Male monogamous prairie voles vary in the way they use space, with some males intruding extensively on the territories of others, while others do not. We hypothesize that individual differences in the way males set up their territories is due to individual differences in their cognition and neural peptide receptor expression. Indeed, our lab has identified individual differences in vasopressin receptor expression in the retrosplenial cortex that are associated with differences in space use in the wild; this brain variation is predicted in part by sequence variants in the avpr1a gene. To test this hypothesis we first tested different behavioral paradigms that could be used to assess social cognition in the monogamous prairie vole. We tested the voles in a test of scent mark memory. We tried to establish conditioned place preference for male urine or postpartum estrus urine. Lastly, we developed a novel Barnes maze paradigm for looking at vi socio-spatial memory associated with escape. Male voles improved their performance in the Barnes maze over the course of 4 days, but did not respond to the overmark task or the conditioned place preference test. Next we used the Barnes maze to assess whether males of HI and LO RSC-V1aR genotypes perform differently in the task. Males of different genotypes did not perform differently in the Barnes maze. We also looked at V1aR expression levels in the brains of the animals that were tested in the Barnes maze. V1aR expression in the RSC did not correlate to Barnes maze performance. In addition to genetic influences, RSC-V1aR is known to be affected by neonatal exposure to oxytocin antagonist. Here we show preliminary results indicating that the RSC V1aR expression is reduced in LO animals, but not in HI animals. In addition, V1aR expression the anterior medial BNST was affected by neonatal exposure to OTA. The posterior lateral and ventral BNST, medial and lateral DT, and LS were not affected by neonatal exposure to OTA. / text

Until recently, there has been a lack of understanding or of inclusion regarding bisexuality in research regarding sexual orientation. Thus, stereotypes, such as bisexual individuals being nonmonogamous, are formed, as are attitudes regarding bisexuals. It was hypothesized that this particular stereotype would moderate the relationship between valuing monogamy and attitudes regarding bisexual women. It was also hypothesized that less of a value of monogamy would directly relate to more positive attitudes about bisexual women. Therefore, 199 lesbians were recruited for this study. Two factors from the Relationship Issues Scale (RIS) were used to assess values of monogamy. A revised version of the Biphobia Scale was used to assess attitudes towards bisexual women. Three single-items were averaged to assess the belief that bisexual women are nonmonogamous. Results did not support either hypothesis. However, overall attitudes towards and experiences with bisexual women were quite positive, and some notable correlations were observed among variables including attitudes about bisexual women and willingness to date bisexual women. Further, about one-quarter of the variance in attitudes toward bisexual women was accounted for by the combination of personal experience with bisexual women, belief that bisexuality is a step in the coming out process, and belief that bisexual women are nonmonogamous. Slightly over one-quarter of the variance in willingness to date a bisexual woman was accounted for by the combination of the belief that bisexual women are nonmonogamous, the belief that bisexuality is a step in the coming out process, attitudes about bisexual women, attitudes regarding monogamy, and age.

Within Canada, young adults have been identified as being at high risk for sexually transmitted infections (STI). One major contributing factor is inconsistent condom use, particularly within monogamous relationships (Civic, 2000; Critelli & Suire, 1998; Misovich, Fisher & Fisher, 1997; Winfield & Whaley, 2005). This research used qualitative methods to investigate the process by which young women rationalize inconsistent condom use and the relational influences that aid in this transition. A sample of fifteen women (between 18-24 years of age) were surveyed and interviewed. Using grounded theory analysis, the results indicated that the process of discontinuing condoms is multifaceted. Within relationships, unprotected sex comes to signify developmental milestones for the couple. It is associated with desirable relationship characteristics of commitment, trust, intimacy and fidelity. The results suggest that health promotion interventions should emphasize the high risk for STI posed by using condoms inconsistently within the monogamous relationships of young adults.

Within Canada, young adults have been identified as being at high risk for sexually transmitted infections (STI). One major contributing factor is inconsistent condom use, particularly within monogamous relationships (Civic, 2000; Critelli & Suire, 1998; Misovich, Fisher & Fisher, 1997; Winfield & Whaley, 2005). This research used qualitative methods to investigate the process by which young women rationalize inconsistent condom use and the relational influences that aid in this transition. A sample of fifteen women (between 18-24 years of age) were surveyed and interviewed. Using grounded theory analysis, the results indicated that the process of discontinuing condoms is multifaceted. Within relationships, unprotected sex comes to signify developmental milestones for the couple. It is associated with desirable relationship characteristics of commitment, trust, intimacy and fidelity. The results suggest that health promotion interventions should emphasize the high risk for STI posed by using condoms inconsistently within the monogamous relationships of young adults.

