Synonyms
Definition
The process of ending a relationship by the voluntary action of at least one partner
Introduction
Most ancestral mammalian species didn’t form long-term male-female pair bonds. Males mated with estrous females, and when the female went out of estrus, the relationship ended. Dissolution only became an issue when the human species came into existence, at which time males and females began living together in long-term relationships. During the hunting and gathering era, the dissolution of these relationships was apparently simple and without serious consequences, either for the couple or their offspring. However, following the development of agriculture, dissolution became more problematic. Children needed paternal investment from a biological father, accumulated wealth made inheritance possible and paternity important, and rising religions condemned adultery and divorce.
Currently, in many societies, relationship dissolution is...
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Bernhard, J.G., Glantz, K. (2019). Relationship Dissolution. In: Shackelford, T., Weekes-Shackelford, V. (eds) Encyclopedia of Evolutionary Psychological Science. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-16999-6_2923-1
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-16999-6_2923-1
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