1. The Biology of Monogamy & Polygamy
Aaron Warren

2. Monogamy (dedicated and loyal to one mate in a relationship either “for life” or just during that mating season)
Marmoset, beaver, swan, eagle, >90% of birds monogamous

3. Polygamy (promiscuous, has many mates, is a “player”, unfaithful)
Some baboons, wrens, pheasants, marmots, elk, >90% mammals polygamous

4. Evolutionary Advantages
Female mates with many males,
Male cares for children
Polygyny Monogamy Polyandry
Male mates with many females,
Female cares for children

5. Is it Nature (your biology) or Nurture (how you were raised)?
Do you think humans are more monogamous or polygamous?
What factors affect whether someone is more monogamous or polygamous (explain)?
How do feelings of "love" relate to monogamy and polygamy?

6. Vole Mating Montane and Meadow voles (polygamous)
Montane and
Meadow voles
(polygamous)
Prairie vole (monogamous)
Spends more time with mate
Mate guarding (attacks strange males)
Child rearing (shared parenting responsibilities)

7. Meadow voles Use virus to over- express vasopressin receptor
Polygamous vole becomes more monogamous
(spends more time with mate compared to stranger)
Polygamous, v1 receptor added to VP, becomes more monogamous

8. Vasopressin released from hypothalamus while mating, which leads to mate guarding & child rearing behaviors
Experiment 1: Vasopressin receptor blockers in monogamous male voles
Inhibits guarding behavior
Experiment 2:Vasopressin infusion into virgin males
Promotes mate guarding & child rearing behaviors
Blockers inhibit mate protection (jealous husbandry), infusion promotes monogamy and child rearing

9. So far, we’ve seen evidence that mating behavior is due to “nature” (your biology)
Come up with an experiment that would test whether or not the voles are monogamous/polygamous because of “nurture” (how you’re raised)

10. What about in humans?
monogamy-gene-found-in-people/#.VTAvqfnF-Sr

11. Results of the Sweden study:
Effects of having 2 mutated alleles for this gene:
Significantly lower score on “Partner Bonding Scale”
Twice as likely to have problems with your marriage
Half as likely to be married if in a relationship

12. How does it make you feel to know that feelings of “love” and bonding can be influenced by your genes?
How does this affect your view on relationships?
Would you want to know whether your girl/boyfriend has the mutated version of the oxytocin receptor gene?
Would you want to know if you had the mutation or not?
What are the pro's and con's of having the technology (like in GATTACA) for people to easily see which genes you have?
What new thoughts or questions do you have now?

13. Citations
Donaldson, Z., Young, L. (2008). Oxytocin, Vasopressin, and the Neurogenetics of Sociality. Science. 322(5903):
Fackelmann, K. (1993). Hormone of monogamy: the prairie vole and the biology of mating. Science News.
Geller, B. (2004). The Monogamy Gene? An Animal Study. Journal Watch Psychiatry