Various Christian societies utilize Genesis 2:24 as locus classicus for monogamy. A literary - historical approach has been followed in this study to show that Genesis 2:24 cannot serve as locus classicus for monogamy only. Monogamy is not the only acceptable marriage form for the Christian faith. Chapter one constitutes the introduction with the problem setting, objectives, method and hypothesis. The hypothesis of this study therefore states that Genesis 2:24 cannot serve as locus classicus for the legitimation of an exclusive monogamous marriage only. This text might also be applicable to poligamous marriage forms. Practical and sosio – cultural considerations influenced Israel and determined their marriage customs. Diachronical perspectives of polygamy are being given in chapter two. Examples from about 2000 BC until 1753 AC of various types of marriages and marriage customs have been investigated to depict the influence of Israel’s practical and socio – cultural circumstances. Socio - cultural influences and demands led to various types of marriages like the levirate, polygamy, endogamy and exogamy. These types of marriages that existed were primarily determined by the demands of social circumstances rather than religious prescriptions. Polygamy was an useful type of marriage to guarantee care, propagation and survival of the family. Chapter three consists of an analytical investigation of the meaning of Genesis 2:24. It’s meaning was investigated in various literary – and historical contexts. Genesis 2-3 is a narrative about the dependent, fallible and mortal man of the earth. Various important themes like death, relationships, social issues, guilt, suffering, punishment etcetera are evident in this narrative. From the analysis it seems that the author(s) / redactor(s) / Bearbeiter(s) of the text had a specific focus with this narrative. He called on man to bow before Yahweh, God of creation. The text especially focused on all people with power and authority. The narrative illustrates that man can never be God or be like God. The post – exilic author(s) / redactor(s) confirm with Genesis 2:4b-3:24 that man should stay humble before and dependant upon God. The text calls on people with power and authority to humble themselves before God. One of the narrative’s functions is to describe man’s hubris and to counter attitude and the hierarchy in various social structures. Genesis 2:24 is probably a later insertion by a redactor / Bearbeiter(s)</I of the text to serve as an aetiology for the power of attraction between man and woman. This insertion also emphasizes man’s interdependence upon one another. Without woman man cannot exist. This power of attraction is natural and necessary to bring man and woman together to fulfill God’s command in Genesis 1:28, namely to be fruitful and to multiply and fill the earth. Although Genesis 2:24 shows a connection with marriage, it doesn’t exclusively refer to monogamy alone. The Nachwirkungsgeschichte of Genesis 2:24 confirms that other Old Testament - as well as extra - biblical - and New Testament texts didn’t quote Genesis 2:24 to found or to legitimate the monogamous marriage. Old Testament texts that probably can be interpreted as pro – polygamous have been discussed in chapter 4. In this chapter it has been shown that polygamy was not repudiated in the Yahweh community and that monogamy was not idealized in the Old Testament. The Old Testament mentions polygamy as a known and accepted marriage custom in Old Israel. It served important social functions (economically and politically) and played a role in the survival and the existence struggle of Israel. The conclusion of this study in chapter 5 is that Genesis 2:24 cannot be utilized as locus classicus to found or legitimize monogamy as the only marriage form. The text could also be applicable to polygamy. Practical considerations, social situations and cultural customs influenced Israel’s view of marriage and determined what in their relationship with Yahweh was morally and ethically acceptable for them. This also applies to polygamous marriage. Cultural customs and moral and ethical norms and values which served to Israel as norm in their Yahweh religion, can also serve to make a custom like polygamous marriage acceptable today. With this argumentation the hypothesis of the study can be confirmed. / Thesis (PhD (Old Testament Studies))--University of Pretoria, 2003. / Old Testament Studies / unrestricted

Systems of classifications are socially created and historically contingent. New classifications lead to the creation of new categories, new objects and new kinds of people. Over the last thirty years, some of the most successful categories have emerged from the study of seriality. This thesis examines the emergence of three categories of seriality, including serial murder, serial monogamy and serial arson through a genealogical analysis. This thesis argues that seriality is a complex category that involves a host of important attributes, traits, characteristics, social, legal and medical categories, institutions, expertise and knowledge. Combined, these factors shape our understandings and highlight the complexity of seriality by considering important aspects that are too often taken for granted. The focus on three diverse groups of seriality highlights the interdisciplinary nature of seriality and its growing dominance among both public and private discourse.

