1
|
Page AE, Ringen EJ, Koster J, Borgerhoff Mulder M, Kramer K, Shenk MK, Stieglitz J, Starkweather K, Ziker JP, Boyette AH, Colleran H, Moya C, Du J, Mattison SM, Greaves R, Sum CY, Liu R, Lew-Levy S, Kiabiya Ntamboudila F, Prall S, Towner MC, Blumenfield T, Migliano AB, Major-Smith D, Dyble M, Salali GD, Chaudhary N, Derkx IE, Ross CT, Scelza BA, Gurven MD, Winterhalder BP, Cortez C, Pacheco-Cobos L, Schacht R, Macfarlan SJ, Leonetti D, French JC, Alam N, Zohora FT, Kaplan HS, Hooper PL, Sear R. Women's subsistence strategies predict fertility across cultures, but context matters. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2024; 121:e2318181121. [PMID: 38346210 PMCID: PMC10907265 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2318181121] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/19/2023] [Accepted: 12/27/2023] [Indexed: 02/15/2024] Open
Abstract
While it is commonly assumed that farmers have higher, and foragers lower, fertility compared to populations practicing other forms of subsistence, robust supportive evidence is lacking. We tested whether subsistence activities-incorporating market integration-are associated with fertility in 10,250 women from 27 small-scale societies and found considerable variation in fertility. This variation did not align with group-level subsistence typologies. Societies labeled as "farmers" did not have higher fertility than others, while "foragers" did not have lower fertility. However, at the individual level, we found strong evidence that fertility was positively associated with farming and moderate evidence of a negative relationship between foraging and fertility. Markers of market integration were strongly negatively correlated with fertility. Despite strong cross-cultural evidence, these relationships were not consistent in all populations, highlighting the importance of the socioecological context, which likely influences the diverse mechanisms driving the relationship between fertility and subsistence.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Abigail E. Page
- Division of Psychology, Brunel University of London, LondonUB8 3PN, United Kingdom
- Department of Population Health, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, LondonWC1E 7HT, United Kingdom
| | - Erik J. Ringen
- University of Zürich, Zürich8050, Switzerland
- Department of Comparative Language Science, University of Zürich, Zürich8050, Switzerland
- Center for the Interdisciplinary Study of Language Evolution, University of Zürich, Zürich8050, Switzerland
| | - Jeremy Koster
- Department of Human Behavior, Ecology and Culture, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Leipzig04103, Germany
| | - Monique Borgerhoff Mulder
- Department of Human Behavior, Ecology and Culture, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Leipzig04103, Germany
- Department of Anthropology, University of California, Davis, CA95616
| | - Karen Kramer
- Department of Anthropology, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT84112
| | - Mary K. Shenk
- Department of Anthropology, Penn State College of the Liberal Arts, State College, PA16801
| | - Jonathan Stieglitz
- Institute for Advanced Study in Toulouse, Universite Toulouse 1 Capitole, Toulouse31080, France
| | | | - John P. Ziker
- Department of Anthropology, Boise State University, Boise, ID83725
| | - Adam H. Boyette
- Department of Human Behavior, Ecology and Culture, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Leipzig04103, Germany
| | - Heidi Colleran
- Department of Human Behavior, Ecology and Culture, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Leipzig04103, Germany
| | - Cristina Moya
- Department of Anthropology, University of California, Davis, CA95616
| | - Juan Du
- State Key Laboratory of Grassland Agro-Ecosystem, College of Ecology, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou730000, China
| | - Siobhán M. Mattison
- Department of Anthropology, The University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM87106
| | - Russell Greaves
- Maxwell Museum of Anthropology, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM87106
| | - Chun-Yi Sum
- Anthropology Department, Boston University, Boston, MA02215
| | - Ruizhe Liu
- Department of Anthropology, The University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM87106
| | - Sheina Lew-Levy
- Department of Psychology, Durham University, DurhamDH1 3LE, United Kingdom
| | - Francy Kiabiya Ntamboudila
- Faculté des Lettres, Arts, et Sciences Humaines, Département d’anthropologie, Marien Ngouabi University, Brazzaville, Congo
| | - Sean Prall
- Department of Anthropology, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO65201
| | - Mary C. Towner
- Department of Integrative Biology, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, OK74078
| | - Tami Blumenfield
- Department of Anthropology, The University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM87106
| | | | - Daniel Major-Smith
- Population Health Sciences, Bristol Medical School, University of Bristol, BristolBS8 2PS, United Kingdom
| | - Mark Dyble
- Department of Archaeology, University of Cambridge, CambridgeCB2 3DZ, United Kingdom
| | - Gul Deniz Salali
- Department of Anthropology, University College London, LondonWC1H 0BW, United Kingdom
| | - Nikhil Chaudhary
- Department of Archaeology, University of Cambridge, CambridgeCB2 3DZ, United Kingdom
| | - Inez E. Derkx
- Department of Anthropology, Universität Zürich, Zürich8050, Switzerland
| | - Cody T. Ross
- Department of Human Behavior, Ecology and Culture, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Leipzig04103, Germany
| | - Brooke A. Scelza
- Department of Anthropology, University of California, Los Angeles, CA90095
| | - Michael D. Gurven
- Department of Anthropology, University of California, Santa Barbara, CA93106
| | | | | | - Luis Pacheco-Cobos
- Facultad de Biología–Xalapa, Universidad Veracruzana, Zalapa-Enriquez91090, México
| | - Ryan Schacht
- Department of Anthropology, East Carolina University, Greenville, NC27858
