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In evolutionary biology, the 'Trivers-Willard hypothesis' proposes that parents should invest more in the sex that gives them the greatest reproductive payoff (grandchildren) with increasing or "marginal" investment. The hypothesis was used to explain why Red Deer mothers would produce more sons when they are in good condition, and more daughters when in poor condition.
Dominance also affects the sex of their offspring, with dominant females birthing more sons and non-dominant females birthing more daughters.
The evolutionary psychologist Satoshi Kanazawa has generalized the Trivers-Willard hypothesis to general heritable traits, as the 'generalized Trivers-Willard hypothesis'.

Contents

See also

References

See also

★ Robert Trivers

References

★ Trivers, R.L., & Willard, D.E. (1973). Natural selection of parental ability to vary the sex ratio of offspring. ''Science, 179,'' 90-92.

★ Kanazawa, Satoshi. 2005. "Big and Tall Parents Have More Sons: Further Generalizations of the Trivers-Willard Hypothesis." Journal of Theoretical Biology. 235: 583-590 (pdf).