of Psychology, Stockholm University, Stockholm 10691, Sweden
| | - Naumana Amjad
- Department of Applied Psychology, NUR International University, Lahore, Pakistan
| | - Afifa Anjum
- Institute of Applied Psychology, University of the Punjab, Lahore 54590, Pakistan
| | | | | | | | - Carlota Batres
- Department of Psychology, Franklin and Marshall College, Lancaster 17603, USA
| | - Mons Bendixen
- Department of Psychology, Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU), 7491 Trondheim, Norway
| | - Aicha Bensafia
- Laboratory Education-Formation-Travail (EFORT), Department of Sociology, and
| | - Boris Bizumic
- Research School of Psychology, Australian National University, Canberra 2601, Australia
| | - Mahmoud Boussena
- Laboratory EFORT, Department of Psychology and Educational Sciences, University of Algiers 2, Algiers 16000, Algeria
| | - Marina Butovskaya
- Institute of Ethnology and Anthropology, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow 119991, Russia
- Center for Social Anthropology, Russian State University for the Humanities, Moscow 119991, Russia
| | - Seda Can
- Department of Psychology, Izmir University of Economics, Izmir 35300, Turkey
| | - Katarzyna Cantarero
- Social Behavior Research Center, Faculty in Wroclaw, SWPS University of Social Sciences and Humanities, Wroclaw 53238, Poland
| | - Antonin Carrier
- Psychology Faculty (Center for the Study of Social Behavior), and
| | - Hakan Cetinkaya
- Department of Psychology, Ankara University, Ankara 6560, Turkey
| | - Ilona Croy
- Department of Psychotherapy and Psychosomatic Medicine, TU Dresden, Dresden 1069, Germany
| | - Rosa María Cueto
- Grupo de Psicología Política y Social (GPPS), Departamento de Psicología, Pontificia Universidad Católica del Perú, Lima 15088, Perú
| | - Marcin Czub
- Department of Psychology, Westminster College, Salt Lake City, UT 84105, USA
| | - Daria Dronova
- Institute of Ethnology and Anthropology, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow 119991, Russia
| | - Seda Dural
- Department of Psychology, Izmir University of Economics, Izmir 35300, Turkey
| | - Izzet Duyar
- Deparment of Anthropology, Istanbul University, Istanbul 34452, Turkey
| | - Berna Ertugrul
- Deparment of Anthropology, Istanbul University, Istanbul 34452, Turkey
| | - Agustín Espinosa
- Grupo de Psicología Política y Social (GPPS), Departamento de Psicología, Pontificia Universidad Católica del Perú, Lima 15088, Perú
| | - Ignacio Estevan
- Facultad de Psicología, Universidad de la República, Motevideo 11200, Uruguay
| | - Carla Sofia Esteves
- Universidade Católica Portuguesa, Católica Lisbon School of Business and Economics, Católica Lisbon Research Unit in Business and Economics, Portugal
| | - Luxi Fang
- Department of Psychology, Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, People's Republic of China
| | - Tomasz Frackowiak
- Institute of Psychology, University of Wroclaw, Wroclaw 50137, Poland
| | | | | | - Farida Guemaz
- Department of Psychology and Educational Sciences, University of Sétif2, Sétif 16000, Algeria
| | - Petra Gyuris
- Institute of Psychology, University of Pécs, Pécs 7624, Hungary
| | - Mária Halamová
- Faculty of Social Sciences and Health Care, Department of Psychological Sciences, Constantine the Philosopher University in Nitra, Nitra 94974, Slovakia
| | - Iskra Herak
- Louvain Research Institute in Management and Organisations (LOURiM), Université Catholique de Louvain, Louvain-la-Neuve 1348, Belgium
| | - Marina Horvat
- Faculty of Arts, Department of Psychology, University of Maribor, Maribor 2000, Slovenia
| | - Ivana Hromatko
- Department of Psychology, Faculty for Humanities and Social Sciences, University of Zagreb, Zagreb 10000, Croatia
| | - Chin-Ming Hui
- Escuela Nacional de Estudios Superiores, Unidad Morelia UNAM, Morelia 58190, Mexico
| | - Jas Laile Jaafar
- Department of Educational Psychology and Counseling, University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur 50603, Malaysia
| | - Feng Jiang
- Organization and Human Resource Management, Central University of Finance and Economics, Beijing 102202, People's Republic of China
| | - Konstantinos Kafetsios
- School of Fine Arts, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Greece and Katedra Psychologie, Palacký University Olomouc, Czech Republic
| | | | | | - Nicolas Kervyn
- Louvain Research Institute in Management and Organisations (LOURiM), Université Catholique de Louvain, Louvain-la-Neuve 1348, Belgium
