CHYS 2P10
Lecture 7. Sexual Development
Dr. Tony Volk
Defining Sex & Gender
Sex
A person’s biological identity
Chromosomes, physical identity and hormones
Gender
A person’s social and cultural identity
The two are typically strongly correlated
Evolution and Sex
The two sexes may not necessarily have the same reproductive interests
This can lead to divergent evolutionary adaptations, as each sex seeks to maximize its own
reproductive fitness
Are the sexes equal in their reproductive fitness?
Women’s Success
The world record for having the most number of children officially recorded is 69 by the first of
two wives of Feodor Vassilyev (1707-1782), a peasant from Shuya, 150 miles east of Moscow.
, In 27 confinements, she gave birth to 16 pairs of twins, seven sets of triplets and four sets of
quadruplets!
Men’s Success
The most prolific father of all time is believed to be the last Sharifian Emperor of Morocco,
Mulai Ismail (1646-1727). In 1703 he had at least 342 daughters and 525 sons and by 1721 he
was reputed to have 700 male descendents!
Men’s Success
Then a study in 2003 suggested that up to 16 million people worldwide (.5% of men) — and 8
per cent of Asian men — were descended from Genghis Khan and his relatives!!!
Thus, on average, men can experience much more variance than women and these may lead to
different adaptations
Evolutionary Summary
The two sexes were typically subject to the same evolutionary pressures (e.g., being able to
digest protein; socialize)
However, there are differences that are predicted and explained by evolutionary theory based on
different average life strategies for the sexes
HEXACO Personality Traits
Men and women have different average levels of basic personality traits
1. Honest-Humility (♀+)
2. Emotionality (♀++)
Lecture 7. Sexual Development
Dr. Tony Volk
Defining Sex & Gender
Sex
A person’s biological identity
Chromosomes, physical identity and hormones
Gender
A person’s social and cultural identity
The two are typically strongly correlated
Evolution and Sex
The two sexes may not necessarily have the same reproductive interests
This can lead to divergent evolutionary adaptations, as each sex seeks to maximize its own
reproductive fitness
Are the sexes equal in their reproductive fitness?
Women’s Success
The world record for having the most number of children officially recorded is 69 by the first of
two wives of Feodor Vassilyev (1707-1782), a peasant from Shuya, 150 miles east of Moscow.
, In 27 confinements, she gave birth to 16 pairs of twins, seven sets of triplets and four sets of
quadruplets!
Men’s Success
The most prolific father of all time is believed to be the last Sharifian Emperor of Morocco,
Mulai Ismail (1646-1727). In 1703 he had at least 342 daughters and 525 sons and by 1721 he
was reputed to have 700 male descendents!
Men’s Success
Then a study in 2003 suggested that up to 16 million people worldwide (.5% of men) — and 8
per cent of Asian men — were descended from Genghis Khan and his relatives!!!
Thus, on average, men can experience much more variance than women and these may lead to
different adaptations
Evolutionary Summary
The two sexes were typically subject to the same evolutionary pressures (e.g., being able to
digest protein; socialize)
However, there are differences that are predicted and explained by evolutionary theory based on
different average life strategies for the sexes
HEXACO Personality Traits
Men and women have different average levels of basic personality traits
1. Honest-Humility (♀+)
2. Emotionality (♀++)
