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Staying alive enhances both women's and men's fitness

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  25 July 2022

Renée V. Hagen
Affiliation:
Department of Anthropology, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA reneehagen@ucla.edu; d.knorr@ucla.edu; sallyli@g.ucla.edu; anm2186@g.ucla.edu; bscelza@anthro.ucla.edu
Delaney A. Knorr
Affiliation:
Department of Anthropology, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA reneehagen@ucla.edu; d.knorr@ucla.edu; sallyli@g.ucla.edu; anm2186@g.ucla.edu; bscelza@anthro.ucla.edu
Sally Li
Affiliation:
Department of Anthropology, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA reneehagen@ucla.edu; d.knorr@ucla.edu; sallyli@g.ucla.edu; anm2186@g.ucla.edu; bscelza@anthro.ucla.edu
Ashley Mensing
Affiliation:
Department of Anthropology, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA reneehagen@ucla.edu; d.knorr@ucla.edu; sallyli@g.ucla.edu; anm2186@g.ucla.edu; bscelza@anthro.ucla.edu
Brooke A. Scelza
Affiliation:
Department of Anthropology, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA reneehagen@ucla.edu; d.knorr@ucla.edu; sallyli@g.ucla.edu; anm2186@g.ucla.edu; bscelza@anthro.ucla.edu

Abstract

We argue that Benenson et al. need to consider not only sex differences in the effects of care on offspring survival but also in age-specific fertility when predicting how longevity affects fitness. We review evidence that staying alive has important effects on both women's and men's fitness, and encourage consideration of alternative explanations for observed sex differences in threat responses.

Type
Open Peer Commentary
Copyright
Copyright © The Author(s), 2022. Published by Cambridge University Press

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References

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