While knowledge of the female dominance spectrum among certain primate species dates back to the 1960s, research precisely quantifying the degree of one gender's dominance over the other was lacking. A team of scientists collected data from 253 populations representing 121 primate species in order to study confrontations between males and females. It also analysed the contexts in which one or the other tend to dominate.
Scientists then tested five evolutionary hypotheses to better understand these power relations. Females tend to dominate in species [3] where they have strong control over their reproduction. Their dominance is also more frequent in societies marked by strong competition among females, or when gender confrontation involves fewer risks for smaller members. Conversely, male dominance is especially present in species [4] where they have clear physical superiority over females.
These results show that there is no single model for explaining power relations in primate societies, thereby offering new avenues for grasping the evolution of gender roles in early human societies.
1 – In lemurs, females often dominate. In baboons and chimpanzees, males occupy the top of the hierarchy. In other species such as bonobos and many South American monkeys, the situation is more balanced, with females winning, on average, 40 to 80% of intersexual conflicts, depending on the population. 2 – Working at the Institute of Evolutionary Sciences of Montpellier (CNRS/IRD/University of Montpellier). 3 – This refers to monogamous, arboreal species in which males and females are of similar size. 4 – This refers to polygynous, terrestrial species and/or those living in groups. |