| | - Truong Thi Khanh Ha
- Department of Psychology, University of Social Sciences and Humanities, Vietnam National University, Hanoi 100000, Vietnam
| | - Imran Ahmed Khilji
- Department of Psychology, Islamabad Model College for Boys, F-10/4, Islamabad 44000, Pakistan
| | - Nils C. Köbis
- Center for Research in Experimental Economics and Political Decision Making, Department of Economics, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam 1081, The Netherlands
| | - Hoang Moc Lan
- Department of Psychology, University of Social Sciences and Humanities, Vietnam National University, Hanoi 100000, Vietnam
| | - András Láng
- Institute of Psychology, University of Pécs, Pécs 7624, Hungary
| | - Georgina R. Lennard
- Research School of Psychology, Australian National University, Canberra 2601, Australia
| | - Ernesto León
- Grupo de Psicología Política y Social (GPPS), Departamento de Psicología, Pontificia Universidad Católica del Perú, Lima 15088, Perú
| | - Torun Lindholm
- Department of Psychology, Stockholm University, Stockholm 10691, Sweden
| | - Trinh Thi Linh
- Department of Psychology, University of Social Sciences and Humanities, Vietnam National University, Hanoi 100000, Vietnam
| | - Giulia Lopez
- Department of Psychology, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Milan 20123, Italy
| | - Nguyen Van Luot
- Department of Psychology, University of Social Sciences and Humanities, Vietnam National University, Hanoi 100000, Vietnam
| | - Alvaro Mailhos
- Facultad de Psicología, Universidad de la República, Motevideo 11200, Uruguay
| | - Zoi Manesi
- Department of Experimental and Applied Psychology, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam 1081, The Netherlands
| | - Rocio Martinez
- Department of Social Psychology, University of Granada, Grenada 18010, Spain
| | - Sarah L. McKerchar
- Research School of Psychology, Australian National University, Canberra 2601, Australia
| | - Norbert Meskó
- Institute of Psychology, University of Pécs, Pécs 7624, Hungary
| | - Girishwar Misra
- Department of Psychology, University of Delhi, Delhi 110021, India
| | - Conal Monaghan
- Research School of Psychology, Australian National University, Canberra 2601, Australia
| | - Emanuel C. Mora
- Department of Animal and Human Biology, Faculty of Biology, University of Havana, Havana, Cuba
| | - Alba Moya-Garófano
- Department of Psychology, Islamabad Model College for Boys, F-10/4, Islamabad 44000, Pakistan
| | - Bojan Musil
- Faculty of Arts, Department of Psychology, University of Maribor, Maribor 2000, Slovenia
| | - Jean Carlos Natividade
- Department of Psychology, Pontifical Catholic University of Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro 22451-000, Brazil
| | | | - George Nizharadze
- Department of Social Sciences, Free University of Tbilisi, Tbilisi 2, Georgia
| | | | - Anna Oleszkiewicz
- Institute of Psychology, University of Wroclaw, Wroclaw 50137, Poland
- Smell and Taste Clinic, Department of Otorhinolaryngology, TU Dresden, Dresden 01307, Germany
| | | | - Ike E. Onyishi
- Department of Psychology, University of Nigeria, Nsukka 410002, Nigeria
| | - Baris Özener
- Deparment of Anthropology, Istanbul University, Istanbul 34452, Turkey
| | | | | | - Miriam Parise
- Department of Psychology, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Milan 20123, Italy
| | - Farid Pazhoohi
- Department of Psychology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada V6T 1Z4
| | - Annette Pisanski
- Department of Animal and Human Biology, Faculty of Biology, University of Havana, Havana, Cuba
| | - Katarzyna Pisanski
- Institute of Psychology, University of Wroclaw, Wroclaw 50137, Poland
- Equipe de Neuro-Ethologie Sensorielle (ENES), Centre de Recherche en Neurosciences de Lyon (CRNL), Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Jean Monnet University, Saint-Etienne, France
- CNRS National Center for Scientific Research, Dynamic Language Laboratory, University Lyon 2, Lyon, France
| | - Edna Ponciano
- Institute of Psychology, University of the State of Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro 21941-901, Brazil
- Center of Social Studies, University of Coimbra, 3004 Coimba, Portugal
| | - Camelia Popa
- Department of Psychology—Institute of Philosophy and Psychology “C. Rădulescu Motru” of Romanian Academy, UNATC Bucharest, Bucharest, Romania
| | - Pavol Prokop
- Department of Environmental Ecology and Landscape Management, Faculty of Natural Sciences, Comenius University, Bratislava 84215, Slovakia