| | | | - Donna Leonetti
- Department of Anthropology, University of Washington, Settle, WA98105
| | - Jennifer C. French
- Department of Archaeology, Classics and Egyptology, University of Liverpool, LiverpoolL69 7WZ, United Kingdom
| | - Nurul Alam
- Health Systems and Population Studies Division, International Centre for Diarrheal Disease Research, Bangladesh, Dhaka1213, Bangladesh
| | - Fatema tuz Zohora
- Health Systems and Population Studies Division, International Centre for Diarrheal Disease Research, Bangladesh, Dhaka1213, Bangladesh
| | - Hillard S. Kaplan
- Department of Anthropology, The University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM87106
| | - Paul L. Hooper
- Department of Anthropology, The University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM87106
| | - Rebecca Sear
- Department of Population Health, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, LondonWC1E 7HT, United Kingdom
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Mattison SM, Mattison PM, Beheim BA, Liu R, Blumenfield T, Sum CY, Shenk MK, Seabright E, Alami S. Gender disparities in material and educational resources differ by kinship system. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci 2023; 378:20220299. [PMID: 37381853 DOI: 10.1098/rstb.2022.0299] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/05/2023] [Accepted: 05/14/2023] [Indexed: 06/30/2023] Open
Abstract
Contemporary inequality exists at an unprecedented scale. Social scientists have emphasized the role played by material wealth in driving its escalation. Evolutionary anthropologists understand the drive to accumulate material wealth as one that is coupled ultimately to increasing reproductive success. Owing to biological caps on reproduction for women, the efficiency of this conversion can differ by gender, with implications for understanding the evolution of gender disparities in resource accumulation. Efficiency also differs according to the type of resources used to support reproductive success. In this paper, we review evolutionary explanations of gender disparities in resources and investigate empirical evidence to support or refute those explanations among matrilineal and patrilineal subpopulations of ethnic Chinese Mosuo, who share an ethnolinguistic identity, but differ strikingly in terms of institutions and norms surrounding kinship and gender. We find that gender differentially predicts income and educational attainment. Men were more likely to report income than women; amounts earned were higher for men overall, but the difference between men and women was minimal under matriliny. Men reported higher levels of educational attainment than women, unexpectedly more so in matrilineal contexts. The results reveal nuances in how biology and cultural institutions affect gender disparities in wealth. This article is part of the theme issue 'Evolutionary ecology of inequality'.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Siobhán M Mattison
- Department of Anthropology, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM, USA
| | - Peter M Mattison
- Department of Biology, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM, USA
| | - Bret A Beheim
- Human Behavior, Ecology, Culture, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Ruizhe Liu
- Department of Anthropology, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM, USA
| | - Tami Blumenfield
- Department of Anthropology, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM, USA
- School of Ethnology and Sociology, Yunnan University, 2 Cuihu Beilu, Kunming, PRC 650091
| | - Chun-Yi Sum
- College of General Studies, Boston University, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Mary K Shenk
- Department of Anthropology, Pennsylvania State University, State College, PA, USA
| | - Edmond Seabright
- School of Collective Intelligence, Mohammed VI Polytechnique University, Ben Guerir, Morocco
| | - Sarah Alami
- School of Collective Intelligence, Mohammed VI Polytechnique University, Ben Guerir, Morocco
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Sznajder KK, Shenk MK, Alam N, Raqib R, Kumar A, Haque F, Blumenfield T, Mattison SM, Wander K. Betel quid use is associated with anemia among both men and women in Matlab, Bangladesh. PLOS Glob Public Health 2023; 3:e0001677. [PMID: 37315072 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgph.0001677] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/13/2022] [Accepted: 03/22/2023] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Anemia accounts for 8.8% of total disability burden worldwide. Betel quid use among pregnant women has been found to increase anemia risk. Betel quid is prepared by wrapping the betel (or areca) nut, with spices and other additions, in betel or tobacco leaf and it is chewed or placed in the mouth. We explored the association between betel quid use and anemia among men and non-pregnant women. We collected data from a random sample of women and their husbands in Matlab, Bangladesh. Participants reported their current betel quid use and individual characteristics. We assessed hemoglobin (a biomarker of anemia) with a hemoglobinometer and soluble transferrin receptor (a biomarker of iron deficiency) and C-reactive protein (a biomarker of inflammation) in dried blood spots via enzyme immunoassay. We estimated logistic regression models to evaluate the association between betel quid use and anemia and structural equation models (SEM) to evaluate mediating roles of iron deficiency and elevated inflammation. A total of 1133 participants (390 men and 743 non-pregnant women) were included. After controlling for important confounders, any betel quid use was positively associated with anemia among men (OR: 1.80; 95% CI: 1.12, 2.89). Among women, betel quid use was associated with anemia only among the most frequent users (OR: 1.62; 95% CI: 1.03, 2.53). SEM did not reveal indirect paths through inflammation or iron deficiency. Betel quid use may contribute to the burden of anemia among adults in Bangladesh. Our findings suggest the burden of disease attributed to betel quid use has been underestimated.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Kristin K Sznajder
