If there is a genetic basis to Monogamy^[1] (in humans), it makes you wonder… well, makes me wonder at least… if there’s the potential that Monogamy could be breed out of human populations. And if there’s a potential, are there any signs today which makes it seem like it could be happening.^[2]

From a genetics point-of-view, from what I’ve read, it is easier for loss of function or exaggeration and redirections of functions to occur than to develop wholly new complex adaptations. As an example of that — as an example of what loss of function looks like — when comparing wolves to dogs we see that [m]ale wolves help care for their offspring, but male dogs do not.^[3] Then if we believe that Monogamy is a complex adaptation, then it would lead us to believe that it is easier for Monogamy to be lost than for it to re-evolve from scratch.

[1] Because people can mean different things when they say “monogamy”, to be explicit, what I referring to when I say “monogamy” is, when a male and a female live together, have sex with one another, and cooperate in acquiring basic resources such as food, clothes, and money. Often they also care for and raise offspring to together.

[2] Just to be explicit, I’m a fan of Monogamy.

[3] Even though male dogs don’t care for their offspring, I wonder if the “wiring” for that behavior is still there. But if it’s just kind of muted. And thus, would you really have to re-evolve that behavior from scratch.

Here’s a quote…

Scientific dogma has long asserted that females are born with their entire lifetime’s supply of eggs, and once they’re gone, they’re gone. New findings by researchers at Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, published online Aug. 27 in Science, suggest that in nematode worms, at least, this does not hold true. Molecular physiologist Marc Van Gilst, Ph.D., and colleagues report that during starvation, sexually mature adult worms stop ovulating and the germline component of their reproductive system – the sex cells, including mature and maturing eggs – dies off and leaves behind nothing but a few stem cells. However, once normal food conditions resume, the conserved stem cells can produce a brand new crop of sex cells, complete with youthful and fertile eggs. This turning back of the reproductive clock all takes place in tiny C. elegans soil worms that are up to15 times older than normally fed worms in their reproductive prime.

Another interesting article.

Interesting article.

Yeah, I’ve noticed this whenever I’ve been involved. Here’s a excerpt….

It’s something that wives and girlfriends have long suspected – that women like to target men who are already in relationships.

(H/T Jason Malloy)

(H/T Jason Malloy)

Here’s an interesting study on how women show interest in other guys depends on whether they have a guy already or not. (I know, some people might be saying, “duh”.)

A study by Indiana University neuroscientist Heather Rupp found that a woman’s partner status influenced her interest in the opposite sex. In the study, women both with and without sexual partners showed little difference in their subjective ratings of photos of men when considering such measures as masculinity and attractiveness. However, the women who did not have sexual partners spent more time evaluating photos of men, demonstrating a greater interest in the photos. No such difference was found between men who had sexual partners and those who did not.

[…]

This is the first study to report whether having a current sexual partner influences interest in the opposite sex. Other studies have demonstrated that hormones, relationship goals and social context influence such interest.

[…]

The researchers also note that influence of partner status in women could reflect that women, on average, are relatively committed in their romantic relationships, “which possibly suppresses their attention to and appraisal of alternative partners.”

(Emphasis mine.)

(Link)

This is one of those studies that make you say, “duh”. But it’s nice to see that someone went and checked and measured to make sure their personal experiences are representative of what’s happening in reality.

Men are far more interested in casual sex than women. While men need to be exceptionally attractive to tempt women to consider casual sex, men are far less choosy. […] The research shows that men are more likely than women to report having had casual sex and they express a greater desire for it than do women. It is also thought that women but not men raise their standards of attractiveness for a casual sex partner.

(Link)