Posted on 12/11/2003, 12:49:00 AM by vannrox
I found this article very intersting...
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Men are more likely to spoil their female partners and keep a close eye on their movements around the time of ovulation. This could be an evolutionary strategy to keep women away from other men during fertile periods, say the researchers who carried out a questionnaire study.
"Non-paternity" rates vary from country to country but between one and 30 per cent of children are not the offspring of their purported father. Steven Gangestad and colleagues at the University of New Mexico, US, found that women fantasised more about other men just before ovulation and that their partners apparently responded to this increased risk of unfaithfulness.
"It was clear from the results that the women's primary partners were more attentive and proprietary near ovulation," Gangestad says. "The results suggest a conflict of interest between the sexes when women are fertile."
Previous studies have found that women prefer "rugged" male faces when they are fertile, or when looking for a short-term mate. But for a long-term relationship, they prefer men with "gentle" faces.
The evolutionary explanation apparently fits Gangestad's new data neatly, says Magnus Enquist, an expert on mate bonding at the University of Stockholm, Sweden. But he cautions: "In popular circles and evolutionary psychology, it is a scientific fact that females may get better genes from other males than from their own partner. However, the evidence for this is still not overwhelming."
Gangestad's team thinks women do gain genetic benefits through sex with men who are not their primary partner. But being unfaithful could result in adverse effects if they are caught.
To maximise the potential benefits and minimise the risks, women should be most interested in other men during their fertile period, Gangestad thought.
His team gave questionnaires to 51 women. They filled them in within five days of ovulation - when they were fertile - and during a non-fertile period. Twenty-four of these women said they had a single relationship, and another seven had primary partners but non-exclusive relationships.
The team found that the women's overall attraction to and fantasy about other men increased in the days just prior to ovulation - but sexual interest in primary partners did not change.
The women with partners also reported about 30 per cent more attention and "monopolisation" behaviour during their fertile period, such as frequent telephone calls to check on their whereabouts.
"And specifically, the women who were most likely to report that their partners were more vigilant also reported the greatest increases in interest in other men," Gangestad told New Scientist.
However, none of the women in primary relationships reported actually being unfaithful to their partner. This weakens the team's evolutionary explanation for their findings, Enquist thinks.
Gangestad admits he does not know what cues men could be responding to. "There may be subtle clues in the partner's scent or visual signs," he says. "Or it may be a response to behaviour, such as an increased interest in other men."
Journal reference: Proceedings of the Royal Society B (DOI: 10.1098/rspb/2001.1952)
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I find this a little bit of a stretch.
'Course the opposite is true 14 days after ovulation every month.
That's a mighty big variance from 1% to 30%. I can't believe almost a third of children have been lied to about their dads. That would be the crappiest thing you could do to a child.
'Course the opposite is true 14 days after ovulation every month.
Actual T-Shirt worn here at home:
"I HAVE PMS AND A HANDGUN-ANY QUESTIONS?!"
I have no idea where she got it. It's pink.
Undoubtably, this is true- re the subtle clues. If you're in a long term relationship, you often find that you and your partner are thinking of the exact same thing at the exact same time. You become atuned to one another and are picking up little things of which you would not be aware with someone you just met.
Also, it would make sense that a woman should be more attractive to a man when she is in her fertile period- the better to attract mates with- hence his increased interest. Her primary partner would be well aware of this I would imagine, at least on a visceral level. I would also imagine that it would be in that male's best interests to have a heightened awareness for "competition" during this time.
However, none of the women in primary relationships reported actually being unfaithful to their partner. This weakens the team's evolutionary explanation for their findings, Enquist thinks.
Hmmm. Maybe it just means women are hornier during this period but it doesn't mean she has to act like an animal? It makes a sort of common sense to think that women would experience heightened arousal and more sexual thoughts during this period.
-- Prof. Catherine McKinnon
But they'd better enjoy their free-wheeling ways while they can. When the Muslims take over, things will be quite different.
One thing though, it's probably easy to keep warm in a burqa. Do they ever make them from wool?
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I have found the same thing to be true between myself and dogs, only dogs are less moody.
between one and 30 per cent of children are not the offspring of their purported father
,,, the end closer to 30% could reflect the case in some African nations. I'd bet a number of western countries would rate in the 3% or less bracket with ease of access to contraception.
YEEHAAAA!...C'mere darlin'!
FMCDH
Boy.... these folks took all the fun right out of it!
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