- Department of Public Health Sciences, Pennsylvania State University, College of Medicine, Hershey, Pennsylvania, United States of America
| | - Mary K Shenk
- Department of Anthropology, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania, United States of America
| | | | | | | | | | - Tami Blumenfield
- Department of Anthropology, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, New Mexico, United States of America
| | - Siobhán M Mattison
- Department of Anthropology, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, New Mexico, United States of America
| | - Katherine Wander
- Department of Anthropology, Binghamton University, State University of New York, Binghamton, New York, United States of America
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Mattison SM, MacLaren NG, Sum CY, Shenk MK, Blumenfield T, Wander K. Does gender structure social networks across domains of cooperation? An exploration of gendered networks among matrilineal and patrilineal Mosuo. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci 2023; 378:20210436. [PMID: 36440564 PMCID: PMC9703220 DOI: 10.1098/rstb.2021.0436] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/06/2022] [Accepted: 09/21/2022] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Cooperative networks are essential features of human society. Evolutionary theory hypothesizes that networks are used differently by men and women, yet the bulk of evidence supporting this hypothesis is based on studies conducted in a limited range of contexts and on few domains of cooperation. In this paper, we compare individual-level cooperative networks from two communities in Southwest China that differ systematically in kinship norms and institutions-one matrilineal and one patrilineal-while sharing an ethnic identity. Specifically, we investigate whether network structures differ based on prevailing kinship norms and type of gendered cooperative activity, one woman-centred (preparation of community meals) and one man-centred (farm equipment lending). Our descriptive results show a mixture of 'feminine' and 'masculine' features in all four networks. The matrilineal meals network stands out in terms of high degree skew. Exponential random graph models reveal a stronger role for geographical proximity in patriliny and a limited role of affinal relatedness across all networks. Our results point to the need to consider domains of cooperative activity alongside gender and cultural context to fully understand variation in how women and men leverage social relationships toward different ends. This article is part of the theme issue 'Cooperation among women: evolutionary and cross-cultural perspectives'.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Siobhán M. Mattison
- Department of Anthropology, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM 87131, USA
| | - Neil G. MacLaren
- Department of Mathematics, State University of New York at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY 14260, USA
| | - Chun-Yi Sum
- College of General Studies, Boston University, Boston, MA 02215, USA
| | - Mary K. Shenk
- Department of Anthropology, Pennsylvania State University, State College, PA 16801, USA
| | - Tami Blumenfield
- Department of Anthropology, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM 87131, USA
- School of Ethnology and Sociology, Yunnan University, Kunming 650106, People's Republic of China
| | - Katherine Wander
- Department of Anthropology, Binghamton University (SUNY), Binghamton, NY 13902, USA
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Mattison SM, MacLaren N, Sum CY, Mattison PM, Liu R, Shenk MK, Blumenfield T, Su M, Li H, Wander K. Market integration, income inequality, and kinship system among the Mosuo of China. Evol Hum Sci 2022; 5:e4. [PMID: 37587931 PMCID: PMC10426023 DOI: 10.1017/ehs.2022.52] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/22/2022] [Revised: 10/28/2022] [Accepted: 11/01/2022] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Increased access to defensible material wealth is hypothesised to escalate inequality. Market integration, which creates novel opportunities in cash economies, provides a means of testing this hypothesis. Using demographic data collected from 505 households among the matrilineal and patrilineal Mosuo in 2017, we test whether market integration is associated with increased material wealth, whether increased material wealth is associated with wealth inequality, and whether being in a matrilineal vs. patrilineal kinship system alters the relationship between wealth and inequality. We find evidence that market integration, measured as distance to the nearest source of tourism and primary source of household income, is associated with increased household income and 'modern' asset value. Both village-level market integration and mean asset value were associated negatively, rather than positively, with inequality, contrary to predictions. Finally, income, modern wealth and inequality were higher in matrilineal communities that were located closer to the centre of tourism and where tourism has long provided a relatively stable source of income. However, we also observed exacerbated inequality with increasing farm animal value in patriliny. We conclude that the forces affecting wealth and inequality depend on local context and that the importance of local institutions is obscured by aggregate statistics drawn from modern nation states.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | - Neil MacLaren
- State University of New York at Buffalo, Department of Mathematics, Buffalo, NY, USA
| | - Chun-Yi Sum
- Boston University, Department of General Studies, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Peter M. Mattison
- University of New Mexico, Department of Biology, Albuquerque, NM, USA
| | - Ruizhe Liu
