The article, On Human Nature: Sex and the Single Monkey, was published by The Sciences over fifteen years ago. Written by Robert Sapolsky, the article addresses a multitude of mating concepts and theories between female and male organisms, including humans and primates. I would not say that the article is dated from the concept of anatomical and physiological behaviors and reactions because these remain constant. However, a glaring component is missing in this article based on our changing times and socially accepted beliefs. I also find the article too narrow in scope leaving several questions unanswered. Before I move on I would like to give a brief overview of Sapolsky’s article. Although Sapolsky clouds the focus of this article with humor and his opinions, the premise of this article is whether organisms are driven to another through proximal cues, and if so, what makes one organism sexy to another? (Sapolsky) Sapolsky answers this question through a theory of symmetrical attractions. He explains that all species prefer symmetry in their mate, as it is symbolic of health. A sexual being may consider a healthy partner someone who can reproduce healthy offspring (Sapolsky). Therefore, features that are indicative of health are desirable to the opposite gender. Sapolsky further discusses whether the nice guy really finishes last. He gives an example of the linear access model as it relates to baboons. At the top of the hierarchy, the male baboon is assumed to be with the first female in heat. (Sapolsky). What if the female doesn’t want to comply, or no cues are present to suggest an attraction between the two? The example further demonstrates how the female can potentially manipulate the male into a fight with ... ... middle of paper ... ...“Friends with Benefits”. Although not linear, this concept may have some similarities with the linear access model of the baboons mentioned earlier. Having sex doesn’t extend beyond sexual intercourse and more often than not, there isn’t any emotion between the couple. Emotional attachment is present when making love and is a sharing of overall intimacy (Have Sex vs. Make Love). Human nature is a very unpredictable thing. What attracts one person to a muscle-bound creature may turn the next person off. Sapolsky writes of opposing points of view and for that reason, I give Sapolsky credit for balancing the article with varied examples. The scope of this article surfaces many questions and creates debate. For that reason, I believe Sapolsky did a nice job with this article despite its narrow and unfocused approach and considering the decade it was written.
Psychologist, Richard A. Lippa, takes on the challenge of proving the concept that an individual’s idea of gender is derived from their brain, an issue otherwise recognized as “nature vs. nurture” in his book, Gender, Nature, and Nurture. Francis Galton, defines nature and nurture, as, “Nature is all that a man brings with himself into the world; nurture is every influence from without that affects him after birth.” Galton emphasizes the fact that nature produces the infant, with direct influences, determining both “growth of body and mind” (Galton) while nurture is an alteration of the environment for the comfort of the infant. Lippa establishes that each gender displays different levels of hormones, and physical capabilities, which will contribute to “nature.” An intriguing study conducted by Henry F. Harlow, whether the gender of a monkey can be determined, with or without the aid of parental influence. Regardless of whether the monkeys had a parent, the behaviors that they demonstrated in their natural environment were the same. The fundamental principle behind this is due to the fact that males were “influenced by the exposure to testosterone.” (122) As human beings, we vary in physical attributes, which subconsciously come into play when it comes to our preferences. This explains why the things that we do are gender
A Primate’s Memoir, written by Robert Sapolsky, documents the author’s time in Kenya while he studied the various behaviors of a troop of baboons. One of the key aspects of the book was the social rank that developed within the troop. Female baboons have a social hierarchy that is fairly cut and dry. The eldest baboons in the troop are considered the higher-ranking females, and as the baboons get younger, so to follows the string of dominance. The ranking for males was essentially from the strongest baboons to the weakest baboons. The baboon at the top of the social hierarchy was considered the alpha male. This social rank has huge implications for the troop in regards to which baboons mated with each other. If another baboon wanted to become the alpha male, then he would have to challenge the current alpha male to a fight, and win. The baboon’s distinct personality mixed with their instincts are the primary factors for where one lands on the social hierarchy. Another key aspect of the book was the strategies that took place when the baboons wanted to mate with another baboon. Similar to humans, the baboon males tried to impress the female baboons in a way that would make them want to mate. The rank of the male is considered to be one of the greatest factors contributing to what mate they end up with, because there is nothing more impressive than becoming a high-ranking baboon. Also, there were instances of lower-ranking baboons strategizing and forming teams with other baboons to become a higher ranking baboon for the mating possibilities. The baboons in the group are considered a patch-work of different troops, as it is common for one baboon to move to different groups frequently.
