Hanan ParvezBefore we tackle the question of why parents prefer sons over daughters, let’s review some fundamental concepts of evolutionary biology and psychology. You need to have an understanding of these concepts before proceeding and if you’re already familiar with them, a nice little review won’t hurt. Reproductive potential It is the number of children an …
It’s reasonably hard for many to conceive how on earth could a mother ever decide to take the life of her own baby. After all, we’ve all been told that motherhood is divine and mother’s love unconditional and sacrosanct. Yet, it’s a fact of life that infanticide happens and, as you’ll find out when you’re …
This article will explore the dynamics involved in unstable relationships using key concepts such as mate value. Take a look at the following scenarios: Saba’s six-month relationship with her boyfriend had always been tumultuous. She complained that her boyfriend Akhil was way too needy, insecure, and unconfident. Akhil’s complaint was that he wasn’t getting as much …
What is it about fire that fascinates us so much? Why are camping trips so incomplete without fires? Why do people like sitting by the fire and having deep, meaningful conversations? Growing up as a kid, I was always fascinated with fire. I bothered my parents with questions about it. I experimented with it. I burnt …
This article will explore the psychology of fatherless daughters in light of evolutionary theory. There are broadly two types of heterosexual mating strategies that humans pursue: short-term and the long-term mating strategy. Short-term mating strategy means forming brief relationships with multiple partners while a long-term mating strategy means forming an enduring relationship, typically with one …
This article will attempt to explain the psychology of gangs and gang violence in men using the concept of a dominance hierarchy. Timmy, a boy of fifth grade, was eating lunch at school, relishing his delectable dish in the peace and quiet of the school’s dining hall. Suddenly, out of nowhere, Jimmy and his friends …
Evolution has rendered female sexuality more valuable than male sexuality. There are two major reasons behind this: First, human males produce huge quantities of sperm while females produce only a limited number of eggs. Second, human females invest much more in offspring than males. The result being that female sexuality is a scarce and much …
Why do people go to war? Why do humans engage in warfare at all? At first blush, engaging in warfare seems to make no evolutionary sense. After all, if survival and reproduction are our core needs, why would we ever want to engage in an activity where the chances of us getting killed are so high? To …
The bell rang and the high school kids rushed out with vigor as if released from prison. As they were leaving their classrooms, boys and girls showed different kinds of behaviors. While the girls walked slowly and with grace, boys could be seen doing a number of things such as kicking one another, tripping and hitting …
This article will look at why physical aggression is so prevalent in men from an evolutionary perspective. Understanding the evolutionary benefits of aggression for men may provide insights into what circumstances trigger such behavior. But first, consider the following scenario: The boy was just fourteen and he had blood smeared all over the front of …