- Institute of Zoology, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Bratislava 84506, Slovakia
| | - Muhammad Rizwan
- Department of Psychology, University of Haripur, 22620, Pakistan
| | - Mario Sainz
- Escuela de Psicología, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago 8331150, Chile
| | - Svjetlana Salkičević
- Department of Psychology, Faculty for Humanities and Social Sciences, University of Zagreb, Zagreb 10000, Croatia
| | - Ruta Sargautyte
- Institute of Psychology, Vilnius University, Vilnius 1513, Lithuania
| | - Ivan Sarmány-Schuller
- Center for Social and Psychological Sciences, Institute of Experimental Psychology SAS, Bratislava, 84104, Slovakia
| | - Susanne Schmehl
- Faculty of Life Sciences, University of Vienna, Vienna 1090, Austria
| | - Shivantika Sharad
- Department of Applied Psychology, Vivekananda College, University of Delhi, Delhi 110095, India
| | - Razi Sultan Siddiqui
- Department of Management Sciences, DHA Suffa University, Karachi 75500, Pakistan
| | - Franco Simonetti
- School of Psychology, Pontificia Universidad Catolica de Chile, Santiago 8331150, Chile
| | | | - Meri Tadinac
- Department of Psychology, Faculty for Humanities and Social Sciences, University of Zagreb, Zagreb 10000, Croatia
| | - Marco Antonio Correa Varella
- Department of Experimental Psychology, Institute of Psychology, University of São Paulo, São Paulo 05508-030, Brazil
| | | | - Luis Diego Vega
- Department of Psychology and Educational Sciences, University of Sétif2, Sétif 16000, Algeria
| | - Dwi Ajeng Widarini
- Fakultas Ilmu Komunikasi, Universitas Prof. Dr Moestopo (Beragama), Jakarta 10270, Indonesia
| | - Gyesook Yoo
- Department of Child and Family Studies, Kyung Hee University, Seoul 024-47, Republic of Korea
| | - Marta Marta Zaťková
- Department of Psychology and Educational Sciences, University of Sétif2, Sétif 16000, Algeria
| | - Maja Zupančič
- Department of Psychology, Faculty of Arts, University of Ljubljana, Ljubljana 1000, Slovenia
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13
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Filser A, Preetz R. Do Local Sex Ratios Approximate Subjective Partner Markets? : Evidence from the German Family Panel. HUMAN NATURE-AN INTERDISCIPLINARY BIOSOCIAL PERSPECTIVE 2021; 32:406-433. [PMID: 34146244 PMCID: PMC8321994 DOI: 10.1007/s12110-021-09397-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 04/19/2021] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Sex ratios have widely been recognized as an important link between demographic contexts and behavior because changes in the ratio shift sex-specific bargaining power in the partner market. Implicitly, the literature considers individual partner market experiences to be a function of local sex ratios. However, empirical evidence on the correspondence between subjective partner availability and local sex ratios is lacking so far. In this paper, we analyzed how closely a set of different local sex ratio measures correlates with subjective partner market experiences. Linking a longitudinal German survey to population data for different entities (states, counties, municipalities), we used multilevel logistic regression models to explore associations between singles’ subjective partner market experiences and various operationalizations of local sex ratios. Results suggest that local sex ratios correlated only weakly with subjective partner market experiences. Adult sex ratios based on broad age brackets, including those for lower-level entities, did not significantly predict whether individuals predominantly met individuals of their own sex. More fine-grained, age-specific sex ratios prove to be better predictors of subjective partner market experiences, in particular when age hypergamy patterns were incorporated. Nevertheless, the respective associations were only significant for selected measures. In a complementary analysis, we illustrate the validity of the subjective indicator as a predictor of relationship formation. In sum, our results suggest that subjective partner availability is not adequately represented by the broad adult sex ratio measures that are frequently used in the literature. Future research should be careful not to equate local sex ratios and conscious partner market experiences.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andreas Filser
- Institute for Social Sciences, University of Oldenburg, Ammerlaender Heerstr. 114-118, D-26129, Oldenburg, Germany.
