Abstract
This paper presents an updated mathematical model of the evolutionary dynamics of the sexual conflict (“battle of the sexes”) and its simulated reproductive outcomes. The authors highlight a whole range of life-history traits unique to our species, such as prolonged childhood, growth in parental care, etc. Based on these biosocial premises, the sexual conflict between men and women shifts into the mathematical realm of the “Prisoner’s Dilemma” game. The evolutionarily stable strategy of mutual rejection of parenthood would be dominant with this PD strategy in both parents; oscillation dynamics predicted in previous models would not be expected. Despite fatal theoretical prediction of the PD evolutionary game, the newish genetic data of the EPP rates in the historical populations reveals prevalence of cooperation between both sexes, predominantly utilizing the monogamous form of sexuality. Presumably, this sexual norm could have potentially ensured reproductive success in the societies in the past.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
Notes
It is assumed that coordinates of any point (x; y) inside phase portrait correspond in x-direction to proportion of males, realizing paternal care strategy, while a value in y-direction corresponds to proportion of females, realizing a motherhood strategy. Arrows mark the predicted orbit of evolutionary changes of these proportions with time. According to the computations, the proportions tend to zero.
REFERENCES
Lessells, K.M., Philos. Trans. Roy. Soc. B Biol. Sci., 2006, pp. 301–317.
Maynard, J.M. and Hofbauer, J., Theor. Popul. Biol., 1987, vol. 32, pp. 1–14.
Vasin, A.A., Psychol. Rational. Econ. Behav., 2005, pp. 106–124.
Dawkins, R., The Selfish Gene, Oxford: Oxford Univ. Press, 1978.
Schuster, P. and Sigmund, K., Anim. Behav., 1981, vol. 1, no. 29, pp. 186–192.
Hrdy, S.B., Mothers and Others, Harvard Univ. Press, 2009.
Butovskaya, M.L., Antropologiya pola (Anthropology of the Sex), Fryazino, 2013.
Bogin, B., Am. J. Phys. Anthropol. Offic. Publ. Am. Assoc. Phys. Anthropol., 1997, pp. 63–89.
Hrdy, S.B. and Hausfater, G., in Infanticide: Comparative and Evolutionary Perspectives, 1984, pp. 13–35.
Kokko, H. and Jennions, M.D., Cold Spring Harbor Persp. Biol., 2014, vol. 6, no. 9, p. a017517.
Boattini, A., Sarno, S., Pedrini, P., et al., Heredity, 2015, vol. 114, no. 2, pp. 155–162.
Larmuseau, M.H., Van den Berg, P., Claerhout, S., et al., Curr. Biol., 2019, vol. 23, no. 29, pp. 4102–4107.
Wolf, M., Musch, J., Enczmann, J., et al., Hum. Nat., 2012, vol. 23, no. 2, pp. 208–217.
Scelza, B.A., Prall, S.P., Swinford, N., et al., Sci. Adv., 2020, vol. 6, no. 8, p. 6195.
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
We are grateful to A. D. Puzikov for the assistance with mathematical calculations in the Wolfram Mathematica medium that are presented in the paper.
Funding
This study was supported by the Russian Foundation for Basic Research (project no. 19-313-90010 (O.V.S.) and the program of research of the Miklouho-Maklay Institute of Ethnology and Anthropology of the Russian Academy of Sciences (M.L.B.).
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Ethics declarations
COMPLIANCE WITH ETHICAL STANDARDS
The study does not contain any research involving animals or humans.
CONFLICT OF INTEREST
The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.
Additional information
Translated by E. Kuznetsova
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Semenova, O.V., Butovskaya, M.L. Theoretical Reproductive Outcomes of the Sexual Conflict in Humans. Dokl Biol Sci 500, 138–144 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1134/S0012496621050094
Received:
Revised:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1134/S0012496621050094