"Being anthropomorphic, this may be like winking or smiling," he said. "The male bows and bobs his head, raises the eyebrows and smacks his lips at the female." He also found that females will groom males at times, but that this behavior doesn't appear to be linked to sex. He suggests it instead may serve to forge bonds with certain males, which could later protect the female's offspring from other aggressive males without such a vested interest in her family. Frans de Waal, a professor of psychology and director of the Living Links Center at the Yerkes Primate Center at Emory University in Atlanta, told Discovery News that the new study is "very well done and nicely applies the biological market concept to something new -- exchange of grooming for sex, or sex for grooming." De Waal added, "We all know that primate males often do a bit of grooming before they mate with females, and that they groom very little if the female isn't fertile, but it is good to see such a thorough, quantified account of it." Gumert experienced a similar fair trade in his own life, when he married an Indonesian woman in a traditional village ceremony. He provided nuptial gifts to her family, as well as a small dowry. "I received no material gifts (in return)," Gumert said, "but I did get to marry my wife." Related Links: |
advertisement
Put Discovery News On Your Site!
|
-
our sites
-
video
mobile
-
shop
-
stay connected
-
corporate
