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Are men polygamous, women monogamous?
There is a common statement that “by nature, men are polygamous, and women are monogamous.” That they say a man’s task is to pass on his genes to as many descendants as possible, and a woman is “the keeper of the hearth and must take care of the offspring.”
Warm and soft are mixed here. Let’s figure it out.
Let’s look at “by nature” first.
In nature, there are different strategies for transmitting genes and different forms of caring for offspring.
Cubs can be raised in pairs or in a community. They can stay with the female, for example, in orangutans (these are animals leading a solitary lifestyle), although, for example, in some fish the eggs are carried by the male. They can also be left to their own devices (again in fish).
However, conception strategies may be different. Some species stop at sexual contact with one partner, while other species strive for multiple contacts with different partners.
Conception strategies and forms of care for offspring can be combined in different ways.
One sexual partner and care for offspring in a couple.
Monogamous couple for life.
For example, gibbons create a pair of their own choice and live together all their lives, taking care of their…
