Social Behavior of Female Vertebrates

Social Behavior of Female Vertebrates focuses on the evolution of reproductive behavior in female vertebrates ranging from fish to birds and humans, including issues of mate choice and other factors underlying female attitudes toward males. It also looks at the evolution of mating systems; the co-evolution of the sexes; sex-role reversal; reproductive competition between females; maternal behavior; and how females enhance the investment received by their offspring from others. It also considers other social behaviors that influence the nature of affiliative associations between females.
Organized into three parts encompassing 13 chapters, this volume begins with an overview of behavioral biology and sources of variation in female reproductive success. It then discusses the establishment and maintenance of sex biases, sex differences mediated by sexual selection, constraints on female choice in the mottled sculpin, mate choice by females in sexual selection of bird song, and female manipulation of male avoidance of cuckoldry behavior in the ring dove. The reader is also introduced to the evolution of polyandry in shorebirds; reproductive strategies in human females; social and health-seeking behaviors of Taiwanese women; female roles in cooperatively breeding acorn woodpeckers; altruism in coati bands; cooperation and reproductive competition among female African elephants; mate choice in matrilineal macaque groups; and reproductive competition and cooperation among female yellow baboons.
This book is a valuable resource for scientists and behavioral biologists, as well as lay people whose interests span a variety of fields.

Contenu

Contributors
Preface
Part I. Introduction

1. Behavioral Biology and the Double Standard
   I. The Myth of the Passive Female
   II. Sources of Variation in Female Reproductive Success
   III. And Now That We Are Asking, What Is It That Females Do?
   References
2. The Establishment and Maintenance of Sex Biases
   I. Why a Book on Female Social Behavior?
   II. Sex Differences Mediated by Sexual Selection
   III. Humans in Transition: The Establishment and Maintenance of Sex Biases in Science
   IV. Some Evolutionary Alternatives to the Male Dominance Syndrome
   V. What Lies Ahead?
   References
   Part II. Interactions between the Sexes
3. Constraints on Female Choice in the Mottled Sculpin
   I. Introduction
   II. The Mottled Sculpin
   III. Methods
   IV. Results
   References
4. Bird Songs, Sexual Selection, and Female Mating Strategies
   I. Introduction
   II. Sexual Selection
   III. A Comparison of Two Species
   IV. Evidence for Sexual Selection
   V. Mate Choice by Females or Male Competition?
   VI. Discussion
   VII. Summary
   References
5. Female Manipulation of Male Avoidance of Cuckoldry Behavior in the Ring Dove
   I. Introduction
   II. Female Determinants of Male Tactics to Avoid Cuckoldry
   III. Do Females Benefit from Surveillance and Guarding?
   IV. Female Sexual Responsiveness in Other Birds
   V. Summary
   References
6. The Evolution of Polyandry in Shorebirds: an Evaluation of Hypotheses
   I. Introduction
   II. A Summary of Multiple-Clutch Mating Systems in Shorebirds
   III. A Critical Evaluation of Hypotheses for the Evolution of Polyandry in Shorebirds
   IV. Characteristics of Shorebirds That Favored the Frequent Evolution of Polyandry
   V. Conclusions
   VI. Summary
   References
7. Human Female Reproductive Strategies
   I. Introduction
   II. Neo-Darwinian Theory and Novel Environments
   III. Human Breeding Systems: Some Ethnographic Examples
   IV. Some Preliminary Hypotheses Regarding Female Reproductive Strategies
   V. Summary
   References
8. A Life-Stage Analysis of Taiwanese Women: Social and Health-Seeking Behaviors
   I. Introduction
   II. The Environment, Division of Labor, and Sex Roles
   III. A Woman's Life History Stages
   IV. Changing Sex Roles, Health-Seeking Behaviors, and a Pluralistic Medical System
   V. Summary
   References
   Part III. Reproductive Competition and Cooperation among Females
9. Female Roles in Cooperatively Breeding Acorn Woodpeckers
   I. Introduction
   II. Methods
   III. Results
   IV. Discussion
   V. Conclusion
   VI. Summary
   References
10. Altruism in Coati Bands; Nepotism or Reciprocity?
    I. Introduction
    II. Methods
    III. Results
    IV. Discussion
    V. Summary
    References
11. Cooperation and Reproductive Competition among Female African Elephants
    I. Introduction
    II. Cooperation
    III. Competition
    IV. Conclusions
    V. Summary
    References
12. Cooperation, Competition, and Mate Choice in Matrilineal Macaque Groups
    I. Introduction
    II. Kin Selection, Local Population Regulation, and Female Behavior
    III. Lineage-Specific Female Mate Choice
    IV. Effects of LSFMC on Female Behavior
    V. Lineage-Specific Mating and Female Choice
    VI. Conclusions
    VII. Summary
    Appendix
    References
13. Reproductive Competition and Cooperation among Female Yellow Baboons
    I. Introduction
    II. Methods
    III. Reproductive Competition
    IV. Affiliation
    V. Discussion
    VI. Conclusion
    VII. Summary
    References
    Index