The male indri, a true gentleman, defers to his mate and child while feeding, allowing them their choice of the finest fruits and flowers. Human babies are among the most dependent of any primate infant, a side-effect of our evolved intelligence and erect posture. With expanded skulls requiring passage through birth canals narrowed by our bipedal anatomy, brainy babies must leave the womb at an earlier developmental stage than our primate cousins. Because human babies require constant nurturing over a prolonged period of infancy and childhood, a second provider and protector the father can help ensure his offspring s survival to maturity. Monogamy can win Darwin s game.
Old habits don t die, and the preconceptions of gender have reemerged in evolutionary psychology.
Pinker and other proponents of evolutionary psychology argue that the biology of the brain directs that more nebulous construct, the mind. Social roles emerge from our subconscious. Primate studies, however, tell us that no single sex-role scheme prevails. Evolution through natural selection involves occasional mutations changes to the gene pool offering novel solutions to life s challenges. Be faithful or don t be, it s ultimately your choice.