UNews - Evolution Research Group

U of L psychologists examine sexual orientation through Samoan study

trevor.kenney — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 18:34:35 +0000

Male homosexuality doesn't make complete sense from an evolutionary point of view, prompting a pair of evolutionary psychologists from the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge to venture to the Pacific island of Samoa to try and discover why.

Associate professor Dr. Paul Vasey (Psychology/Behaviour and Evolution Research Group) and PhD candidate Doug VanderLaan of the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge chose Samoa because males who prefer men as sexual partners are widely recognized and accepted there as a distinct gender category – called fa'afafine, neither man nor woman.

It appears that the trait of homosexuality is heritable, but because homosexual men are much less likely to produce offspring than heterosexual men, shouldn't the genes for this trait have been extinguished long ago?

What value could this sexual orientation have, that it has persisted for eons even without any discernible reproductive advantage?

One possible explanation is what evolutionary psychologists call the "kin selection hypothesis."

What that means is that homosexuality may convey an indirect benefit by enhancing the survival prospects of close relatives. Specifically, the theory holds that homosexual men might enhance their own genetic prospects by being helpers in the nest.

By acting altruistically toward nieces and nephews, homosexual men would perpetuate the family genes, including some of their own.

The fa'afafine of Samoa tend to be effeminate, and exclusively attracted to adult men as sexual partners. This clear demarcation makes it easier to identify a sample for study.

Past research has shown that the fa'afafine are much more altruistically inclined toward their nieces and nephews than either Samoan women or heterosexual men.

They babysit a lot, tutor the kids in art and music, and help out financially – paying for medical care, education and so forth.

In a new study, Vasey and VanderLaan set out to unravel the psychology of the fa'afafine, to see if their altruism is targeted specifically at kin rather than kids in general.

The findings, reported on-line this week in the journal Psychological Science, lend strong support to the kin selection idea.

Compared to Samoan women and heterosexual men, the fa'afafine showed a much weaker link between their avuncular, or uncle-like behavior, and their altruism toward kids generally.

This cognitive dissociation, the scientists argue, allows the fa'afafine to allocate their resources more efficiently and precisely to their kin – and thus enhance their own evolutionary prospects.

For more information about this study, contact Paul Vasey at paul.vasey@uleth.ca, or follow this Notice Board link for a deeper examination of the issue. As well, check out the programs offered by the U of L's Department of Psychology.

Rethinking evolution

trevor.kenney — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 16:46:27 +0000

Each summer, U of L PhD candidate Shannon Digweed ventures deep into the woods where she looks and listens for clues that will help her uncover the origins of language.

Digweed is one of many graduate students seamlessly blending lab and fieldwork in the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ's prestigious Behaviour and Evolution Research Group. She conducts her research in Alberta's Sheep River Provincial Park, where she is exploring the vocal calls of the red squirrel.

"What we learn about squirrel communication can be extrapolated to many other animals – including humans – to learn more about how and why language is created," says Digweed.

Digweed is part of vibrant and ever-increasing community of graduate students at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge, which is undergoing an institutional evolution. While continuing to maintain its tradition in undergraduate liberal education, the U of L is emerging as a leading comprehensive academic and research institution.

This means that the U of L – like the universities of Alberta, Calgary and Athabasca – has a mandate to conduct research in every area it teaches and to increase its graduate programs.

Over the next 10 years, the number of graduate students at the U of L is expected to double – growth that will be made possible by new facilities, additional research space, expanded programming and increased funding opportunities combined with a steadfast commitment to providing all students with a personal, supportive learning environment.

As the U of L grows as a comprehensive academic and research institution, so will opportunities for graduate students like Digweed. She chose the U of L to pursue her doctorate based on the reputation, experience and excellence of her supervisor, Dr. Drew Rendall, as well as that of the Department of Psychology.

"The faculty at the U of L are extremely invested in the success of each and every graduate student," she says. "One only has to look at the successes of our graduate students who are publishing their research and winning national awards to see compelling evidence of this."

As the U of L continues to look ahead, the institution will keep its focus set on one sight – its students.

Rethinking evolution

trevor.kenney — Mon, 27 Oct 2008 16:27:06 +0000

Each summer, U of L PhD candidate Shannon Digweed ventures deep into the woods where she looks and listens for clues that will help her uncover the origins of language.

"What we learn about squirrel communication can be extrapolated to many other animals – including humans – to learn more about how and why language is created," says Digweed.

This means that the U of L – like the universities of Alberta, Calgary and Athabasca – has a mandate to conduct research in every area it teaches and to increase its graduate programs.

As the U of L continues to look ahead, the institution will keep its focus set on one sight – its students.

UNews - Evolution Research Group

U of L psychologists examine sexual orientation through Samoan study

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Rethinking evolution

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Rethinking evolution

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