Readings Carolyn Jessop Escape, Broadway Books. (pp. 1-8, 72-106, 22-227 Rose McDermott (2011) Expert Report with regard to The Polygamy Reference, Court.

Readings

Carolyn Jessop Escape, Broadway Books. (pp. 1-8, 72-106, 22-227

Rose McDermott (2011) Expert Report with regard to The Polygamy Reference, Court No: Supreme Court of British Columbia, S-097767 (pp. 1-25)

Libby Copeland (2012). The problem with polygamy. Slate.com, January 30, 2012, pp. 1-2 (Comment on Henrich et al 2011).

Polygyny and prostitution

Guest lecturer: Rose McDermott

DEFINITIONSMonogamy

1 female, 1 malePolygamy

Polygyny: 1 male, multiple femalesSimultaneous Polygynous family

FLDS; SchwarzeneggerSequential New bond

(remarriage)

Newt GingrichPolyandry: 1 female, multiple males

Simultaneous Polyandrous family

Nepal-TibetSequential New bond

(remarriage)

Elizabeth Taylor

Mating (breeding) system

PolygynyMonogamy

Polygyny Many mammals AbsentSocial e.g. gorilla(bonding)system

Monogamy Most birdsA few birds

e.g. fairy-wren e.g. black

vulture

Some humans

TWO USES OF ‘POLYGYNY’ AND ‘MONOGAMY’

Superb fairy-wrenPair-bonded; pair-bond stable across yearsFemales hold territories up to 8 yearsOften with male helpers, mostly female’s sons

Extra-pair copulations95% broods (n = 40) included extra-group fathers76% offspring (n = 181) from extra-pair copulations

Helpers (non-mating males) present dominant male helps less female mates with more extra-group males female produces sons that are chosen more as

mates

Mulder et al (1994) Proc Roy Soc B 255: 223-229.

The male is brighter than the female

Mulder et al (1994) Proc Roy Soc B 255: 223-229.

Superb fairy-wrenMale mating

polygyny

Males repeatedly court extra-group females, but no immediate mating

Courted females later choose to return to mate specific males

Human systems

Human breeding systems & subsistence

Foraging Horticulture -> Agrarian Industrial

Family Nuclear Extended Nuclear

Residence Varies NeolocalMostly patrilocal

Self + kin SelfSpousechoice Lineage groups

Society

Mon (+ Pol) MonogamyMarriage Polygyny

Widespread: 83% societies (of 849 world-wide)

More in high-status men; often sororal (35%)

ConcubinesManchu Emperor

Bedouin

Simultaneouspolygyny

AustralianCongo

Ibn Saud1880-1953

Founder and first King of Saudi Arabia, 1932-53

Unified warring tribes

How many male descendants? (= Crown princes)

Estimated at 5000 - 7000!

(from 150 wives)

Kipsigis, Kenya (Mulder)

Polygynous

18 African countries 1921-51Monogamous

% wives

% husbands

39% 61%

61% 39%

van den Berghe 1981

Sex differences in marriage within polygyny

Often: most women polygynous

Most/all women marriedUsually most men monogamous

Many men unmarried (trouble!)

Serial polygyny, USA

Mueller & Mazur (2001) Behav Ecol Sociobiol

440 West Point graduates 195022% --> 2nd marriage

NOChildren per wife

HealthSES

YES# Marriages# Divorces

Younger 2nd wife

Height more RS. How??