| | - Richard Preetz
- Institute for Social Sciences, University of Oldenburg, Ammerlaender Heerstr. 114-118, D-26129, Oldenburg, Germany
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14
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Filser A, Barclay K, Beckley A, Uggla C, Schnettler S. Are skewed sex ratios associated with violent crime? A longitudinal analysis using Swedish register data. EVOL HUM BEHAV 2021. [DOI: 10.1016/j.evolhumbehav.2020.10.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
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15
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Arnot M, Brandl E, Campbell OLK, Chen Y, Du J, Dyble M, Emmott EH, Ge E, Kretschmer LDW, Mace R, Micheletti AJC, Nila S, Peacey S, Salali GD, Zhang H. How evolutionary behavioural sciences can help us understand behaviour in a pandemic. Evol Med Public Health 2020; 2020:264-278. [PMID: 33318799 PMCID: PMC7665496 DOI: 10.1093/emph/eoaa038] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/21/2020] [Accepted: 10/08/2020] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
The COVID-19 pandemic has brought science into the public eye and to the attention of governments more than ever before. Much of this attention is on work in epidemiology, virology and public health, with most behavioural advice in public health focusing squarely on 'proximate' determinants of behaviour. While epidemiological models are powerful tools to predict the spread of disease when human behaviour is stable, most do not incorporate behavioural change. The evolutionary basis of our preferences and the cultural evolutionary dynamics of our beliefs drive behavioural change, so understanding these evolutionary processes can help inform individual and government decision-making in the face of a pandemic. Lay summary: The COVID-19 pandemic has brought behavioural sciences into the public eye: Without vaccinations, stopping the spread of the virus must rely on behaviour change by limiting contact between people. On the face of it, "stop seeing people" sounds simple. In practice, this is hard. Here we outline how an evolutionary perspective on behaviour change can provide additional insights. Evolutionary theory postulates that our psychology and behaviour did not evolve to maximize our health or that of others. Instead, individuals are expected to act to maximise their inclusive fitness (i.e, spreading our genes) - which can lead to a conflict between behaviours that are in the best interests for the individual, and behaviours that stop the spread of the virus. By examining the ultimate explanations of behaviour related to pandemic-management (such as behavioural compliance and social distancing), we conclude that "good of the group" arguments and "one size fits all" policies are unlikely to encourage behaviour change over the long-term. Sustained behaviour change to keep pandemics at bay is much more likely to emerge from environmental change, so governments and policy makers may need to facilitate significant social change - such as improving life experiences for disadvantaged groups.
