Sabine Hoier

Psychological adaptation to human sperm competition

Abstract Sperm competition occurs when the sperm of two or more males simultaneously occupy the reproductive tract of a female and compete to fertilize an egg. We used a questionnaire to investigate psychological responses to the risk of sperm competition for 194 men in committed, sexual relationships in the United States and in Germany. As predicted, a man who spends a greater (relative to a man who spends a lesser) proportion of time apart from his partner since the couples last copulation reported (a) that his partner is more attractive, (b) that other men find his partner more attractive, (c) greater interest in copulating with his partner, and (d) that his partner is more sexually interested in him. All effects were independent of total time since the couples last copulation and the mans relationship satisfaction. Discussion addresses two failed predictions and directions for future work.

Relationship-Specific Closeness of Intergenerational Family Ties Findings from Evolutionary Psychology and Implications for Models of Cultural Transmission

Cross-generational cultural transmission is facilitated by affectional ties between cultural model and recipient. A theory of cultural transmission must therefore account for how and why affectional ties vary between different dyadic relationships. Findings on the tie strengths of several intergenerational kin dyads (grandparent- grandchild, grandparent-parent, aunt/uncle-niece/nephew) as rated by recipients of kin investment (adult grandchildren or nieces/nephews) are presented, based on several studies with altogether more than 3,000 participants between 16 and 80 years old. The relationship structures were dyad specific; asymmetrical with a tilt to the maternal side; robust; and predictable from reproductively relevant variables of the kinpersons involved, namely, sex-specific reproductive strategy, paternity uncertainty, and genetic closeness. Implications for the study of intrafamilial cultural transmission are discussed, with an emphasis on the importance of evolutionary theory for this research field.

Father absence and age at menarche

Life history data, attractiveness ratings of male photographs, and attitudes towards partnership and child-rearing of 321 women were used to test four evolutionary models (quantitative reproductive strategy, male short-age, polygyny indication, and maternal reproductive interests) which attempt to explain the influence of family composition on reproductive strategies. Links between early menarche and other markers of reproductive strategy were investigated. Childhood stress and absence of a father figure, whether genetically related or not, were found to have accelerated menarche whereas having younger siblings decelerated it. Early menarche was associated with attractiveness ratings, the number of partners desired for the immediate future, and the early onset of intimate relationships. It was not linked with sociosexual orientation, mate choice criteria, and investment in the subjects’ own children, but these three markers were interrelated. The implications of the findings for the four evolutionary models are discussed.

Female coital orgasm and male attractiveness

Female coital orgasm may be an adaptation for preferentially retaining the sperm of males with “good genes.” One indicator of good genes may be physical attractiveness. Accordingly, R. Thornhill, S. W. Gangestad, and R. Comer (1995) found that women mated to more attractive men reported an orgasm during a greater proportion of copulations than did women mated to less attractive men. The current research replicates this finding, with several design variations. We collected self-report data from 388 women residing in the United States or in Germany. Results support the hypothesis that women mated to more attractive men are more likely to report an orgasm at the most recent copulation than are women mated to less attractive men, after statistically controlling for several key variables. Discussion addresses (a) the inability of the present research to specify the causal link between female orgasm and male attractiveness and (b) the proactive nature of female sexuality documented in recent research guided by an evolutionary perspective.

Diskriminative Fürsorglichkeit von Tanten und Onkeln

Zusammenfassung: 398 Studierende beurteilten, wie sehr die jeweiligen Tanten und Onkel um das Wohlergehen der befragten Person besorgt sind, und ob ihnen mehr Fursorglichkeit vom matrilateralen oder patrilateralen Verwandten zuteil wird. Der durch Vaterschaftsunsicherheit erwartete Lateralitatseffekt (grosere Investition in Nachkommen der Schwester als in die des Bruders) war statistisch signifikant, aber kleiner als der Geschlechtereffekt (Tanten kummern sich mehr als Onkel). Die ANCOVA der Fursorgeratings, korrigiert um Alter und Wohnortnahe des Verwandten, zeigten zusatzlich eine signifikante Interaktion (matrilateraler Bias groser bei Tanten als bei Onkeln). Weiterhin wurden die Teilnehmer gefragt, mit welchen Namen sie ihre verschiedenen Groseltern, Tanten und Onkel ansprechen. Verwandtenspezifische diskriminative Fursorge spiegelte sich in der Vielfalt individueller Anredeformen fur die vier Groseltern wider, nicht aber in den Anredeformen fur Onkel und Tanten. Die Ergebnisse werden im Zusammenhang ...