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Darren Lindsley
English 1010
Lynn Taylor
03 December 2014
Is monogamy amongst humans natural by nature?
It is widely known that Monogamy is a relationship in which an individual has only one
partner during their lifetime or at any one time (serial monogamy). For many years, monogamy
has been viewed as the right thing to do, however, Are the rules of monogamy something
that humanity was programmed to abide by or was it created to adapt to the evolution of time.
There are four aspects of monogamy: Marital monogamy refers to marriages of only two
people. Social monogamy refers to two partners living together, having sex with each other,
and cooperating in acquiring basic resources such as shelter, food and money. Sexual
monogamy refers to two partners remaining sexually exclusive with each other and having no
outside sex partners. Genetic monogamy refers to sexually monogamous relationships with
genetic evidence of paternity.
In my opinion, I do think monogamy is possible, however, I do not think monogamy is
natural. There are certain instincts in human nature that make the rules of monogamy difficult
to abide by. I feel that a lot of humans are programmed with what I like to call the Act now
think later trait. Basically all it means is that before and during a specific act takes place,
people know that what they are doing may be wrong and that there may be consequences
following, however, they do not always think of the consequences until they have already gone
through with the act. Based on multiple conversations and personal experiences, monogamy

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has been the primary issue. In addition to the act now think later trait, I have also noticed that
there are other factors that can put pressure on the rules of monogamy.
I think that monogamy can be possible if both parties stick to what I feel are the most
important ingredients in a monogamous relationship which are: Respect, Trust, and loyalty.
You have to have respect to gain trust, you have to trust to gain loyalty and when
there is respect, trust and loyalty, there is no reason to stray from the relationship.
This is when I believe that monogamy truly works. With that being said, this is not a perfect
world. Without one or more of these ingredients, I do not think that monogamy is possible.
If you have no respect for your partner, in most cases there is no trust. Without
trust, jealousy has a tendency to come between a partnership and there is no way to build
loyalty causing one or both partners to stray.
Over time I have not only heard of, but witnessed relationships that have fallen apart
due to the disregard of the traditional sense of monogamy. I have never fully understood the
anger behind straying in a relationship (with the exception of breaking trust) due to the
possibility of monogamy being something that was not natural to begin with.
Considering the many opinions on the subject, my purpose is to try to determine
whether or not monogamy is natural among humanity and answer the questions: Did the first
documented humans display signs of monogamy? What were some of the causes and benefits
of monogamy? Where would we be today if monogamy had never come to be? Do children play
a role in the evolution of monogamy?
A new study suggests that monogamy may have been started or had evolved when
females had spread out from one another to find food. Studies suggest that in some
mammalian species, females started finding higher-quality foods in areas that were farther

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apart from each other. As a result, the females would aggressively defend territories that
contained this food, keeping other females out (Monogamy: who needs it?).
Dr. Lukas and his colleague Tim CluttonBrock believe that when females had spread out, it
made it hard for males to travel around and fend off competing males. Male instinct is to
survive and reproduce. Monogamy represents a problem: Staying with one partner, limits his
seed-spreading potential (Monogamy: who needs it?). When the females did become so
dispersed from one another, males may have decided that it was easier to stick with whichever
female that he had come across.
Where females are widely dispersed, the best strategy for a male is to stick with one female,
defend her, and make sure that he sires to all her offspring, said Tim Clutton-Brock.
In my opinion, based on Dr. Lukas and Tim Clutton-Brocks research, it
reconfirms my original thoughts that monogamy is not natural. Monogamy may have started
due to males becoming lazy and not willing to put the effort into finding multiple sexual
partners. Also, it leads me to believe that by the women wandering off on their own in search
of food, Women felt that they were capable of doing things on their own without the presence
of a male figure.
Infanticide is another key factor in what may have ultimately drove humanity to become
monogamous. In the article male infanticide leads to social monogamy in primates published
06/28/2013, researchers Christopher Opie and colleagues discuss male infanticide and how it
may have played a major role in the evolution of monogamy among humans. In the article, Opie
explains that The origin of monogamy in primates is best explained by long lactation periods
caused by nourishment, making primate infants particularly vulnerable to infanticidal males.
We show that bi-parental care shortens relative lactation length, thereby reducing infanticide