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Affiliation(s)
- Megan Arnot
- Department of Anthropology, University College London, 14 Taviton Street, London, UK
| | - Eva Brandl
- Department of Anthropology, University College London, 14 Taviton Street, London, UK
| | - O L K Campbell
- Department of Anthropology, University College London, 14 Taviton Street, London, UK
| | - Yuan Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Grassland and Agro-ecosystems, School of Life Sciences, Lanzhou University, 222 Tianshui South Rd, Lanzhou, Gansu Province 730000, People's Republic of China
| | - Juan Du
- State Key Laboratory of Grassland and Agro-ecosystems, School of Life Sciences, Lanzhou University, 222 Tianshui South Rd, Lanzhou, Gansu Province 730000, People's Republic of China
| | - Mark Dyble
- Department of Anthropology, University College London, 14 Taviton Street, London, UK
| | - Emily H Emmott
- Department of Anthropology, University College London, 14 Taviton Street, London, UK
| | - Erhao Ge
- State Key Laboratory of Grassland and Agro-ecosystems, School of Life Sciences, Lanzhou University, 222 Tianshui South Rd, Lanzhou, Gansu Province 730000, People's Republic of China
| | - Luke D W Kretschmer
- Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, University College London, 1-19 Torrington Place, London, UK
| | - Ruth Mace
- Department of Anthropology, University College London, 14 Taviton Street, London, UK
| | - Alberto J C Micheletti
- Institute for Advanced Study in Toulouse, Université Toulouse 1 Capitole, 1 esplanade de l’Université, 31080 Toulouse Cedex 06, France
| | - Sarah Nila
- Department of Anthropology, University College London, 14 Taviton Street, London, UK
| | - Sarah Peacey
- Department of Anthropology, University College London, 14 Taviton Street, London, UK
| | - Gul Deniz Salali
- Department of Anthropology, University College London, 14 Taviton Street, London, UK
| | - Hanzhi Zhang
- Department of Anthropology, University College London, 14 Taviton Street, London, UK
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16
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Wang Y, Wang S, Hou B. The influence of sex ratio and childhood harshness on male short-term mating preference. PERSONALITY AND INDIVIDUAL DIFFERENCES 2020. [DOI: 10.1016/j.paid.2020.110100] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
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17
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Maner JK, Ackerman JM. Ecological Sex Ratios and Human Mating. Trends Cogn Sci 2019; 24:98-100. [PMID: 31892460 DOI: 10.1016/j.tics.2019.11.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/08/2019] [Revised: 11/12/2019] [Accepted: 11/14/2019] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
Abstract
The ratio of men to women in a given ecology can have profound influences on a range of interpersonal processes, from marriage and divorce rates to risk-taking and violent crime. Here, we organize such processes into two categories - intersexual choice and intrasexual competition - representing focal effects of imbalanced sex ratios.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jon K Maner
- Department of Psychology, Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL 32306, USA.
| | - Joshua M Ackerman
- Department of Psychology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109-1043, USA.
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Wang Y, Qu Y, Hou B, Tian Q. What Makes Her a Material Girl?: The Influence of Childhood Economic Background and Sex Ratio on Female Preference for Male Resource Availability. EVOLUTIONARY PSYCHOLOGY 2019; 17:1474704919833720. [PMID: 30871379 PMCID: PMC10480856 DOI: 10.1177/1474704919833720] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/03/2017] [Accepted: 02/04/2019] [Indexed: 11/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Drawing on life history theory, this research explores the moderating role of childhood economic background in the relationship between sex ratio and the female's mate preference for male resource availability. Using different priming materials, three experiments consistently found that women with a rich childhood economic background showed a stable level of mate preference for good resource-this applied regardless of male- or female-biased sex ratio. But females with a poor childhood economic background showed a higher level of preference for male resource availability under the condition of female-biased sex ratio (vs. the condition of male-biased sex ratio). These findings support the moderating role of female childhood economic background in the relationship between sex ratio and their mating preference of good resources.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yan Wang
- Department of Psychology, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Yang Qu
- School of Education and Social Policy, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, USA
| | - Bowen Hou
- Department of Psychology, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Qian Tian
- Department of Psychology, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
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Uggla C, Andersson G. Higher divorce risk when mates are plentiful? Evidence from Denmark. Biol Lett 2018; 14:rsbl.2018.0475. [PMID: 30258034 PMCID: PMC6170753 DOI: 10.1098/rsbl.2018.0475] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/05/2018] [Accepted: 09/04/2018] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Work from social and biological sciences has shown that adult sex ratios are associated with relationship behaviours. When partners are abundant, opportunities for mate switching may increase and relationship stability decrease. To date, most of the human literature has used regional areas at various levels of aggregation to define partner markets. But, in developed countries, many individuals of reproductive age spend a considerable amount of time outside their residential areas, and other measures may better capture the opportunities to meet a (new) partner. Here, we use Danish register data to test whether the sex ratio of the occupational sector is linked to divorce. Our data cover individuals in Denmark who married during 1981-2002 and we control for age at and duration of marriage, education and parity. Results support the prediction that a higher proportion of opposite-sex individuals in one's occupational sector is associated with higher divorce risk. This holds for both men and women, but associations are somewhat stronger for men and vary by education. Our results highlight the need to study demographic behaviours of men and women simultaneously, and to consider partner markets beyond geographical areas so that differing strategies for males and females may be examined.
