I remember to have both read and seen (on discovery channel) a couple of studies that conclude that human females do in fact use this same strategy as the birds (nesting with the reliable male, but mating with the high quality). I believe this was labelled as a "superior mating strategy" - just as the "superior male mating strategy" is to find the right mix of quality (staying and raising his offspring) and quantity (mating with as many as possible).
That this primal urge among women was still alive and kicking was allegedly confirmed by a study (conducted on british discos, I believe) showing that women are more prone to go out alone (with female friends - whithout boyfriends / husbands) when they also have the biggest chance of getting pregnant. That - compaired with the girls NOT "pregnant-prone" - these girls were also more likely to be "dressed to kill". And - finally - that girls where more likely to be unfaithful at this time of the month. Also supporting this theory is a study (reported this summer in Danish media) based on the growing number of instances where a father volunteers to donate an organ to one of his own children. In 15 percent of these cases (in Denmark) - if I remember right - the DNA test reveiled that the two were NOT related (of course the fathers were not told this - only that there was no match). Presumably these figures excluded fathers who already knew that they were not the father of the child. Although it is probably a somewhat small sample (I don't remember the size), it is nevertheless pretty representative of the population at large, I would say. As I said, most of this is just what I remember off hand - can anyone confirm??? Jacob Wimpffen Bræstrup Esthersvej 22, 2tv. DK-2900 Hellerup DENMARK Tel: (+45) 39 400 600 / 2020 3232 E-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED] "Power threatens; wealth rewards: one eludes power by deceiving it; to obtain the favours of wealth one must serve it: the latter is therefore bound to win" - Constant's speech given at the Athénée Royal, 1819 -----Oprindelig meddelelse----- Fra: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]]På vegne af [EMAIL PROTECTED] Sendt: 3. oktober 2001 17:12 Til: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Emne: Re: Disaster Raises Happiness, Trust Possibly. In many species of birds, the female will mate with high quality males who are often not around b/c high quality males have many mating opportunities. The female then nests with a lower quality male who raises the young. I don't actually know if humans do this, b/c humans don't always fit the models. Mitch Mitchell ----- Original Message ----- From: "William Dickens" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Date: Wednesday, October 3, 2001 7:17 am Subject: Re: Disaster Raises Happiness, Trust > I think this is a good EP explanation for men, but there is a > problem with it as an explanation for women. I have to admit that > I don't know if women are aroused by stress as well, but from the > woman's perspective it would seem that her offspring would be most > likely to succeed if she waited for the guys to come back and then > picked from that bunch. They would presumably be a more fit sub- > sample of the original population and would be more likely to be > around to help provide for the children. - - Bill Dickens > > > William T. Dickens > The Brookings Institution > 1775 Massachusetts Avenue, NW > Washington, DC 20036 > Phone: (202) 797-6113 > FAX: (202) 797-6181 > E-MAIL: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > AOL IM: wtdickens > > >>> [EMAIL PROTECTED] 10/01/01 10:19PM >>> > With regard to Mr. Dickens' comment regarding whether stress > should cause > sexual arousal, I am tempted to think that evolutionary psychology > can > certainly explain this phenomenon. Early societies, according to > most models > of human development, used the males as hunters and warriors; > females were > gatherers. With this division of labor, males certainly incurred > the more > perilous part of the community's job. Before an important hunt or > major > battle, it is manifestly in the male's evolutionary favor to > become sexually > aroused; after all, this may be his genome's last chance to > reproduce itself! > Even if he dies in battle, his sex partners -- still safely at > home -- will > be able to bear his young. > >
