In-Law Relationships in Evolutionary Perspective: The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly
In-laws (relatives by marriage) are true kin because the descendants that they have in common make them “vehicles” of one another’s inclusive fitness. From this shared interest flows cooperation and mutual valuation: the good side of in-law relationships. But there is also a bad side. Recent theoret...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Frontiers Media S.A.
2021-06-01
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| Series: | Frontiers in Sociology |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fsoc.2021.683501/full |
| _version_ | 1818431009591394304 |
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| author | Martin Daly Gretchen Perry |
| author_facet | Martin Daly Gretchen Perry |
| author_sort | Martin Daly |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | In-laws (relatives by marriage) are true kin because the descendants that they have in common make them “vehicles” of one another’s inclusive fitness. From this shared interest flows cooperation and mutual valuation: the good side of in-law relationships. But there is also a bad side. Recent theoretical models err when they equate the inclusive fitness value of corresponding pairs of genetic and affinal (marital) relatives-brother and brother-in-law, daughter and daughter-in-law-partly because a genetic relative’s reproduction always replicates ego’s genes whereas reproduction by an affine may not, and partly because of distinct avenues for nepotism. Close genetic relatives compete, often fiercely, over familial property, but the main issues in conflict among marital relatives are different and diverse: fidelity and paternity, divorce and autonomy, and inclinations to invest in distinct natal kindreds. These conflicts can get ugly, even lethal. We present the results of a pilot study conducted in Bangladesh which suggests that heightened mortality arising from mother-in-law/daughter-in-law conflict may be a two-way street, and we urge others to replicate and extend these analyses. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-14T15:42:29Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-4bae5e015dd246fa81e56a76c4b71a4d |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2297-7775 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-14T15:42:29Z |
| publishDate | 2021-06-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Frontiers in Sociology |
| spelling | doaj.art-4bae5e015dd246fa81e56a76c4b71a4d2022-12-21T22:55:36ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Sociology2297-77752021-06-01610.3389/fsoc.2021.683501683501In-Law Relationships in Evolutionary Perspective: The Good, the Bad, and the UglyMartin Daly0Gretchen Perry1Department of Psychology, Neuroscience and Behaviour, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, CanadaSchool of Social Work, University of Canterbury, Christchurch, New ZealandIn-laws (relatives by marriage) are true kin because the descendants that they have in common make them “vehicles” of one another’s inclusive fitness. From this shared interest flows cooperation and mutual valuation: the good side of in-law relationships. But there is also a bad side. Recent theoretical models err when they equate the inclusive fitness value of corresponding pairs of genetic and affinal (marital) relatives-brother and brother-in-law, daughter and daughter-in-law-partly because a genetic relative’s reproduction always replicates ego’s genes whereas reproduction by an affine may not, and partly because of distinct avenues for nepotism. Close genetic relatives compete, often fiercely, over familial property, but the main issues in conflict among marital relatives are different and diverse: fidelity and paternity, divorce and autonomy, and inclinations to invest in distinct natal kindreds. These conflicts can get ugly, even lethal. We present the results of a pilot study conducted in Bangladesh which suggests that heightened mortality arising from mother-in-law/daughter-in-law conflict may be a two-way street, and we urge others to replicate and extend these analyses.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fsoc.2021.683501/fullaffinescooperation and conflictdaughter-in-lawin-lawskinshipmother-in-law |
| spellingShingle | Martin Daly Gretchen Perry In-Law Relationships in Evolutionary Perspective: The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly Frontiers in Sociology affines cooperation and conflict daughter-in-law in-laws kinship mother-in-law |
| title | In-Law Relationships in Evolutionary Perspective: The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly |
| title_full | In-Law Relationships in Evolutionary Perspective: The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly |
| title_fullStr | In-Law Relationships in Evolutionary Perspective: The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly |
| title_full_unstemmed | In-Law Relationships in Evolutionary Perspective: The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly |
| title_short | In-Law Relationships in Evolutionary Perspective: The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly |
| title_sort | in law relationships in evolutionary perspective the good the bad and the ugly |
| topic | affines cooperation and conflict daughter-in-law in-laws kinship mother-in-law |
| url | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fsoc.2021.683501/full |
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