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Affiliation(s)
- Caroline Uggla
- Stockholm University Demography Unit (SUDA), Sociology Department, Stockholm University, 106 91 Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Gunnar Andersson
- Stockholm University Demography Unit (SUDA), Sociology Department, Stockholm University, 106 91 Stockholm, Sweden
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20
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Grosjean P, Brooks RC. Persistent effect of sex ratios on relationship quality and life satisfaction. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci 2018; 372:rstb.2016.0315. [PMID: 28760758 DOI: 10.1098/rstb.2016.0315] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 05/11/2017] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Convict transportation to Australia imposed heavily male-biased sex ratios in some areas, altering the convict-era mating market and generating long-running cultural effects that persist to the present day. We test whether convict-era sex ratios have altered marital and overall life satisfaction today, through their persistent effects on gender norms and household bargaining. We find that both women and men are happier, and the happiness gap within married couples is smaller in areas where convict-era sex ratios were heavily male-biased than in areas where sex ratios were historically more even. We discuss our results in light of household bargaining theory, evolutionary sexual conflict theory and the well-documented relationship between conservative attitudes and self-reported happiness.This article is part of the themed issue 'Adult sex ratios and reproductive decisions: a critical re-examination of sex differences in human and animal societies'.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pauline Grosjean
- School of Economics, The University of New South Wales, Sydney, New South Wales 2052, Australia
| | - Robert C Brooks
- Evolution & Ecology Research Centre and School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences, The University of New South Wales, Sydney, New South Wales 2052, Australia
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21
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Pollet TV, Stoevenbelt AH, Kuppens T. The potential pitfalls of studying adult sex ratios at aggregate levels in humans. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci 2018; 372:rstb.2016.0317. [PMID: 28760760 DOI: 10.1098/rstb.2016.0317] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 05/22/2017] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Human adult sex ratios have been studied extensively across the biological and social sciences. While several studies have examined adult sex ratio effects in a multilevel perspective, many studies have focused on effects at an aggregated level only. In this paper, we review some key issues relating to such analyses. We address not only nation-level analyses, but also aggregation at lower levels, to investigate whether these issues extend to lower levels of aggregation. We illustrate these issues with novel databases covering a broad range of variables. Specifically, we discuss distributional issues with aggregated measures of adult sex ratio, significance testing, and statistical non-independence when using aggregate data. Firstly, we show that there are severe distributional issues with national adult sex ratio, such as extreme cases. Secondly, we demonstrate that many 'meaningless' variables are significantly correlated with adult sex ratio (e.g. the max. elevation level correlates with sex ratio at US state level). Finally, we re-examine associations between adult sex ratios and teenage fertility and find no robust evidence for an association at the aggregate level. Our review highlights the potential issues of using aggregate data on adult sex ratios to test hypotheses from an evolutionary perspective in humans.This article is part of the themed issue 'Adult sex ratios and reproductive decisions: a critical re-examination of sex differences in human and animal societies'.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thomas V Pollet
- Department of Social and Organisational Psychology, Leiden University, Room number 2A37, Wassenaarseweg 52, 2333 AK Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Andrea H Stoevenbelt
- Faculty of Behavioural and Social Sciences, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Toon Kuppens
- Faculty of Behavioural and Social Sciences, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
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22
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Schacht R, Kramer KL, Székely T, Kappeler PM. Adult sex ratios and reproductive strategies: a critical re-examination of sex differences in human and animal societies. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci 2018; 372:rstb.2016.0309. [PMID: 28760753 DOI: 10.1098/rstb.2016.0309] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 06/12/2017] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
