Human pair-bonds: evolutionary functions, ecological variation, and adaptive development

Evolutionary Anthropology • Vol/Iss. 17 • Published In • Pages: 227-238 •
By Quinlan, Robert J.

Abstract

Possible explanations for human pair-bonding are discussed: provisioning, breastfeeding, alloparenting, subsistence complementarity, and mating competition, male aggression, men’s show-off work, socioecological variation, and child development are all considered. The author does not conduct empirical analyses, but reviews primate comparisons, earlier cross-cultural analyses, and ethnographic case studies.
Documents and Hypotheses Filed By: Jessie Cohen  Amelia Piazza