Simultaneous polygyny USA

Tom Green, Utah

7 wives

29 children

5 year jail-term

Utah polygamists in prison, early 20th century

“Socially imposed monogamy”Industrial Societies

Polygyny forbidden

Associated with large complex societies, e.g. Ancient Rome

Foraging Societies

Polygyny allowed but difficultif men provide meat (all men roughly equal in value)

“Ecologically imposed monogamy”

“Ecologically imposed monogamy”

Africa: mostly monogamousSuccessful men -> 2 wives

Australia: mostly polygynousSuccessful men > 10 wives

Efe

HadzaTiwi

Simultaneous polyandry

Rare: 4 societies in 849 (0.5%)

Polyandrous wedding, Nepal

Found mostly briefly, in low-status men

Often fraternal

Always co-occurs with polygyny (high-status men are polygynous)

Low-status man, Yanomamö

One wife, plural husbands

Extreme male power tends to be used for reproduction

Stratified societies: significant wealth at top

Females compete to be attractive

Top males buy as many females as possible

Males want easily-guarded females

M. Dickemann 1979-81

Ecology of hypergyny (females marrying up)

Tendencies of powerful men in all major civilizations

MesopotamiaEgyptAztecIncaIndiaChina

Mated 100’s or 1000’s of women

Chose virgins

Monitored health, fertility

Used wet nurses

Secluded women in clothes and fortifications

Guarded women with eunuchs or women

Terrible punishments for adultery

Easy access to women of less powerful men

Bathsheba (Rembrandt) Betzig (1993)

Collected women as spoils of war

Extent of polygyny parallelled a man’s power

China 600 AD

Emperors: thousands of women

Great princes: hundreds

Nobility, generals, princes: ~30

Upper middle-class men: 6-12

Middle-class: 3-4

Betzig (1993)Concubines, Manchu dynasty

Emperor: thousands of women

Lords: > 700

“Principal persons”: 50

Leaders of vassal nations: 30

Leaders of 1000: 15

Heads of 100,000 provinces: 20

Governors of 100: 8

Petty chiefs of 50: 7

Chiefs over 10: 5

Chiefs over 5: 3

Rest: good luck!

Inca 1500’s AD

Powerful men in major civilizations

MesopotamiaEgyptAztecIncaIndiaChina

Married monogamously

Selected a single male heir

Inbred with well-endowed women

Imposed celibacy on many younger sons

Imposed celibacy or suicide on widows

Imposed celibacy on many daughters

Suleiman - killed all sons except one, to ensure succession

Betzig (1993)

“As marriage historian Stephanie Coontz has pointed out, polygyny is less about sex than it is about power.” (Copeland 2012)

Male gets female laborMale gets respect from other males (via controlling access to daughters)

But polygyny also systems for increasing reproductionNo males in regal palace (Uganda)Eunuchs

Wealth & polygyny

Animal polygyny: high RS for males

Male Wealth

FemaleRS

10

5

0

Who should she marry? The polygyny threshold model

First wife

Second wife

Poor Dude (as WIFE #1)

Rich Dude (as WIFE #2)

4

Significance of the Polygyny Threshold Model

Shows importance of male control of resources

Explains polygyny as partly due to female interests

Predicts polygyny if large inequality among males

Predicts monogamy if NO inequality among males(female should always prefer unmated male)

Predicts little reproductive inequality among females

Women Men

8

6

4

2

0

TotalChildren

Bornby age

60

Richer 50% Poorer 50%

Irons 1979

Support for the Polygyny Threshold ModelTurkmen,Iran, 1970’s

1. Rich women do slightly better2. Rich men do much better

Sexual selection in Kipsigis (western Kenya) (Borgerhoff-Mulder)

Patrilocal residence Wealth varies

Kipsigis: rich men

Large fieldsDivided for co-wives

Cooperative male groups

Large cattle herds

Big wedding party

Bride-price negotiationKipsigis: rich men

More wives

More children

Kipsigis: co-wives

Mostly work individually

Friends cooperate Children help

Polygyny in Kipsigis:bad for poor co-wives

0 1 2 30

2

4

6

8

# co-wives

Rich husband

Mid-wealth husband

Poor husband

RS

Poor co-wives --> low RSRich co-wives --> high RS

Females tend to benefit from a pair-bondAche: father leaves (death or divorce) ->

50% increase in child’s death rate

Ache, Paraguay

Hill & Hurtado 1995

Child survival