Evolutionary Ecology of Human Pair-Bonds

Cross-Cultural Tests of Alternative Hypotheses

Bibliographic Data

ID24315343
AuthorsRobert J Quinlan (Washington State University), Marsha B Quinlan (Washington State University)
Year2007
Volume41
Issue2
Pages149-169
Publication date2007-05-01
Open AccessNo
TypeARTICLE
VenueCross-Cultural Research (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 1069-3971 • E-ISSN: 1552-3578
PublisherSAGE Publications (PUBLISHER • US)
DOI10.1177/1069397106298893
OpenAlexW1998181883
LanguageEN
Citations received33
References cited55

Human pair-bonds may have multiple evolved functions. One long-standing hypothesis suggests that pair-bonds evolved for male provisioning. Alternatively pair-bonds may occur as a response to male mating competition when benefits of staying with a current mate outweigh costs of seeking new mates. A third hypothesis suggests that pair-bonds function to protect against infanticide by aggressive males. Tests of these hypotheses used data from the Standard Cross-Cultural Sample on divorce, alloparenting, polygyny, male contribution to subsistence, and male aggression. Results were not consistent with the infanticide and/or male aggression hypothesis; however, parental investment and male mating competition accounted for significant cross-cultural variance in conjugal stability, suggesting that human pairing has multiple functions. Pair-bonds tended to be stable when men and women contributed equally to subsistence, and unstable when either sex contributed the majority to subsistence. The authors use the ethnographic record to explore relations among pair-bonds, mating competition, showing off, and conjugal complementarity.

alloparenting · cross-cultural variation · Divorce · human mating systems · Infanticide · male aggression · male provisioning · Pair bond · Parental investment · Polygyny · showing off · Animal Behavior and Reproduction · Evolutionary Psychology and Human Behavior · Family Dynamics and Relationships