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Study Finds Most Primate Societies Lack Clear Gender Dominance

The report demonstrates primate power hierarchies are driven by habitat and mating systems rather than by sex.

Eine Gruppe von Chacma-Pavianen bei der Fellpflege. Links lässt sich das größere Männchen von dem kleineren Weibchen mit Baby das Fell pflegen. Bei dieser Art dominieren die Männchen über die Weibchen. © Elise Huchard
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Overview

  • The study pooled observations from 253 published reports to assess dominance structures across 121 primate species.
  • 70 percent of populations show no clear male or female dominance, while 17 percent are male-led and 13 percent are female-led.
  • Male dominance is most common among terrestrial species with larger males that engage in polygynous mating.
  • Female dominance emerges predominantly in species where females forage in trees, pair bond monogamously, and match males in body size.
  • The results overturn assumptions of inherent male primate supremacy and suggest human power dynamics more closely resemble species without fixed gender hierarchies.