Expert: Ralph Salier - 11/14/2011

Question
Hi there,

What do you think about primate sex roles?

i.e. what is the difference between sex and gender? what are the variables that play a part in the selection of sex-partners in nonhuman primates? Does any of this relate or transfer over to how humans act?

Thanks
Nicholas

Answer
Hi Nicholas,

There are many parallels between primate and human behaviors however sex is not one of them.  Female primates come into "estrous"  which means that the female is "ready" to conceive and is ready to "copulate".  Humans can do  this at will.  As for sex partners, the dominant male of the troop or group, has  the ultimate right to copulate with any female in estrous. That of course does not mean that other males won't try but if caught, may suffer a beating from the dominant male.  

The difference in gender is quite pronounced in primates in that males tend to be larger then the females, more aggressive and assertive, while the females are more demure and protective, especially when they have young. All take  the same amount of time in hunting and gathering.  The males tend to leave child rearing to the females and while they may play with youngsters, tend to put them in their place when they "act up".   There are definitive "pecking" orders in most groups which means there is a defined social order with alpha male and female and lower level individuals. This tends to carry over from generation to generation (not unlike us).