All that Sex and Coupling
I’m reading about different coupling dynamics such as monogamy, polyamory, open relationships these days. Intrigued by all the different ways that humans hook up and nurture their connections to one another and explore their sexuality.
The interesting thing is that information seems to bubble up and find its way to me when I take interest in these kinds of things.
Here are some great articles I read on monogamy in primate sciences:
“Monogamy Boost To Human Evolution.”
url: http://www.nytimes.com/2013/08/02/science/monogamys-boost-to-human-evolution.html
Some interesting facts from the article:
– Only 9 percent of all mammal species, males and females will share a common territory for more than one breeding season, and in some cases bond for life.
- Primates are especially monogamous. Males and females bond in over a quarter of primate species.
- Only 17% of human cultures are strictly monogamous.(The vast majority of human societies embrace a mix of marriage types, with some people practicing monogamy and others polygamy.)
– Chimps fight for the right to mate with ovulating females. When we split from Chimps in evolution 7 million years ago we evolved toward more stable monogamous unions. (Our lineage never evolved to be strictly monogamous. But even in polygamous relationships, individual men and women formed long-term bonds.)
Gorilla sexual intrigue could explain human monogamy
Some interesting facts from the article:
- Pregnant females can mimic [ovulating] females and dupe the male into mating with them and distract him from what the other girls are up to.
- Homo sapiens aren’t the only primates that engage in recreational sex: Gorillas use it as tactic to gain favour, Bonobos basically use sex to say hi (Must be nice), and Chimpanzee’s use it gain support.
Monogamy evolved to keep baby-killers away
url: http://www.newscientist.com/article/dn23959-monogamy-evolved-to-keep-babykillers-away.html
This article nicely sums up some of the other two’s points and drives it home on why keeping daddy around helping mommy and the youngun’s get the whole species evolution on.
What Does it Mean For Modern Humans (My useless opinion)
The general consensus around why monogamy worked as a biological imperative is that it prevented infanticide. The interesting thing also is early homo-primates would supply meat to their young helping to increase the survival and nutrition uptake of their offspring. Way to go dads!