Comparative study of reproductive skew and pair-bond stability using genealogies from 80 small-scale human societies

American Journal of Human Biology • Published In 2015 • Pages: 1-8 •

By Ellsworth, Ryan M., Shenk, Mary K., Bailey, Drew H., Walker, Robert S.

Hypothesis

Male reproductive skew (proxy measure being incidence of paternal half-siblings) will be highest in horticultural societies in comparison to other subsistence modes. (2)

Note

Horticulturalists and agropastoralists have higher skew.

Test
Test Name	Support	Significance	Coefficient	Tail
t-test	Partially supported	p<.05	`UNKNOWN`	`UNKNOWN`

Variables
Variable Name	Variable Type	OCM Term(s)
Paternal Sibling Fraction	`UNKNOWN`	Family Relationships
Subsistence Mode	`UNKNOWN`	Food Quest, Animal Husbandry, Agriculture

Related Hypotheses

Main Author	Published Year	Hypothesis	Supported	Variables Tested
Ellsworth, Ryan M.	2015	Male reproductive skew (proxy measure being incidence of paternal half-siblings) will be higher in societies at lower latitudes. (2)	Supported	2	Cite Related Hypotheses More By Author
Ellsworth, Ryan M.	2015	Partible paternal societies will have higher fractions of paternal half-siblings than singular paternity societies. (3)	Supported	2	Cite Related Hypotheses More By Author
Gaulin, Steven J.C.	1980	Agricultural societies will have higher paternal certainty than hunter-gatherer societies (230).	Not Supported	2	Cite Related Hypotheses More By Author
Ellsworth, Ryan M.	2015	Pair-bond instability (proxy measure being higher incidence of maternal half siblings) will be greater where male contribution to subsistence is lower. (2)	Not Supported	2	Cite Related Hypotheses More By Author
Ellsworth, Ryan M.	2015	Pair-bond instability (proxy measure being higher incidence of maternal half siblings) will be lower at higher latitudes, irrespective of subsistence mode. (2-3)	Supported	2	Cite Related Hypotheses More By Author