Nature Communications (Apr 2016)

Disease dynamics and costly punishment can foster socially imposed monogamy

  • Chris T. Bauch,
  • Richard McElreath

DOI
https://doi.org/10.1038/ncomms11219
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 7, no. 1
pp. 1 – 9

Abstract

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Many human societies transitioned from polygyny to socially imposed monogamy as group sizes increased. Using a simulation model, the authors show that sexually transmitted infections impose heavier fitness penalties on polygynists as group size grows, enabling monogamists who punish polygyny to thrive in large groups.