The Myth of Man the Hunter: Women’s contribution to the hunt across ethnographic contexts

PLoS ONE, Journal Year: 2023, Volume and Issue: 18(6), P. e0287101 - e0287101

Published: June 28, 2023

The sexual division of labor among human foraging populations has typically been recognized as involving males hunters and females gatherers. Recent archeological research questioned this paradigm with evidence that hunted (and went to war) throughout the Homo sapiens lineage, though many these authors assert pattern women hunting may only have occurred in past. current project gleans data from across ethnographic literature investigate prevalence societies more recent times. Evidence past one hundred years supports archaeological finds Holocene a broad range cultures intentionally hunt for subsistence. These results aim shift male-hunter female-gatherer account significant role hunting, thus dramatically shifting stereotypes labor, well mobility.

Language: Английский

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Hominin cognition: The null hypothesis

Behavioral and Brain Sciences, Journal Year: 2025, Volume and Issue: 48

Published: Jan. 1, 2025

Abstract The target article explores material culture datasets from three African forager groups. After demonstrating that these modern, contemporary human populations would leave scant evidence of symbolic behaviour or complexity, it cautioned against using as a barometer for cognition in the deep past. Twenty-one commentaries broadly support expand conclusions. A minority offer targeted demurrals, highlighting (1) soundness reasoning absence; and questioning (2) “cognitively modern” null; (3) role hunter-gatherer ethnography; (4) pertinence inferential issues identified article. In synthesising discussions, this reply addresses all four points demurral turn, concludes there is much to be gained shifting our null assumptions reconsidering probabilistic links between past cognition.

Language: Английский

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Energetic Value of Women's Work: Assessing Maternal Energetic Costs From Acorn Foraging

American Journal of Physical Anthropology, Journal Year: 2025, Volume and Issue: 186(3)

Published: March 1, 2025

Perceptions of female energetic contributions and their role in human evolution are limited. This exploratory study compares energy expenditure, return rate, foraging efficiency between infant carrying methods females simulating acorn practices by Indigenous communities western North America. After resting metabolic rate (RMR) was collected, volunteers (n = 6, age: 21-37) conducted three 1-h bouts foraging. First, foraged unloaded (control) while for the second third they a traditional basketry cradle or chest sling (randomized order) with 4.5 kg sandbags. Energy expenditure (EE) measured through indirect calorimetry, physical activity intensity assessed using accelerometry, rates (RR) were calculated after processing. The inter-bout results not statistically significant. Findings show, however, that RR largely surpasses EE irrespective method. technique resulted largest mean EE, yet it more efficient than sling-carrying Most time spent at moderate intensity, especially during cradle-carrying compared to control groups. small demonstrates caloric females. Our findings emphasize child-carrying techniques cradles allow improved returns commonly used slings. reinforce previous despite demands even child-rearing.

Language: Английский

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Lithic usewear confirms the function of Wilamaya Patjxa projectile points

Scientific Reports, Journal Year: 2023, Volume and Issue: 13(1)

Published: Nov. 3, 2023

Approximately 9000 years ago at the Andean highland site of Wilamaya Patjxa, forager communities interred female and male individuals with projectile points, suggesting that large-mammal hunting may have been a gender neutral activity among community. We report lithic usewear analysis, which confirms ostensible points were indeed used as points. The data further reveal evidence cutting hide scraping consistent animal processing activities. A new radiocarbon date shows contemporaries, or nearly so, sometime between 9.0 8.7 cal. ka. These findings support model early subsistence practices in both Patjxa hunted large mammals.

Language: Английский

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Preface to second edition

Oxford University Press eBooks, Journal Year: 2024, Volume and Issue: unknown, P. ix - x

Published: Dec. 13, 2024

Extract A year after the two hundredth anniversary of Charles Darwin's birth, evolutionary accounts human behaviour are as prevalent ever. Such also remain remarkably contentious, still attracting legions hostile criticism and exciting vigorous, impassioned defences. Whether you an admirer or not, there can be no doubt that field has retained a high profile, both within outside academia, it remains fertile. Nonetheless, in eight years since first edition was completed, great deal changed. In many non-trivial respects, virtually all domains behavioural sciences have made significant progress. We grateful to Oxford University Press for providing us with opportunity produce second recount these changes. The last been quite extraordinary period. For instance, genome sequenced, dramatic implications sciences, we discuss at some length this book. Important advances our understanding recent evolution, which affected from outside. Significant developments occurred field, such broadening psychology methodology, appearance cultural evolution experimentation, application phylogenetic approaches culture. Unfortunately, rapid progress not matched memetics. To reflect changing literature, Chapter 6, previously devoted memes, restyled chapter, memes just making up small part.