- University of New Mexico, Department of Anthropology, Albuquerque, NM, USA
| | - Mary K. Shenk
- Pennsylvania State University, Department of Anthropology, University Park, PA, USA
| | - Tami Blumenfield
- University of New Mexico, Department of Anthropology, Albuquerque, NM, USA
- Yunnan University, School of Ethnology and Sociology, Kunming, Yunnan, China
| | - Mingjie Su
- Fudan University, MOE Key Laboratory of Contemporary Anthropology, Shanghai, China
| | - Hui Li
- Fudan University, MOE Key Laboratory of Contemporary Anthropology, Shanghai, China
| | - Katherine Wander
- Binghamton University (SUNY), Department of Anthropology, Binghamton, NY, USA
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Mattison SM, Hare D, MacLaren NG, Reynolds AZ, Sum CY, Liu R, Shenk MK, Blumenfield T, Su M, Li H, Wander K. Context Specificity of “Market Integration” among the Matrilineal Mosuo of Southwest China. Current Anthropology 2022. [DOI: 10.1086/719266] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/03/2022]
|
7
|
Shenk MK, Morse A, Mattison SM, Sear R, Alam N, Raqib R, Kumar A, Haque F, Blumenfield T, Shaver J, Sosis R, Wander K. Social support, nutrition and health among women in rural Bangladesh: complex tradeoffs in allocare, kin proximity and support network size. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci 2021; 376:20200027. [PMID: 33938271 PMCID: PMC8090824 DOI: 10.1098/rstb.2020.0027] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 03/04/2021] [Indexed: 01/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Malnutrition among women of reproductive age is a significant public health concern in low- and middle-income countries. Of particular concern are undernutrition from underweight and iron deficiency, along with overweight and obesity, all of which have negative health consequences for mothers and children. Accumulating evidence suggests that risk for poor nutritional outcomes may be mitigated by social support, yet how social support is measured varies tremendously and its effects likely vary by age, kinship and reproductive status. We examine the effects of different measures of social support on weight and iron nutrition among 677 randomly sampled women from rural Bangladesh. While we find that total support network size mitigates risk for underweight, other results point to a potential tradeoff in the effects of kin proximity, with nearby adult children associated with both lower risk for underweight and obesity and higher risk for iron deficiency and anaemia. Social support from kin may then enhance energy balance but not diet quality. Results also suggest that a woman's network of caregivers might reflect their greater need for help, as those who received more help with childcare and housework had worse iron nutrition. Overall, although some findings support the hypothesis that social support can be protective, others emphasize that social relationships often have neutral or negative effects, illustrating the kinds of tradeoffs expected from an evolutionary perspective. The complexities of these effects deserve attention in future work, particularly within public health, where what is defined as 'social support' is often assumed to be positive. This article is part of the theme issue 'Multidisciplinary perspectives on social support and maternal-child health'.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Mary K. Shenk
- Department of Anthropology, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA
| | - Anne Morse
- Department of Sociology, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA
| | - Siobhán M. Mattison
- Department of Anthropology, University of NewMexico, Albuquerque, NM 87131-1466, USA
- US National Science Foundation, Alexandria, VA, USA
| | - Rebecca Sear
- Department of Population Health, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London WC1E 7HT, UK
| | - Nurul Alam
- The International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research, Dhaka, Bangladesh
| | - Rubhana Raqib
- The International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research, Dhaka, Bangladesh
| | - Anjan Kumar
- The International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research, Dhaka, Bangladesh
| | - Farjana Haque
- The International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research, Dhaka, Bangladesh
| | - Tami Blumenfield
- Department of Anthropology, University of NewMexico, Albuquerque, NM 87131-1466, USA
- Yunnan University, Kunming, Yunnan, People's Republic of China
| | - John Shaver
- Division of Humanities, University of Otago, Dunedin 9054, New Zealand
| | - Richard Sosis
- Department of Anthropology, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT 06269, USA
| | - Katherine Wander
- Department of Anthropology, Binghamton University (SUNY), Binghamton, NY 13902-6000, USA
| |
Collapse
|
8
|
Wander K, Su M, Mattison PM, Sum CY, Witt CC, Shenk MK, Blumenfield T, Li H, Mattison SM. High-altitude adaptations mitigate risk for hypertension and diabetes-associated anemia. Am J Phys Anthropol 2020; 172:156-164. [PMID: 32324912 DOI: 10.1002/ajpa.24032] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/05/2019] [Revised: 01/13/2020] [Accepted: 02/19/2020] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Human populations native to high altitude exhibit numerous genetic adaptations to hypobaric hypoxia. Among Tibetan plateau peoples, these include increased vasodilation and uncoupling of erythropoiesis from hypoxia. OBJECTIVE/METHODS We tested the hypothesis that these high-altitude adaptations reduce risk for hypertension and diabetes-associated anemia among the Mosuo, a Tibetan-descended population in the mountains of Southwest China that is experiencing rapid economic change and increased chronic disease risk. RESULTS Hypertension was substantially less common among Mosuo than low-altitude Han populations, and models fit to the Han predicted higher probability of hypertension than models fit to the Mosuo. Diabetes was positively associated with anemia among the Han, but not the Mosuo. CONCLUSION The Mosuo have lower risk for hypertension and diabetes-associated anemia than the Han, supporting the hypothesis that high-altitude adaptations affecting blood and circulation intersect with chronic disease processes to lower risk for these outcomes. As chronic diseases continue to grow as global health concerns, it is important to investigate how they may be affected by local genetic adaptations.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Katherine Wander
