Synonyms
Gender differences (i.e., culture and sense of being male or female); Sexual dimorphism
Definition
Structural and behavioral differences between the sexes that have biological origins.
Introduction
Dimorphism in human secondary sexual characteristics is similar to those of other primate species in which competition between males (intraspecific) is coalitional in nature. However, humans are unique in the complexity of social competition, necessitating sexually differentiated and sophisticated socio-competitive competencies that require elaboration within the particular social and cultural ecology. Preferences begin with prenatal organization by androgens, resulting in sexually segregated social groups in childhood, which promote the sex specific elaboration of socio-competitive competencies necessary for adult reproductive competition and parenting.
Evolution of Sexual Dimorphism
Darwin (1871) noted that selection can occur in response to ecological conditions (natural...
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Oxford, J., Duncan, A.R. (2018). Sex Differences. In: Shackelford, T., Weekes-Shackelford, V. (eds) Encyclopedia of Evolutionary Psychological Science. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-16999-6_1732-1
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-16999-6_1732-1
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Latest
Sexual Dimorphism- Published:
- 11 October 2018
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-16999-6_1732-2
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Sex Differences- Published:
- 15 June 2018
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-16999-6_1732-1