As presented in the textbook, in one of the most influential papers on modern evolutionary theory, Robert Trivers (1972) used sex differences in parental investment to explain different mating systems. Trivers argued that polygyny should be the most common mating arrangement if
A)female parental investment is high
B)male parental investment is low
C)female parental investment is low
D)both male and female parental investment is high
E)female parental investment is high and male parental investment is low

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Trivers' theory posits that the mating system is influenced by the relative parental investment of the sexes. He argued that when females invest more in offspring than males, it leads to polygyny because males can enhance their reproductive success by mating with multiple females, while females are more selective due to their higher investment.

As Presented in the Textbook, in One of the Most