- Department of Anthropology, Binghamton University (SUNY), Binghamton, New York, USA
| | - Mingjie Su
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Contemporary Anthropology, B&R International Joint Laboratory of Eurasian Anthropology, School of Life Science, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Peter M Mattison
- Department of Anthropology, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA
| | - Chun-Yi Sum
- Department of Anthropology, University of Rochester, Rochester, New York, USA
| | - Christopher C Witt
- Department of Anthropology, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA
| | - Mary K Shenk
- Department of Anthropology, Pennsylvania State University, State College, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Tami Blumenfield
- Department of Anthropology, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA.,School of Ethnology and Sociology, Yunnan University, Kunming, China
| | - Hui Li
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Contemporary Anthropology, B&R International Joint Laboratory of Eurasian Anthropology, School of Life Science, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | | |
Collapse
|
9
|
Scelza BA, Prall SP, Blumenfield T, Crittenden AN, Gurven M, Kline M, Koster J, Kushnick G, Mattison SM, Pillsworth E, Shenk MK, Starkweather K, Stieglitz J, Sum CY, Yamaguchi K, McElreath R. Patterns of paternal investment predict cross-cultural variation in jealous response. Nat Hum Behav 2019; 4:20-26. [PMID: 31332300 DOI: 10.1038/s41562-019-0654-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/04/2018] [Accepted: 06/12/2019] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
Long-lasting, romantic partnerships are a universal feature of human societies, but almost as ubiquitous is the risk of instability when one partner strays. Jealous response to the threat of infidelity is well studied, but most empirical work on the topic has focused on a proposed sex difference in the type of jealousy (sexual or emotional) that men and women find most upsetting, rather than on how jealous response varies1,2. This stems in part from the predominance of studies using student samples from industrialized populations, which represent a relatively homogenous group in terms of age, life history stage and social norms3,4. To better understand variation in jealous response, we conducted a 2-part study in 11 populations (1,048 individuals). In line with previous work, we find a robust sex difference in the classic forced-choice jealousy task. However, we also show substantial variation in jealous response across populations. Using parental investment theory, we derived several predictions about what might trigger such variation. We find that greater paternal investment and lower frequency of extramarital sex are associated with more severe jealous response. Thus, partner jealousy appears to be a facultative response, reflective of the variable risks and costs of men's investment across societies.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Geoff Kushnick
- Australian National University, Canberra, ACT, Australia
| | - Siobhán M Mattison
- Department of Anthropology, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM, USA
| | | | - Mary K Shenk
- Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, USA
| | | | | | | | | | - Richard McElreath
- Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Leipzig, Germany
| |
Collapse
|
10
|
Abstract
Matriliny is a system of kinship in which descent and inheritance are conferred along the female line. The theoretically influential concept of the matrilineal puzzle posits that matriliny poses special problems for understanding men's roles in matrilineal societies. Ethnographic work describes the puzzle as the tension experienced by men between the desire to exert control over their natal kin (i.e. the lineage to which they belong) and over their affinal kin (i.e. their spouses and their biological children). Evolutionary work frames the paradox as one resulting from a man investing in his nieces and nephews at the expense of his own biological offspring. In both cases, the rationale for the puzzle rests on two fundamental assumptions: (i) that men are in positions of authority over women and over resources; and (ii) that men are interested in the outcomes of parenting. In this paper, we posit a novel hypothesis that suggests that certain ecological conditions render men expendable within local kinship configurations, nullifying the above assumptions. This arises when (i) women, without significant assistance from men, are capable of meeting the subsistence needs of their families; and (ii) men have little to gain from parental investment in children. We conclude that the expendable male hypothesis may explain the evolution of matriliny in numerous cases, and by noting that female-centred approaches that call into doubt assumptions inherent to male-centred models of kinship are justified in evolutionary perspective. This article is part of the theme issue 'The evolution of female-biased kinship in humans and other mammals'.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Siobhán M Mattison
- 1 Department of Anthropology, University of New Mexico , Albuquerque, NM 87131-0001 , USA
| | - Robert J Quinlan
- 2 Department of Anthropology, Washington State University , Pullman, WA 99163 , USA
| | - Darragh Hare
- 1 Department of Anthropology, University of New Mexico , Albuquerque, NM 87131-0001 , USA
| |
Collapse
|
11
|
