An evolutionary theory of monogamy

• 成果类型: Article
• 署名作者: Francesconi, Marco; Ghiglino, Christian; Perry, Motty
• 署名单位: University of Essex; University of Warwick
• 刊物名称: JOURNAL OF ECONOMIC THEORY
• ISSN/ISSBN: 0022-0531
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jet.2016.10.001
• 发表日期: 2016
• 页码: 605-628
• 关键词: Overlapping generations; Free riding; Serial monogamy; Polygyny; kinship; social norms

摘要

This paper presents a non-cooperative evolutionary model to explain the widespread diffusion of lifelong monogamous families. The essential condition, unique to humans, is the overlap of children of different ages. Under this condition, together with the salience of paternal investment and fatherhood uncertainty, monogamy attains a greater survivorship than serial monogamy and polygyny. This result is robust to a number of extensions, including the presence of kin ties, resource inequality, group marriage, and the risk of adult mortality. (C) 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.