I'm not a father, but those of you who think you are might want to check. Those of you who have been surprised at how wonderful your offspring are, should be doubly cautious.
Mitch ----- Original Message ----- From: Jacob W Bræstrup <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Date: Wednesday, October 3, 2001 1:32 pm Subject: SV: Disaster Raises Happiness, Trust > > I remember to have both read and seen (on discovery channel) a > couple of > studies that conclude that human females do in fact use this same > strategyas the birds (nesting with the reliable male, but mating > with the high > quality). I believe this was labelled as a "superior mating > strategy" - just > as the "superior male mating strategy" is to find the right mix of > quality(staying and raising his offspring) and quantity (mating > with as many as > possible). > > That this primal urge among women was still alive and kicking was > allegedlyconfirmed by a study (conducted on british discos, I > believe) showing that > women are more prone to go out alone (with female friends - whithout > boyfriends / husbands) when they also have the biggest chance of > gettingpregnant. That - compaired with the girls NOT "pregnant- > prone" - these girls > were also more likely to be "dressed to kill". And - finally - > that girls > where more likely to be unfaithful at this time of the month. > > Also supporting this theory is a study (reported this summer in Danish > media) based on the growing number of instances where a father > volunteers to > donate an organ to one of his own children. In 15 percent of these > cases (in > Denmark) - if I remember right - the DNA test reveiled that the > two were NOT > related (of course the fathers were not told this - only that > there was no > match). Presumably these figures excluded fathers who already knew > that they > were not the father of the child. > > Although it is probably a somewhat small sample (I don't remember > the size), > it is nevertheless pretty representative of the population at > large, I would > say. > > As I said, most of this is just what I remember off hand - can anyone > confirm??? > > Jacob Wimpffen Bræstrup > Esthersvej 22, 2tv. > DK-2900 Hellerup > DENMARK > Tel: (+45) 39 400 600 / 2020 3232 > E-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > > "Power threatens; wealth rewards: one eludes power by deceiving > it; to > obtain the favours of wealth one must serve it: the latter is > thereforebound to win" > - Constant's speech given at the Athénée Royal, 1819 > > > > > -----Oprindelig meddelelse----- > Fra: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]]På > vegne af > [EMAIL PROTECTED] > Sendt: 3. oktober 2001 17:12 > Til: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > Emne: Re: Disaster Raises Happiness, Trust > > > Possibly. In many species of birds, the female will mate with high > quality males who are often not around b/c high quality males have > manymating opportunities. The female then nests with a lower > quality male > who raises the young. I don't actually know if humans do this, b/c > humans don't always fit the models. > > Mitch Mitchell > > ----- Original Message ----- > From: "William Dickens" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > Date: Wednesday, October 3, 2001 7:17 am > Subject: Re: Disaster Raises Happiness, Trust > > > I think this is a good EP explanation for men, but there is a > > problem with it as an explanation for women. I have to admit that > > I don't know if women are aroused by stress as well, but from the > > woman's perspective it would seem that her offspring would be most > > likely to succeed if she waited for the guys to come back and then > > picked from that bunch. They would presumably be a more fit sub- > > sample of the original population and would be more likely to be > > around to help provide for the children. - - Bill Dickens > > > > > > William T. Dickens > > The Brookings Institution > > 1775 Massachusetts Avenue, NW > > Washington, DC 20036 > > Phone: (202) 797-6113 > > FAX: (202) 797-6181 > > E-MAIL: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > > AOL IM: wtdickens > > > > >>> [EMAIL PROTECTED] 10/01/01 10:19PM >>> > > With regard to Mr. Dickens' comment regarding whether stress > > should cause > > sexual arousal, I am tempted to think that evolutionary psychology > > can > > certainly explain this phenomenon. Early societies, according to > > most models > > of human development, used the males as hunters and warriors; > > females were > > gatherers. With this division of labor, males certainly incurred > > the more > > perilous part of the community's job. Before an important hunt or > > major > > battle, it is manifestly in the male's evolutionary favor to > > become sexually > > aroused; after all, this may be his genome's last chance to > > reproduce itself! > > Even if he dies in battle, his sex partners -- still safely at > > home -- will > > be able to bear his young. > > > > > >