Alloparenting

Week 7

Alloparenting

any interaction between parent and non-biological parent

Hypotheses (8)

1. Reproductive competition

2. Social Pathology

3. Babysitting

4. Grandmother Hypothesis

5. Practice Hypothesis

6. Parasitism

7. Reciprocity

8. Test of the social bond

Reproduction competition

handling imposes cost on the infants and their mothers - less offspring

Social pathology

strong selection on females to be attracted to infants that they are attracted irresistibly - cute babies

Babysitting

frees mom’s time for foraging

Grandmother hypothesis

infants are more likely to survive if they have a grandmother in the group

• menopause 

• retain strength less fertility

Practice hypothesis

adolescents are better mothers if they had infant handling experience - saddleback tamarins

Parasitism

infants of high-rankers steal investment (milk) from low ranking females (no reciprocity) - wedge cap cappuccinos

Reciprocity

assume there are cost to alloparent, and benefits to mother, that exceed the cost to the alloparent

Test of the social bond

• bond between females 

• mom tolerate handling of baby = favor to handler so likely help in grooming and coalitions