The Red Queen: Sex and the Evolution of Human Nature. New York: Macmillan Rubin, Z. (1973) Liking And Loving, New York: Holt, Rinehart & Winston Schachter, S. (1959) The Psychology of Affiliation, Stanford: Stanford UP Silverman, I. (1971)
5. Kellert, S.R. and E.O. Wilson, editors. 1993 The Biophilia Hypothesis. Island Press, Washington, DC
Primates have long been understood to have a distinct connection with other animals of its kind, perhaps one of the reasons why their behavior has been most often than not closely related to how humans interact in social groups. However, between different emerging species, it could be analyzed how competition becomes a vital part of the connection they share between each other. This is the reason why it was easier to preserve species of different kinds of primates even within the same locations of habitat. Cross-breeding was not that common among primates due to being highly territorial in nature. Male primates often direct their groups specifically having a distinct distance from other types of other primates. This is why preserving intact social groups among monkeys have been a distinct characteristic of the animal, giving them a greater chance of propagating and preserving their own groups surviving within a specific habitat. When instances of environmental imbalance occurs, primates often move as groups, hence bringing their whole clan and community along with them as they follow their leaders find viable locations to become their new home.
Primates are considered to be one of the most interesting mammals on earth to study due to their numerous similarities with humans and their complexities in life. Today we look at primates as our closest relatives, meaning that observations and research will not only give us information about non-human primates, but human primates as well. There were many primates to choose from, though I decided to observe two types of primates, the Western Lowland Gorilla, and the Tufted Capuchin Monkey. Both species of primates were observed at the San Diego Zoo. With my research, I will collect data from my observations, give background information from credible sources, and explain the interactions I encountered while observing the two different primates. Before attempting to understand ourselves and other species as primates, it is important to understand that scientific research is the basis for determining our origins as primates, understanding certain species of primates, and why we consider primates to be our closest ancestor.
In order to understand the present lifestyles relating to different approaches and tactics applied by humans in mate choice preferences, there is the need to refer to Darwin (1859, 1871) evolutionary perspectives. Darwin (1871) sexual selection is the driving force for males and females reproductive quest for their genes survival. These driving forces have been classified into two categories as intra-sexual and intersexual mate selection.Intersexual selection is male sexual selection process whereby males compete with other males and the females choose the strongest as their ideal partner. Intra-sexual selection occurs when the male species fight among themselves and the strongest gain access to females for
Over the years even action figures have gotten larger muscles, so much so that they are to proportions physically impossible to obtain. Every time you turn the corner, your eyes are drawn to some advertisement that shows a man with his shirt off, muscular and defined. “There is no way to plug popular culture into an equation and see what effect it has on mass psychology, of course, but there is widespread sentiment that these provocative images of buff males have really upped the ant...
In the article “An Anthropological Look at Human Sexuality” the authors, Patrick Gray and Linda Wolfe speak about how societies look at human sexuality. The core concept of anthology is the idea of culture, the systems of attitudes, beliefs, and behaviors people acquire as a member of society. The authors give an in depth analysis on how human sexuality is looked at in all different situations.
In his lecture, primatologist Robert Sapolsky explains the uniqueness of humans as well as our similarities to other primates. In doing so, he broke it down into six points of interest: aggression, theory of mind, the golden rule, empathy, pleasure in anticipation and gratification postponement, and lastly, culture. Professor Sapolsky approaches each point with interesting fact-based examples thus allowing me to gain insight on humans and other primates. Sapolsky’s knowledge of primates along with his scientific background allows him to make a clear argument that one cannot simply ignore.
Evolutionary framework for human mating is based on three elements. First, strategies for mating developed to solve specific problems in human evolutionary history. Second, people behave differently depending on the type of mating involved. There are two types of mating, short term and long term mating. Short term mating is defined as casual sex (i.e. one-night stands and brief affairs). Long term mating is seen as a committed relationship (i.e. dating, going steady, and marriage). Third, males and females developed different strategies due to the difference in problems they have had over the course of human evolution (Buss 241). This paper will examine those strategies specific to males.
Friends with benefits relationships consist of friends who are physically involved and participate in the occasional engagement of sexual activity, but otherwise have a basic friendship in which they are not romantically involved (Mongeau, Ramirez, & Vorell, 2003). This separation differentiates friends with benefits relationships (FWBRs) from other relationship types by creating a relational hybrid due to no future expectations of transitioning into a romantic relationship. Even though these relationships carry defining features of a romantic relationship, such as intimacy and sexual passion, FWB partners do not consider their involvements to be romantic relationships, but rather best regarded to as friends involved in casual sex. With many potential implications for understanding FWBRs dynamics more broadly, our understandings of these involvements are in an early stage due to a recent attraction to friends with benefits relationships.
orientation on human mate selection preferences, as indicated by an analysis of personal advertisements. Behaviour, Volume 148 , 307-323. Retrieved 17 April 2015.
Good physical appearance helps in building up flexible relationships. For example women who take care of their physical appearance manage to have a better relatio...
Bd 3. Kurzban, R., & Weeden, J. (2004, August 24). HurryDate: Mate preferences in action. Retrieved June 9, 2015, from http://www.sas.upenn.edu/psych/PLEEP/pdfs/2005 Kurzban & Weeden EHB.pdf 4.