Social role vs. evolutionary theory

Sexual Control
• In simple societies there is less control over women’s
sexuality
– The evidence suggests that women’s extramarital relations are
socially sanctioned in a substantial percentage of non-industrial
societies
– Indices of patriarchy (patrilineal inheritance, patrilocal residence,
importance of private property) predict male jealousy
– Rape: In a sample of 80 societies, rape was more prevalent in
societies with certain attributes—specifically, a greater incidence
of warfare and interpersonal violence, a stronger ideology of male
dominance, lesser female political and economic power
– Reiss (1986) found that rape was correlated with macho attitudes
and belief in female inferiority
– These macho attitudes and ideologies were associated with
indicators of patriarchy, such as the extent of agriculture, class
stratification, the power of male kin groups, and greater
segregation of men and women