Humans are, for the most part, monogamous creatures. Arguments can be made in both directions as to whether or not this is an evolved trait, or whether or not it's cultural, but that fact remains that humans across most cultures pair bond into exclusive relationships. The evolutionary adaptive nature of monogamy is easy to see: the couple gains a partner with whom one is genetically compatible with, with whom to consistently reproduce. Their offspring, which are highly dependent in their early years, receive consistent protection and resources by having both a male and female parent around long-term.
Outside of monogamous relationships, male infidelity is easy to understand from an evolutionary standpoint. Male investment in a child can be low—merely the initial intercourse resulting in the child. This spreads the male's genetics with a much higher rate than one child ever nine months or so in a monogamous relationship. However, a female's investment in a child is much higher.
[...] Baker and Bellis find this exactly. Firstly, women were found to prefer more masculine traits during their fertile, pre-ovulation phase, when they are most likely to get pregnant. This is the exact same time women were found to be most likely to cheat on their long-term mate. So, not only are women cheating during their most fertile period, they are also doing it with men with superior physical genes. Additionally, women are significantly less likely to use birth control with extra-pair partners. [...]
[...] Why do human females cheat? Humans are, for the most part, monogamous creatures. Arguments can be made in both directions as to whether or not this is an evolved trait, or whether or not it's cultural, but that fact remains that humans across most cultures pair bond into exclusive relationships. The evolutionarily adaptive nature of monogamy is easy to see: the couple gains a partner with whom one is genetically compatible with, with whom to consistently reproduce. Their offspring, which are highly dependant in their early years, receive consistent protection and resources by having both a male and female parent around long-term. [...]
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