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risk and increasing reproductive rates. Opie continues to explain that the phylogenetic
analyses a key role for the infanticide in the social evolution of primates, and potentially,
humans. Based on the research, Opie and his colleagues are basically stating that the primates
which were compared to humans in the study, had determined that monogamy was in fact
unnatural. Males had realized, for the sake of the lives of their offspring, it would be best to
remain with the female partner during and after birth to protect the infants from male
infanticide.
After reviewing Christopher Opie and his colleagues article male infanticide leads to
social monogamy in primates, it does not change my thoughts on whether or not monogamy is
natural. It reassures that monogamy was something that was created to evolve with the times.
It is a natural instinct for most men to want to protect whats theirs and in order for their
offspring to thrive in a time of male infanticide, it would require the presence of the
male / father. Once a species becomes monogamous, paternal care and other behaviors evolve
that help offspring to thrive.
It is important to note that males and females do not need to be monogamous in order
to survive. Females have the ability to incubate the offspring and lactate to feed the baby (The
evolution of social systems). With the female having the ability to carry a child to full term and
provide food, in a sense, there is no real need for the males presence. Men can be great
providers and protectors however, women have a natural maternal instinct to protect their
offspring in dangerous situations with or without a males presence.
The fact that females are able to incubate and produce food leaves me with no doubt in
my mind that monogamy is unnatural. If humans were meant to abide by the rules of monogamy,
why is it that women are able to the job themselves once inseminated. If monogamy was natural,

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I think that both men and women would be designed to somehow co-incubate the offspring,
maybe constant fertilization from the male throughout the pregnancy.
What do the scriptures and fathers say about monogamy? Based on the Christian faith,
humanity was created in Gods image. When God had created men and women, he had
intended relationships to be between one man and one woman. God intended for man and
women be monogamous to one another the way monogamy exists between God and church
(Radical monogamy). In a separate article, why monogamy is natural, Witte states God
created humans to reproduce by becoming two in one flesh, not three or four. Also, scientists
from Claude Levi-Strauss have concluded the same: that pair-bonding is part of the deep
structure of human reproduction that humans have evolved as their best strategy for survival
and success (Why monogamy is natural).
Although I respect the different points of view discussed in Radical monogamy and
Why monogamy is natural, I do not agree with the fact that they claim that, when God had
created men and women, he had intended relationships to be between one man and one
woman. God intended for man and women be monogamous to one another the way
monogamy exists between God and church. There is no scientific evidence that supports the
claim that God intended for men and women to naturally be monogamous. There is also no
scientific evidence supporting the fact that God had even existed. In my opinion, I have a hard
time believing that an imaginary man had created humanity. Once again leaving me to believe
that monogamy is not natural by nature.
Is monogamy amongst humans natural by nature?
In summary, it is not natural for humans to abide by the laws of monogamy. Research verifies
that monogamy among humanity started to adapt to the evolution of humans throughout time.

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Females quest to spread out to find higher quality food sources, male infanticide and the females
ability to incubate and lactate produce food reassures my overall claim that monogamy is
unnatural.
In conclusion, the evidence is overwhelming: Monogamy was created to adapt to the
evolution of humanity throughout time. Based on research, the evidence of monogamy being
unnatural outweighs the idea of monogamy being natural. Overall, based on my research of the
subject I feel like in current times, couples, men and women realize that they no longer need
each other to thrive. I also feel like with all of the different types of media, breaking free from
the rules of monogamy and creating your own rules is becoming more and more acceptable in
society.
It is important to know that monogamy is unnatural because without the pressure of
thinking that you have to find that one person, settle down, procreate and have that person as
your one and only until death do you part, it allows everyone: men, women, couples, humanity
know that you have the ability to make your own rules. While I do believe the appearance of
monogamy is beneficial to a childs development, I strongly believe that love is love and whether
you decide to show your love to just one person or multiple people throughout your lifetime, that
is your decision.

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Works Cited
Landau, Elizabeth. Monogamy, who needs it?
www.CNN.com 30 July 2013
Bryner, Jeanna. Are humans meant to be monogamous?
www.livescience.com 06 September 2012
Seck, Naomi. Why humans are monogamous.
www.businessinsider.com - 2013
Martin, Robert. Is monogamy natural? Our anatomy suggests not.
www.alternet.com - 2013
Sample, Ian. The mystery of monogamy: Scientists claim to have the answer.
www.theguardian.com - 29 July 2013
Opie, Christopher. Male infanticide leads to social monogamy in primates.
London, United Kingdom. 28 June 2013

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