
Contents
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The ubiquity of human aggression The ubiquity of human aggression
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Intensity of Sexual Selection in Human Males Intensity of Sexual Selection in Human Males
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Bateman Gradients and Variance in Reproductive and Mating Success Bateman Gradients and Variance in Reproductive and Mating Success
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Parental Investment, Reproductive Rates, and Operational Sex Ratio Parental Investment, Reproductive Rates, and Operational Sex Ratio
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Group Structure and Mating System Group Structure and Mating System
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Environmental Potential for Mate Monopolization Environmental Potential for Mate Monopolization
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Functional Design for Male Contests: Types of Evidence Functional Design for Male Contests: Types of Evidence
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Evidence of Sexual Selection on a Trait Evidence of Sexual Selection on a Trait
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Evidence of Functional Design for Contests Evidence of Functional Design for Contests
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Functional Design for Male Contests: The Evidence Functional Design for Male Contests: The Evidence
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Hominid Characters That May Function in Contests Hominid Characters That May Function in Contests
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Skeletal Size Skeletal Size
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Muscle Mass, Strength, and Power Muscle Mass, Strength, and Power
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Same-Sex Aggression Same-Sex Aggression
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Foot Structure Foot Structure
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Hominine Characters That May Function in Contests Hominine Characters That May Function in Contests
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Coalitional Aggression Coalitional Aggression
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Low-Frequency Vocalizations Low-Frequency Vocalizations
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Hominini Characters That May Function in Contests Hominini Characters That May Function in Contests
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Bipedalism and Upright Posture Bipedalism and Upright Posture
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Adaptations of the Hand Adaptations of the Hand
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Canine Reduction, Fists, and Handheld Weapons Canine Reduction, Fists, and Handheld Weapons
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Craniofacial Robusticity Craniofacial Robusticity
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Suite of Hominin Synapomorphies That Enhance Fighting Performance Suite of Hominin Synapomorphies That Enhance Fighting Performance
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Characters That May Function in Contests in Genus Homo Characters That May Function in Contests in Genus Homo
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Projectile Weapons Projectile Weapons
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Left-handedness Left-handedness
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Foot Length Foot Length
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Pain Thresholds and Tolerance Pain Thresholds and Tolerance
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Aerobic Capacity Aerobic Capacity
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Evaporative Cooling Evaporative Cooling
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Displays and Badges of Threat Potential Displays and Badges of Threat Potential
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Hair Hair
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Contests and Mating Success. Contests and Mating Success.
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Does Success in Contests Increase Mating Success? Does Success in Contests Increase Mating Success?
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Do Phenotypes That Function in Contests Increase Mating Success? Do Phenotypes That Function in Contests Increase Mating Success?
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Alternatives to Male Contests Alternatives to Male Contests
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Sexual Division of Labor Sexual Division of Labor
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Female Mate Choice Female Mate Choice
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Development By-products Development By-products
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Phylogenetic Inertia Phylogenetic Inertia
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Male contests parsimoniously explain human male phenotypes Male contests parsimoniously explain human male phenotypes
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Acknowledgments Acknowledgments
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References References
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13 Contest Competition for Mates and the Evolution of Human Males
Get accessDavid Puts, Ph.D., Pennsylvania State University
David Carrier, University of Utah
Alan R. Rogers, Ph.D., University of Utah
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Published:26 January 2023
Cite
Abstract
Accumulating evidence suggests that the phenotypes of human males were shaped by contest competition, the mode of sexual selection in which mating opportunities are obtained by using force or threat of force to exclude same-sex competitors. Phylogenetic, paleontological, and archaeological data indicate a great antiquity for male–male violence in our lineage, and human males possess a constellation of traits that suggest specialization for contest competition. Relative to females, males exhibit greater stature, muscle mass, strength, speed, aerobic capacity, ability to dissipate exercise heat loads, craniofacial robusticity, pain tolerance, risk-taking, behavioral displays of physical prowess and acuity to the formidability of same-sex conspecifics, outgroup discrimination, and a propensity to participate in dyadic and coalitional violence. Parallel evidence suggests that some characteristics that distinguish hominins from the other great apes increase formidability in fights (e.g., handheld weapons, habitual bipedalism, and proportions of the hand and face) or function to increase perceptions of dominance (e.g., low vocal frequencies). Many of these traits are consistent with having been shaped by contest competition over mates: they develop or elaborate at sexual maturity and predict success in male contests, mating, and reproduction. Although alternative evolutionary explanations for some of these sexually dimorphic traits are possible, the most parsimonious explanation is that they have been preserved by selection because they aided in contest competition among males throughout human evolutionary history. The evolutionary roots of much of the aggression, intolerance, and violence that plagues modern societies may ultimately lie in the selection that shaped our mating system.
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