Social Behavior of Female Vertebrates focuses on the evolution of reproductive behavior in female vertebrates ranging from fish to birds and humans, including issues of mate choice and other factors underlying female attitudes toward males. It also looks at the evolution of mating systems; the co-evolution of the sexes; sex-role reversal; reproductive competition between females; maternal behavior; and how females enhance the investment received by their offspring from others. It also considers other social behaviors that influence the nature of affiliative associations between females.
Organized into three parts encompassing 13 chapters, this volume begins with an overview of behavioral biology and sources of variation in female reproductive success. It then discusses the establishment and maintenance of sex biases, sex differences mediated by sexual selection, constraints on female choice in the mottled sculpin, mate choice by females in sexual selection of bird song, and female manipulation of male avoidance of cuckoldry behavior in the ring dove. The reader is also introduced to the evolution of polyandry in shorebirds; reproductive strategies in human females; social and health-seeking behaviors of Taiwanese women; female roles in cooperatively breeding acorn woodpeckers; altruism in coati bands; cooperation and reproductive competition among female African elephants; mate choice in matrilineal macaque groups; and reproductive competition and cooperation among female yellow baboons.
This book is a valuable resource for scientists and behavioral biologists, as well as lay people whose interests span a variety of fields.

ContributorsPrefacePart I. Introduction 1. Behavioral Biology and the Double Standard I. The Myth of the Passive Female II. Sources of Variation in Female Reproductive Success III. And Now That We Are Asking, What Is It That Females Do? References 2. The Establishment and Maintenance of Sex Biases I. Why a Book on Female Social Behavior? II. Sex Differences Mediated by Sexual Selection III. Humans in Transition: The Establishment and Maintenance of Sex Biases in Science IV. Some Evolutionary Alternatives to the Male Dominance Syndrome V. What Lies Ahead? ReferencesPart II. Interactions between the Sexes 3. Constraints on Female Choice in the Mottled Sculpin I. Introduction II. The Mottled Sculpin III. Methods IV. Results References 4. Bird Songs, Sexual Selection, and Female Mating Strategies I. Introduction II. Sexual Selection III. A Comparison of Two Species IV. Evidence for Sexual Selection V. Mate Choice by Females or Male Competition? VI. Discussion VII. Summary References 5. Female Manipulation of Male Avoidance of Cuckoldry Behavior in the Ring Dove I. Introduction II. Female Determinants of Male Tactics to Avoid Cuckoldry III. Do Females Benefit from Surveillance and Guarding? IV. Female Sexual Responsiveness in Other Birds V. Summary References 6. The Evolution of Polyandry in Shorebirds: an Evaluation of Hypotheses I. Introduction II. A Summary of Multiple-Clutch Mating Systems in Shorebirds III. A Critical Evaluation of Hypotheses for the Evolution of Polyandry in Shorebirds IV. Characteristics of Shorebirds That Favored the Frequent Evolution of Polyandry V. Conclusions VI. Summary References 7. Human Female Reproductive Strategies I. Introduction II. Neo-Darwinian Theory and Novel Environments III. Human Breeding Systems: Some Ethnographic Examples IV. Some Preliminary Hypotheses Regarding Female Reproductive Strategies V. Summary References 8. A Life-Stage Analysis of Taiwanese Women: Social and Health-Seeking Behaviors I. Introduction II. The Environment, Division of Labor, and Sex Roles III. A Woman's Life History Stages IV. Changing Sex Roles, Health-Seeking Behaviors, and a Pluralistic Medical System V. Summary ReferencesPart III. Reproductive Competition and Cooperation among Females 9. Female Roles in Cooperatively Breeding Acorn Woodpeckers I. Introduction II. Methods III. Results IV. Discussion V. Conclusion VI. Summary References 10. Altruism in Coati Bands; Nepotism or Reciprocity? I. Introduction II. Methods III. Results IV. Discussion V. Summary References 11. Cooperation and Reproductive Competition among Female African Elephants I. Introduction II. Cooperation III. Competition IV. Conclusions V. Summary References 12. Cooperation, Competition, and Mate Choice in Matrilineal Macaque Groups I. Introduction II. Kin Selection, Local Population Regulation, and Female Behavior III. Lineage-Specific Female Mate Choice IV. Effects of LSFMC on Female Behavior V. Lineage-Specific Mating and Female Choice VI. Conclusions VII. Summary Appendix References 13. Reproductive Competition and Cooperation among Female Yellow Baboons I. Introduction II. Methods III. Reproductive Competition IV. Affiliation V. Discussion VI.