Sexual Selection and Mortality Rates Yvette Aranas & Mercedes Pineda Dr. Mills Psych 452 Yvette Aranas & Mercedes Pineda Dr. Mills Psych 452 Kruger, D.J. & Nesse, R. M. (2004). Sexual selection and the Male: Female Mortality Ratio. Evolutionary Psychology. 2,

Video: Why Women Live Longer Than Men. Kruger, D.J. & Nesse, R. M. (2004). Sexual selection and the Male: Female Mortality Ratio. Evolutionary Psychology. 2,

Introduction: The Study Kruger, D.J. & Nesse, R. M. (2004). Sexual selection and the Male: Female Mortality Ratio. Evolutionary Psychology. 2,  Looked at 20 different countries and across the past 70 years, only in 5 of those countries.  Results are trends, rates and contributions of proximate causes of death.  Through differences with sexual selection interaction, along with aspects of culture and environment leads to consistency.  Mortality ratio increases as general mortality rates decrease.  Looked at 20 different countries and across the past 70 years, only in 5 of those countries.  Results are trends, rates and contributions of proximate causes of death.  Through differences with sexual selection interaction, along with aspects of culture and environment leads to consistency.  Mortality ratio increases as general mortality rates decrease.

Main critical points  Females live longer:  Males tend to have competition amongst themselves for chances at sexual reproduction.  Males are willing to risk more & invest less time in the repair capacity.  The survival of offspring depends on maternal care rather than paternal care.  Females live longer:  Males tend to have competition amongst themselves for chances at sexual reproduction.  Males are willing to risk more & invest less time in the repair capacity.  The survival of offspring depends on maternal care rather than paternal care. Kruger, D.J. & Nesse, R. M. (2004). Sexual selection and the Male: Female Mortality Ratio. Evolutionary Psychology. 2,

Continued…  Historical changes significantly affected the mortality rate:  Decline of infectious diseases.  Increase of mortality [in]directly caused by behavior through:  Increase population size  Mobility  Domestication of animals  Public health measures  Medicine  Increase availability of tobacco, cars, weapons, etc.  Historical changes significantly affected the mortality rate:  Decline of infectious diseases.  Increase of mortality [in]directly caused by behavior through:  Increase population size  Mobility  Domestication of animals  Public health measures  Medicine  Increase availability of tobacco, cars, weapons, etc. Kruger, D.J. & Nesse, R. M. (2004). Sexual selection and the Male: Female Mortality Ratio. Evolutionary Psychology. 2,

Continued…  In modern days:  Male lifespan peak at young adulthood rather than in later adulthood as in females;  Highest differences for direct behavioral causes of death  Mortality is now due to more external causes compared to earlier times.  In modern days:  Male lifespan peak at young adulthood rather than in later adulthood as in females;  Highest differences for direct behavioral causes of death  Mortality is now due to more external causes compared to earlier times. Kruger, D.J. & Nesse, R. M. (2004). Sexual selection and the Male: Female Mortality Ratio. Evolutionary Psychology. 2,

Figure 1: 2000 M:F MR by Age and Cause in the USA Kruger, D.J. & Nesse, R. M. (2004). Sexual selection and the Male: Female Mortality Ratio. Evolutionary Psychology. 2,

Figure 2: Composition of Excess Male Life Years Lost by Cause Kruger, D.J. & Nesse, R. M. (2004). Sexual selection and the Male: Female Mortality Ratio. Evolutionary Psychology. 2,

Figure 3: M:F MR in 2000 by Age in 20 Countries Kruger, D.J. & Nesse, R. M. (2004). Sexual selection and the Male: Female Mortality Ratio. Evolutionary Psychology. 2,

Time to test your knowledge! Kruger, D.J. & Nesse, R. M. (2004). Sexual selection and the Male: Female Mortality Ratio. Evolutionary Psychology. 2,

1. This study examined the M:F MR over the course of a lifespan in ___ countries. a)10 b)5 c)20 d)15 2. Which one is NOT a historical or cultural influence on M:F MR? a)Domestication of animals b)Availability of automobiles c)Availability of antibiotics d)Feminism 1. This study examined the M:F MR over the course of a lifespan in ___ countries. a)10 b)5 c)20 d)15 2. Which one is NOT a historical or cultural influence on M:F MR? a)Domestication of animals b)Availability of automobiles c)Availability of antibiotics d)Feminism Kruger, D.J. & Nesse, R. M. (2004). Sexual selection and the Male: Female Mortality Ratio. Evolutionary Psychology. 2,

3. From an evolutionary perspective, why do women generally outlive men? a)Women are not wired to take any risks at all. b)The survival of the offspring depends more on maternal care. c)Culture tells males to take more risks; the fact that males take these risks has nothing to do with evolution at all. d)Actually, women DON’T out live males, males outlive females. 3. From an evolutionary perspective, why do women generally outlive men? a)Women are not wired to take any risks at all. b)The survival of the offspring depends more on maternal care. c)Culture tells males to take more risks; the fact that males take these risks has nothing to do with evolution at all. d)Actually, women DON’T out live males, males outlive females. Kruger, D.J. & Nesse, R. M. (2004). Sexual selection and the Male: Female Mortality Ratio. Evolutionary Psychology. 2,

4. In humans, females generally have a higher mortality rate than males. a)True b)False 5. The results showed that the peak of external causes for mortality rate in males generally occurred during young adulthood. a)True b)False 6. M:F MR are exactly the same in all countries examined in this study. a)True b)False 4. In humans, females generally have a higher mortality rate than males. a)True b)False 5. The results showed that the peak of external causes for mortality rate in males generally occurred during young adulthood. a)True b)False 6. M:F MR are exactly the same in all countries examined in this study. a)True b)False Kruger, D.J. & Nesse, R. M. (2004). Sexual selection and the Male: Female Mortality Ratio. Evolutionary Psychology. 2,