Greater wealth inequality, less polygyny: rethinking the polygyny threshold model

Journal of The Royal Society Interface • Vol/Iss. 15(144) • Royal Society Publishing • London • Published In • Pages: 1-15 •
By Ross, Cody T., Borgerhoff Mulder, Monique, Oh, Seung-Yun, Bowles, Samuel, Beheim, Bret, Bruce, John, Caudell, Mark, Clark, Gregory, Colleran, Heidi, Cortez, Carmen, Draper, Patricia, Greaves, Russell D., Gurven, Michael, Headland, Thomas, Headland, Janet, Hill, Kim, Hewlett, Barry S., Kaplan, Hillard S., Koster, Jeremy M., McElreath, Richard L., Yu, Douglas, Shepard Jr., Glenn, Kramer, Karen L., Marlowe, Frank W., Nolin, David, Quinlan, Marsha B., Quinlan, Robert J., Revilla-Minaya, Caissa, Scelza, Brooke, Schacht, Ryan, Shenk, Mary, Uehara, Ray, Voland, Eckart, Willfuhr, Kai, Winterhalder, Bruce, Ziker, John

Abstract

In this article, the authors reconsider the polygyny threshold model in order to account for the "polygyny paradox." This paradox, as the authors define it, is the trend away from polygyny as societies adopt stratified agricultural economies. This is despite an increase in both the importance of material wealth and greater leaves of wealth inequality both of which would otherwise suggest increased polygyny. The authors develop a new model that does account for this paradox.
Documents and Hypotheses Filed By: dmccloskey103  anj.droe