Language: Английский

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To the extreme! How biological anthropology can inform exercise physiology in extreme environments

Comparative Biochemistry and Physiology Part A Molecular & Integrative Physiology, Journal Year: 2023, Volume and Issue: 284, P. 111476 - 111476

Published: July 7, 2023

Language: Английский

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Exploring Within-Gender Differences in Friendships Using an Online Social Network

Archives of Sexual Behavior, Journal Year: 2024, Volume and Issue: 53(8), P. 3187 - 3201

Published: June 11, 2024

People tend to befriend others similar themselves, generating a pattern called homophily. However, existing studies on friendship patterns often rely surveys that assess the perspective of relatively few participants their friendships but do not measure actualized patterns. Here, we used data from large Slovakian online social network role gender, age, and body mass index (BMI) in same-gender connections among more than 400,000 users. We found age BMI homophily occurred both men's women's connections, somewhat strongly men's. Yet, as women diverged BMI, were less likely be reciprocated. discuss how evolutionary legacy coalitional competition (e.g., warfare) mating or recruitment allocare providers might contribute these modern relationships. For example, engagement physical activities may lead formidability levels peers. Altogether, our findings highlight importance trait similarity

Language: Английский

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Evolutionary psychology

Oxford University Press eBooks, Journal Year: 2024, Volume and Issue: unknown, P. 108 - 138

Published: Dec. 13, 2024

Abstract This chapter describes the sub-field of Evolutionary Psychology. After briefly setting out history sub-field, three key concepts this approach, namely evolved psychological mechanisms, environment evolutionary adaptedness, and domain specificity. It then examples Psychology research through four case studies on topics mechanisms for detecting cheaters, sex differences in mate preferences, violence risk-taking behaviour, disgust. A critical evaluation section covers discussion topics: evaluating concept advances biology, domain-general traits. The contributions that have been made by research, as well examining its potential limitations, particularly relation to issue inferring past selection might acted ancestral human populations overemphasis domain-specific mental processing, plus accusations storytelling.

Language: Английский

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Can women hunt? Yes. Did women contribute much to human evolution through endurance hunting? Probably not.

American Anthropologist, Journal Year: 2024, Volume and Issue: 126(2), P. 365 - 369

Published: March 16, 2024

A recent article by Ocobock and Lacy (Ocobock & Lacy, 2023) argues that human females are "just as, if not more, capable as males at performing arduous physical tasks" therefore likely to have "meaningfully engaged in hunting during our evolutionary past."This is a direct challenge the (generally accepted) canon gendered subsistence activities key feature of ecological niche, with men typically contributing more via endurance women through plant small-prey foraging other compatible women's reproductive roles energetic trade-offs.In support their argument, provide comprehensive novel review aspects skeletal, muscular, hormonal biology may confer greater cardiometabolic protection even enhanced athletic recovery capabilities relative men.We agree authors been woefully underrepresented exercise physiology studies, we hope motivates further research into previously unexamined variation physiological abilities.However, strongly disagree central premise appears motivate this scholarship: idea evolved derives largely from incorrect assumptions extrapolated patriarchal norms today and/or rationalizations "implicit male superiority" based solely on anatomical gender differences.Such claims belied extensive ethnographic behavioral ecology across multiple extant societies.These studies document near universality divisions labor, large-scale participation occurring only specific societies (i.e., Agta) or contexts small-game hunting) (Bird, 1999;Hoffman, Farquharson, Venkataraman, 2023).We argue reconstruction overly reliant on, misapply, data Western industrialized populations.We also caution authors' methodological approach does follow typical structure scientific study.Ocobock do state any falsifiable hypotheses predictions answer question, nor they demonstrate how evidence presented changes about impact behaviors biological fitness (survival reproduction).Rather, paper focused underscoring reasons why original interpretations male-biased "wrong" (not incomplete), while attempting flawed view is.It rooted superior, more-desirable activity, explicitly stating "relegated mothering gathering."In doing so, conflate arguments belonging different always comparable planes: moral, ideological, scientific.While Westernized individualistic perspectives position domestic labor relatively less-skilled important compared (often male) economic contributions, shared most contemporary scholars societies, many themselves.Fundamentally, biases field should be challenged, but confounded reluctance accept underlying explanations differ what "antipatriarchal" posit.

Language: Английский

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Gene–culture coevolution

Oxford University Press eBooks, Journal Year: 2024, Volume and Issue: unknown, P. 169 - 198

Published: Dec. 13, 2024

Abstract This chapter describes the sub-field of Gene–Culture Coevolution. After briefly setting out history sub-field, three key concepts this approach, namely comparisons between rates genetic and cultural evolution, niche construction theory, constructing Coevolution models. It then examples research through case studies on topics coevolution dairy farming lactose tolerance, human cooperation prosociality, heritability cognitive behavioural traits. A critical evaluation section covers discussion topics: question whether culture comes in clean, discrete packages; brain is subject to gene–culture coevolution; idea that mind comprised ‘cognitive gadgets’. The challenges undertaking research, including need for cross-disciplinary collaborations, proposes approach provides most comprehensive understanding evolution.

Language: Английский

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