Borgerhoff Mulder M, Towner MC, Baldini R, Beheim BA, Bowles S, Colleran H, Gurven M, Kramer KL, Mattison SM, Nolin DA, Scelza BA, Schniter E, Sear R, Shenk MK, Voland E, Ziker J. Differences between sons and daughters in the intergenerational transmission of wealth. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci 2019; 374:20180076. [PMID: 31303159 DOI: 10.1098/rstb.2018.0076] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Persistent interest lies in gender inequality, especially with regard to the favouring of sons over daughters. Economists are concerned with how privilege is transmitted across generations, and anthropologists have long studied sex-biased inheritance norms. There has, however, been no focused cross-cultural investigation of how parent-offspring correlations in wealth vary by offspring sex. We estimate these correlations for 38 wealth measures, including somatic and relational wealth, from 15 populations ranging from hunter-gatherers to small-scale farmers. Although small sample sizes limit our statistical power, we find no evidence of ubiquitous male bias, at least as inferred from comparing parent-son and parent-daughter correlations. Rather we find wide variation in signatures of sex bias, with evidence of both son and daughter-biased transmission. Further, we introduce a model that helps pinpoint the conditions under which simple mid-point parent-offspring wealth correlations can reveal information about sex-biased parental investment. Our findings are relevant to the study of female-biased kinship by revealing just how little normative descriptors of kinship systems, such as patrilineal inheritance, capture intergenerational correlations in wealth, and how variable parent-son and parent-daughter correlations can be. This article is part of the theme issue 'The evolution of female-biased kinship in humans and other mammals'.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | - Mary C Towner
- 3 Department of Integrative Biology, Oklahoma State University Stillwater , Stillwater, OK , USA
| | - Ryan Baldini
- 2 Graduate Group in Ecology, University of California Davis , Davis, CA , USA
| | - Bret A Beheim
- 4 Department of Human Behavior, Ecology, and Culture, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology , Leipzig, Sachsen , Germany
| | | | - Heidi Colleran
- 6 Department of Linguistic and Cultural Evolution, Max Planck Institute for the Science of Human History , Jena, Thüringen , Germany
| | - Michael Gurven
- 7 Department of Anthropology, University of California Santa Barbara , Santa Barbara, CA , USA
| | - Karen L Kramer
- 8 Department of Anthropology, University of Utah , Salt Lake City, UT , USA
| | - Siobhán M Mattison
- 9 Department of Anthropology, University of New Mexico , Albuquerque, NM , USA
| | - David A Nolin
- 10 Department of Anthropology, Pennsylvania State University , University Park, PA , USA
| | - Brooke A Scelza
- 11 Department of Anthropology, University of California Los Angeles , Los Angeles, CA , USA
| | - Eric Schniter
- 12 Economic Science Institute Chapman University , CA 92866
| | - Rebecca Sear
- 13 Department of Population Health, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine , London , UK
| | - Mary K Shenk
- 10 Department of Anthropology, Pennsylvania State University , University Park, PA , USA
| | - Eckart Voland
- 14 Institut fur Philosophie, Justus Liebig Universitat Giessen , Giessen, Hessen , Germany
| | - John Ziker
- 15 Department of Anthropology, Boise State University , Boise, ID , USA
| |
Collapse
|
12
|
Mattison SM, Shenk MK, Thompson ME, Borgerhoff Mulder M, Fortunato L. The evolution of female-biased kinship in humans and other mammals. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci 2019; 374:20190007. [PMID: 31303170 DOI: 10.1098/rstb.2019.0007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Female-biased kinship (FBK) arises in numerous species and in diverse human cultures, suggesting deep evolutionary roots to female-oriented social structures. The significance of FBK has been debated for centuries in human studies, where it has often been described as difficult to explain. At the same time, studies of FBK in non-human animals point to its apparent benefits for longevity, social complexity and reproduction. Are female-biased social systems evolutionarily stable and under what circumstances? What are the causes and consequences of FBK? The purpose of this theme issue is to consolidate efforts towards understanding the evolutionary significance and stability of FBK in humans and other mammals. The issue includes broad theoretical and empirical reviews as well as specific case studies addressing the social and ecological correlates of FBK across taxa, time and space. It leverages a comparative approach to test existing hypotheses and presents novel arguments that aim to expand our understanding of how males and females negotiate kinship across diverse contexts in ways that lead to the expression of female biases in kinship behaviour and social structure. This article is part of the theme issue 'The evolution of female-biased kinship in humans and other mammals'.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Siobhán M Mattison
- 1 Department of Anthropology, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM 87131 , USA
| | - Mary K Shenk
- 2 Department of Anthropology, Pennsylvania State University , University Park, PA 16802 , USA
| | | | | | - Laura Fortunato
- 4 Department of Anthropology, Magdalen College, University of Oxford , Oxford, OX1 4AU , UK.,5 Santa Fe Institute , Santa Fe, NM 87501 , USA
| |
Collapse
|
13
|
Mattison SM, Reynolds AZ, Wander K. Human Life Histories are Flexible, Not Fixed. Arch Sex Behav 2019; 48:1329-1333. [PMID: 30511147 DOI: 10.1007/s10508-018-1350-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/07/2018] [Accepted: 11/12/2018] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Siobhán M Mattison
- Department of Anthropology, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM, 87131, USA.