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This study aims to explore and highlight alternative relationships in relation to the norm of monogamy. The perspective we have had with this study, is of a qualitative and investigative character. We have deeply interviewed four participants who are, or have been, in a polyamorous relationship. We have studied how the respondents see and handle their choices of life. We also wanted to know what kind of reactions they have faced from society. Another issue we have studied deeper is how the participants define jealousy and infidelity. We have anchored the discussion in different relation- and family-related theories to understand and problematize the norm of monogamy. What we come to understand is that the participants found different ways, to satisfy their desires and to fulfill their romantic needs. There have been differences in their desires and needs met in the relationship and we wanted to study how their delimitations seems to vary. Two of our participants have embraced both their romantic and lustful feelings for others and has had a very liberal approach to relationships. The other two participants has only accepted sexual contacts with other people, no feelings involved, and they needed to have an arrangement about this with their partner. Our participants have not experienced any major reactions from the society. However, we have been able to see that they have used various strategies to avoid stigmatization. We could also see that jealousy is often associated with a feeling of ownership.

HIV transmission continues to increase for Gay men, especially for those Gay men in nonmonogamous serodiscordant relationships. As the use of PreExposure Prophylaxis (PrEP) increases, much less is known about how PrEP is creating social meaning and transforming the sexual behaviors of HIV negative, non-monogamous Gay men. Accordingly, the purpose of this study was to investigate the meaning making experiences of Gay men in nonmonogamous serodiscordant relationships. Using the Minority Stress Model, Resiliency Theory, and Queer Theory as theoretical frameworks, the research question for the study focused on how HIV negative Gay men who are on PrEP and involved in nonmonogamous serodiscordant relationships navigate their sexual lives. Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis was employed within a purposeful sample of 13 Gay men. The two themes of resiliency and reframing emerged from the descriptive coding, member checking, and triangulation of the data. Of the two themes identified, participants noted pre-PrEP resiliency strategies including looks and trust, while current PrEP strategies included strategic positioning, getting educated about HIV and PrEP, and dating undetectable men. Reframing experiences included marketability, greater feeling of sexual freedom and responsibility, new rules around nonmonogamy, increased sexual confidence, and new masculine terms for condomless anal sex. Findings and recommendations from the study may advance positive social change when researchers and practitioners combat stigma, understand perceived lower risk of HIV transmission through new resiliency techniques, and facilitate the reframing of sex within an individual, relational, and Gay cultural context.

Menopause, the cessation of reproductive capabilities before death, is a detrimental trait for female fitness, yet persists in all human populations. Numerous hypotheses have been published to describe how menopause has been maintained but failed to explain the origin and genetic basis of this trait. In 2013, Morton et al. proposed an influence of the mate choice behaviour, specifically a bias in mating ages that could allow for a trait, seemingly detrimental to fitness, to become neutrally fixed in a population. The goal of our research, presented herein, is to understand the role of the mating system, the sexual behaviour of a group, and especially mate choice, on the origin and evolution of menopause under a serial monogamy scenario. Analysis was conducted using an agent-based computational model that simulated populations. The populations were generated according to specified demographic parameters and reproduced according to a serial monogamy mating system. With the model, parameters were investigated including population lifespan, fecundity, pairing eligibility, age of loss of fecundity, and timing of decay in fecundity. Simulations revealed that, under certain restrictions, menopause can neutrally evolve. When mate choice was restricted to a particular age preference bias, menopause can appear with no diminishment of fitness. This novel mode for the origin of menopause is inferred to result from the accumulation of deleterious mutations in the female genome. By combining this ability of fertility-diminishing mutations to accumulate with research into the genetic basis of menopause, we provide a system for the evolution of menopause in a population of serial monogamy. / Thesis / Master of Science (MSc) / Despite decades of research into menopause, there remains no clear understanding of how this deleterious trait came to persist in the human population. It has been proposed that a bias in mate choice such that only younger females are chosen to mate can result in the accumulation of deleterious mutations, ultimately leading to menopause. We analyzed the evolution of menopause under a mating system of serial monogamy by a computational simulation. We came to three main conclusions. Firstly, under modern demographic parameters, menopause cannot evolve under serial monogamy. Secondly, in a population of shortened longevity, similar to chimpanzee, menopause neutrally appears at an age presently experienced by women. Finally, when mate choice is restricted such that only young females are eligible to mate within a system of serial monogamy, menopause can evolve. This means with the current mate choice shift towards older women, menopause can be postponed or even eliminated.