Define polyandry and polygyny. Under what circumstances does each type of arrangement make sense?

What will be an ideal response?


Answer: Polyandry: one woman weds more than one husband. This arrangement makes sense in places like the harsh conditions in the highlands of Tibet, where it is difficult for a man and a woman to survive without the help of others. Here, a woman may marry several brothers who can pool their resources and thereby produce more surviving offspring then a monogamous relationship would.
Polygyny: one man weds more than one wife. This arrangement is more likely when there is a steep social hierarchy, a generally rich environment so one family can accumulate wealth, and occasional famines, so the poor face some danger of starvation. Under these conditions, a woman who joins a large wealthy family obtains greater benefits than she likely would in a monogamous relationship, even if it means sharing the husband with other women.

Psychology

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Psychology

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Indicate whether the statement is true or false.

Psychology