| | - Adam Z Reynolds
- Department of Anthropology, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM, 87131, USA
| | - Katherine Wander
- Department of Anthropology, Binghamton University, Binghamton, NY, USA
| |
Collapse
|
14
|
Mattison SM, Seabright E, Reynolds AZ, Cao J(B, Brown MJ, Feldman MW. Adopted daughters and adopted daughters-in-law in Taiwan: a mortality analysis. R Soc Open Sci 2018; 5:171745. [PMID: 29657778 PMCID: PMC5882702 DOI: 10.1098/rsos.171745] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/07/2017] [Accepted: 02/20/2018] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
Adoption is sometimes considered paradoxical from an evolutionary perspective because the costs spent supporting an adopted child would be better spent on rearing one's own. Kin selection theory is commonly used to solve this paradox, because the adoption of closely related kin contributes to the inclusive fitness of the adoptive parent. In this paper, we perform a novel test of kin selection theory in the context of adoption by asking whether adopted daughters-in-law, who contribute directly (i.e. genealogically) to the perpetuation of their adoptive families' lineages, experience lower mortality than daughters adopted for other purposes in historical Taiwan. We show that both classes of adopted daughter suffer lower mortality than biological daughters, but that the protective effect of adoption is stronger among daughters who were not adopted with the intention of perpetuating the family lineage. We speculate as to the possible benefits of such a pattern and emphasize the need to move beyond typological definitions of adoption to understand the specific costs and benefits involved in different forms of caring for others' children.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | - Edmond Seabright
- Department of Anthropology, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM, USA
| | - Adam Z. Reynolds
- Department of Anthropology, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM, USA
| | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
15
|
Abstract
Evolutionary anthropology has traditionally focused on the study of small-scale, largely self-sufficient societies. The increasing rarity of these societies underscores the importance of such research yet also suggests the need to understand the processes by which such societies are being lost-what we call "modernization"-and the effects of these processes on human behavior and biology. In this article, we discuss recent efforts by evolutionary anthropologists to incorporate modernization into their research and the challenges and rewards that follow. Advantages include that these studies allow for explicit testing of hypotheses that explore how behavior and biology change in conjunction with changes in social, economic, and ecological factors. In addition, modernization often provides a source of "natural experiments" since it may proceed in a piecemeal fashion through a population. Challenges arise, however, in association with reduced variability in fitness proxies such as fertility, and with the increasing use of relatively novel methodologies in evolutionary anthropology, such as the analysis of secondary data. Confronting these challenges will require careful consideration but will lead to an improved understanding of humanity. We conclude that the study of modernization offers the prospect of developing a richer evolutionary anthropology, by encompassing ultimate and proximate explanations for behavior expressed across the full range of human societies.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Siobhán M Mattison
- Department of Anthropology, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM, USA.
| | - Rebecca Sear
- London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, UK
| |
Collapse
|
16
|
Abstract
Understanding how systems of political and economic inequality evolved from relatively egalitarian origins has long been a focus of anthropological inquiry. Many hypotheses have been suggested to link socio-ecological features with the rise and spread of inequality, and empirical tests of these hypotheses in prehistoric and extant societies are increasing. In this review, we synthesize several streams of theory relevant to understanding the evolutionary origins, spread, and adaptive significance of inequality. We argue that while inequality may be produced by a variety of localized processes, its evolution is fundamentally dependent on the economic defensibility and transmissibility of wealth. Furthermore, these properties of wealth could become persistent drivers of inequality only following a shift to a more stable climate in the Holocene. We conclude by noting several key areas for future empirical research, emphasizing the need for more analyses of contemporary shifts toward institutionalized inequality as well as prehistoric cases.
Collapse
|
17
|
Mattison SM, Beheim B, Chak B, Buston P. Offspring sex preferences among patrilineal and matrilineal Mosuo in Southwest China revealed by differences in parity progression. R Soc Open Sci 2016; 3:160526. [PMID: 27703713 PMCID: PMC5043333 DOI: 10.1098/rsos.160526] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/23/2016] [Accepted: 08/17/2016] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
Abstract
Son preference predominates in China, yet there are patterned exceptions to this rule. In this paper, we test whether lineality (patrilineal versus matrilineal inheritance and descent) is associated with son versus daughter preference among the ethnic Mosuo (Na) of Southwest China. Our results show (i) an increased probability of continued fertility among matrilineal women after having a son compared with a daughter and (ii) an increased probability of continued fertility among patrilineal women after having a daughter compared with a son. These results are consistent with son preference among patrilineal Mosuo and more muted daughter preference among the matrilineal Mosuo. Furthermore, we show (iii) the lowest probability of continued fertility at parity 2 once women have one daughter and one son across both systems, suggesting that preferences for at least one of each sex exist alongside preferences for the lineal sex. The Mosuo are the only known small-scale society in which two kinship systems distinguish sub-groups with many otherwise shared cultural characteristics. We discuss why this, in conjunction with differences in subsistence, may shed light on the evolutionary underpinnings of offspring sex preferences.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Siobhán M. Mattison
- Department of Anthropology, University of New Mexico, MSC 01, Albuquerque, NM 87111, USA
| | - Bret Beheim
- Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Demography, Leipzig 04103, Germany
| | - Bridget Chak
- Center for Human Genetic Research, Massachusetts General Hospital, 55 Fruit Street, Boston, MA 02114, USA
| | - Peter Buston
- Department of Biology, Boston University, 5 Cummington Mall, Boston, MA 02215, USA
| |
Collapse
|
18
|
Mattison SM, Brunson EK, Holman DJ. Palmar Creases: Classification, Reliability and Relationships to Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders (FASD). Coll Antropol 2015; 39:769-774. [PMID: 26898079] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/05/2023]
Abstract
A normal human palm contains 3 major creases: the distal transverse crease; the proximal transverse crease; and the thenar crease. Because permanent crease patterns are thought to be laid down during the first trimester, researchers have speculated that deviations in crease patterns could be indicative of insults during fetal development. The purpose of this study was twofold: (1) to compare the efficacy and reliability of two coding methods, the first (M1) classifying both "simiana" and Sydney line variants and the second (M2) counting the total number of crease points of origin on the radial border of the hand; and (2) to ascertain the relationship between palmar crease patterns and fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASD). Bilateral palm prints were taken using the carbon paper and tape method from 237 individuals diagnosed with FASD and 190 unexposed controls. All prints were coded for crease variants under M1 and M2. Additionally, a random sample of 98 matched (right and left) prints was selected from the controls to determine the reliabilities of M1 and M2. For this analysis, each palm was read twice, at different times, by two readers. Intra-observer Kappa coefficients were similar under both methods, ranging from 0.804-0.910. Inter-observer Kappa coefficients ranged from 0.582-0.623 under M1 and from 0.647-0.757 under M2. Using data from the entire sample of 427 prints and controlling for sex and ethnicity (white v. non-white), no relationship was found between palmar crease variants and FASD. Our results suggest that palmar creases can be classified reliably, but palmar crease patterns may not be affected by fetal alcohol exposure.