It is increasingly recognized that the relative proportion of potential mates to competitors in a population impacts a range of sex-specific behaviours and in particular mating and reproduction. However, while the adult sex ratio (ASR) has long been recognized as an important link between demography and behaviour, this relationship remains understudied. Here, we introduce the first inter-disciplinary collection of research on the causes and consequences of variation in the ASR in human and animal societies. This important topic is relevant to a wide audience of both social and biological scientists due to the central role that the relative number of males to females in a population plays for the evolution of, and contemporary variation in, sex roles across groups, species and higher taxa. The articles in this theme issue cover research on ASR across a variety of taxa and topics. They offer critical re-evaluations of theoretical foundations within both evolutionary and non-evolutionary fields, and propose innovative methodological approaches, present new empirical examples of behavioural consequences of ASR variation and reveal that the ASR plays a major role in determining population viability, especially in small populations and species with labile sex determination. This introductory paper puts the contributions of the theme issue into a broader context, identifies general trends across the literature and formulates directions for future research.This article is part of the themed issue 'Adult sex ratios and reproductive decisions: a critical re-examination of sex differences in human and animal societies'.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ryan Schacht
- Department of Anthropology, University of Utah, 270 E 1400, Salt Lake City, UT 84112, USA
| | - Karen L Kramer
- Department of Anthropology, University of Utah, 270 E 1400, Salt Lake City, UT 84112, USA
| | - Tamás Székely
- Milner Centre for Evolution, Department of Biology and Biochemistry, University of Bath, Bath BA2 7AY, UK.,Wissenschaftskolleg zu Berlin, Wallotstrasse 19, 14193 Berlin, Germany
| | - Peter M Kappeler
- Wissenschaftskolleg zu Berlin, Wallotstrasse 19, 14193 Berlin, Germany.,Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology Unit, German Primate Center, Kellnerweg 4, 37077 Göttingen, Germany
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23
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Jennions MD, Fromhage L. Not all sex ratios are equal: the Fisher condition, parental care and sexual selection. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci 2018; 372:rstb.2016.0312. [PMID: 28760755 DOI: 10.1098/rstb.2016.0312] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 05/08/2017] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
The term 'sex roles' encapsulates male-female differences in mate searching, competitive traits that increase mating/fertilization opportunities, choosiness about mates and parental care. Theoretical models suggest that biased sex ratios drive the evolution of sex roles. To model sex role evolution, it is essential to note that in most sexually reproducing species (haplodiploid insects are an exception), each offspring has one father and one mother. Consequently, the total number of offspring produced by each sex is identical, so the mean number of offspring produced by individuals of each sex depends on the sex ratio (Fisher condition). Similarly, the total number of heterosexual matings is identical for each sex. On average, neither sex can mate nor breed more often when the sex ratio is even. But equally common in which sex ratio? The Fisher condition only applies to some reproductive measures (e.g. lifetime offspring production or matings) for certain sex ratios (e.g. operational or adult sex ratio; OSR, ASR). Here, we review recent models that clarify whether a biased OSR, ASR or sex ratio at maturation (MSR) have a causal or correlational relationship with the evolution of sex differences in parental care and competitive traits-two key components of sex roles. We suggest that it is more fruitful to understand the combined effect of the MSR and mortality rates while caring and competing than that of the ASR itself. In short, we argue that the ASR does not have a causal role in the evolution of parental care. We point out, however, that the ASR can be a cue for adaptive phenotypic plasticity in how each sex invests in parental care.This article is part of the themed issue 'Adult sex ratios and reproductive decisions: a critical re-examination of sex differences in human and animal societies'.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael D Jennions
- Ecology, Evolution and Genetics, Research School of Biology, Australian National University, Canberra, Australian Capital Territory 2600, Australia .,Wissenschaftkolleg zu Berlin, Wallotstraße 19, 14193 Berlin, Germany
| | - Lutz Fromhage
- Department of Biological and Environmental Science, University of Jyvaskyla, PO Box 35, 40014, Finland
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