Stephen Beckerman, professor of anthropology, has done research
into partible paternity, a belief common among indigenous groups
in South America, New Guinea and other areas.
Photo: Greg Grieco
Stephen Beckerman, professor of anthropology, has done research
into partible paternity, a belief common among indigenous groups
in South America, New Guinea and other areas.
Photo: Greg Grieco
By A'ndrea Elyse Messer
Public Information
Since Biblical times, Westerners have accepted the folk belief that a child has only one biological father, but some non-Western societies' folk beliefs hold that every man who contributes sperm during a pregnancy contributes biologically to the child.
"We now know that only one sperm and one egg contribute to each child," said Stephen Beckerman, professor of anthropology. "But no one knew this scientifically until 1879 when Herman Fol published his microscopic observations. Before this, although Western law and custom assumed that each child had a single biological father, that premise was simply a folk belief. It was just a lucky guess that Western folk biology was correct."
One non-Western belief called partible paternity, common among indigenous groups in South America, also is found in New Guinea and may occur on the Indian subcontinent. In a few of these groups, all children have more than one socially accepted father. In others, only some women take extra-marital lovers during pregnancy.
"Partible paternity appears to be quite common in South America and exists in at least 18 groups widely separated in distance and culture in the lowland forests and savannahs," Beckerman said. "This finding suggests that modern evolutionary scenarios that assume certainty of paternity as a crucial element in the evolution of modern humans from African hominids may be incorrect," he said.
The other elements in these scenarios include sexual division of labor, food sharing, lengthy juvenile dependency and continuous sexual receptivity.
"The existence of partible paternity as a common concept raises serious questions about the presumed evolutionary bargain between men and women. The bargain, that men supply the resources in return for female fidelity and guaranteed paternity, may not exist," said Beckerman.
The behavior of African hominids is usually modeled on that of chimpanzees, with minimal food sharing and minimal sexual division of labor. It is argued that among our ancestors, reproduction involved females who were only periodically capable of conception and, when in heat, mated with multiple males. Males had only minimal investment in the children. The standard evolutionary scenario argues that these behaviors were replaced by an arrangement where men and women foraged for different resources and males provisioned females and their young in return for paternity certainty from females who were now receptive year round. However, this scenario assumes that the Western folk belief about how children are conceived is universal.
"Not only does the contrary idea of partible paternity exist in many South American groups, but these groups have managed to create societies where families exist and successfully raise children even though they have multiple fathers," said Beckerman. "In fact, there may be an evolutionary benefit to children in having more than one responsible father."
Two previous studies indicate that children with multiple fathers have higher survival rates than children with only one recognized father. The secondary fathers accept a responsibility to the child and may supply meat or fish to the mother for the child, or protect the child from various childhood dangers.
"The study of partible paternity has attracted considerable attention," said Beckerman. "We should soon know much more about this alternative view of procreation and how it might affect evolutionary scenarios."
Survivors of a layoff are more prone to weigh future litigation against their company if they suspect that other members of their age, gender and racial group have been treated unjustly, said Barbara L. Gray, professor of organizational behavior in The Smeal College of Business Administration.
"On the other hand, if layoff survivors believe that their company has acted fairly and compassionately in the course of laying off employees, they will be less likely to sue if their own turn comes," she said.
Kelly A. Mollica, assistant professor of management at Wake Forest University, is co-author on the study.
Since companies often engage in multiple layoffs, they need to take precautions against lawsuits by those employees potentially affected, especially white, male middle managers over the age of 40. Thus, top-level managers need to ensure that, in the process of a layoff, they do not open themselves up to charges of discrimination based on age, gender or race, the researchers said.
Companies should ensure that their decisions are consistent with Equal Employment Opportunity guidelines; proposed layoff decisions should be decided by a diverse team of managers; and decisions that disadvantage particular groups should be reconsidered, they noted.
A new study shows that women with Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS), a hormonal disorder, have a much higher risk for impaired glucose tolerance levels, which is a risk factor for diabetes.
This study also shows the number of undiagnosed cases of diabetes among PCOS women at 7.5 percent, compared to just 1 percent for the rest of the population. The study looks at 254 women and is the largest of its kind.
Richard Legro, assistant professor of obstetrics and gynecology in the College of Medicine, estimates five percent to 10 percent of women suffer from PCOS, a hormonal disorder. PCOS can manifest itself in women by causing irregular menstrual cycles, increased body and facial hair, and infertility.
The College of Medicine conducts some of the most extensive research on PCOS anywhere in the world. Legro has established a Web site at http//:www.collmed.psu.edu/obgyn.pcos.htm for families to learn more about the disease and to help recruit women for the studies. More information also is available by calling (800) 585-9585.
Researchers in The College of Medicine have found a more accurate way to measure the amount of radiation physicians are exposed to when performing an interventional radiology procedure.
"Radiologists often work with their hands placed very close to the X-ray beam. We measured radiation exposure to fingers, hands and arms to get an accurate picture of the total radiation exposure," said Steve King, associate health physicist in the College of Medicine.
King said he was surprised that the highest doses were measured in the palm of the hand, rather than the fingers.
"We think some physicians may have had as much as 30 percent more radiation exposure than was previously recorded by just using the ring badge. By using a wrist measurement, the accuracy will be greatly improved," he said.
While this change in measurement will not reduce exposure, it will give physicians a more accurate level of actual radiation exposure. It is hoped that physicians can then take steps to reduce exposure, such as limiting the length of exposure or the length of a procedure and not placing the hands in the radiation beam, he said.