Collapse
|
19
|
Mattison SM, Wander K, Hinde K. Breastfeeding over two years is associated with longer birth intervals, but not measures of growth or health, among children in Kilimanjaro, TZ. Am J Hum Biol 2015; 27:807-15. [PMID: 25945696 DOI: 10.1002/ajhb.22729] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/04/2014] [Revised: 03/01/2015] [Accepted: 03/21/2015] [Indexed: 01/15/2023] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Breastfeeding has been associated with numerous health and well-being benefits for both children and their mothers, including prolonging the birth interval to the subsequent sibling. The clearest associations between breastfeeding and health outcomes, per se, reflect exclusive breastfeeding in the first months of postnatal life and are most evident during infancy. Fewer studies explore the consequences of breastfeeding for multiple years. In this article, we ask whether breastfeeding for more than 2 years is associated with discernible health and well-being benefits to children. METHODS Data were collected from 315 children, aged 2 to 7, and their caretakers residing in Kilimanjaro, Tanzania. Basic demographic and health information was solicited, and anthropometric and blood markers of health were evaluated. RESULTS Our results indicate a strong positive relationship between breastfeeding for 2 or more years and interbirth interval, but little evidence for a relationship between prolonged breastfeeding and several indicators of child growth and health. CONCLUSIONS We suggest that these relationships may support the recently rekindled birth spacing hypothesis, positing selection for longer interbirth intervals, rather than, or in addition to, more direct health benefits associated with breastfeeding for 2 or more years. Our results may indicate attenuating health benefits associated with longer breastfeeding.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Siobhán M Mattison
- Department of Biology and Women's, Gender, and Sexuality Studies Program, Boston University, Boston, Massachusetts, 02215.,Department of Anthropology, University of Auckland, Auckland, 1142, New Zealand
| | - Katherine Wander
- Department of Anthropology, Binghamton University, SUNY, Binghamton, New York, 13902
| | - Katie Hinde
- Department of Human Evolutionary Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts, 02138
| |
Collapse
|
20
|
Mattison SM, Scelza B, Blumenfield T. Paternal Investment and the Positive Effects of Fathers among the Matrilineal Mosuo of Southwest China. American Anthropologist 2014. [DOI: 10.1111/aman.12125] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Siobhán M. Mattison
- Department of Biology, Boston University; Boston MA 02215
- Department of Anthropology, University of Auckland; Auckland 1142 New Zealand
| | - Brooke Scelza
- Department of Anthropology, UCLA; Los Angeles CA 90095
| | - Tami Blumenfield
- Department of Asian Studies, Furman University; Greenville SC 29613
| |
Collapse
|
21
|
Abstract
Public health recommendations promote prolonged breastfeeding of all children; however, parental investment (PI) theory predicts that breastfeeding will be allocated among a mothers' offspring to maximize her reproductive success. We evaluated PI in terms of risk for weaning before age two among 283 children in Kilimanjaro, Tanzania. Results demonstrate: (i) a Trivers-Willard effect--high socioeconomic status (SES) females and low SES males were more likely to be weaned early; (ii) later-born children were less likely to be weaned early; (iii) higher birthweight children were less likely to be weaned early, and (iv) no effect of cattle (a source of supplementary milk) ownership. These associations were largely independent and remained significant in models controlling for potential confounders; however, the inverse association between early weaning and birth order lost significance in the model containing birthweight. These patterns were observed despite public health recommendations encouraging breastfeeding for at least two years.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Katherine Wander
- Department of Anthropology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA.
| | | |
Collapse
|
22
|
Abstract
Kinship was one of the key areas of research interest among anthropologists in the nineteenth century, one of the most hotly debated areas of theory in the early and mid-twentieth century, and yet an area of waning interest by the end of the twentieth century. Since then, the study of kinship has experienced a revitalization, with concomitant disputes over how best to proceed. This special issue brings together recent studies of kinship by scientific anthropologists employing evolutionary theory and quantitative methods. We argue that the melding of the evolutionary theoretical perspective with quantitative and ethnographic methodologies has strengthened and reinvigorated the study of kinship by synthesizing and extending existing research via rigorous analyses of evidence.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Mary K Shenk
- Department of Anthropology, University of Missouri, 107 Swallow Hall, Columbia, MO 65211-1440, USA.
| | | |
Collapse
|
23
|
Mattison SM. Economic Impacts of Tourism and Erosion of the Visiting System Among the Mosuo of Lugu Lake. The Asia Pacific Journal of Anthropology 2010. [DOI: 10.1080/14442211003730736] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
|