People still mate with Neanderthals. Why?

We know that Homo sapiens ("wise man") lived on earth together with the Neanderthals. Moreover, DNA analysis proves that men and women of both species (or subspecies, if you want) mated. Of course, the daily routine for the working man in those days meant driving woolly mammoths. But the same spark that unites men and women, were in prehistoric times. Otherwise we wouldn't be here.

Neanderthals among us

Imagine the scene. One of the "reasonable" grips the red clay in their hands to make the perfect pot, suddenly notices a big hairy guy who awkwardly approaches her in a loincloth of leopard skin. And then she thinks: "this guy". Or, conversely, a stocky woman from the Neanderthals eating the dry skin of a deer, charmed by the lovely skinny guy who sculpts stones, fancy arrowheads and draws on the cave walls. And she thinks, "He's mine."

Since here we are dealing with pairing by mutual consent (the alternative is also possible, but that's another story), we need to consider the woman's point of view, because it will solve. Give whether it a guy with large Breasts, holding out her fist with withered flowers and the meat of the mastodon, or fall in love with a skinny offering her beautiful jewelry, carved from exotic shells?

In General, H. sapiens and H. neanderthalensis kept his when it came to romance. Like attracts like is a strong behavioral stimulus in mating, which is observed today. Men and women typically marry and marry those who have similar traits. We prefer to enter into a romantic relationship with individuals of their own race, as well as select partners who are similar on education, growth, body mass index, social positions, relationships, religion and even genes. Highest efficiency factor in the choice of spouses — this is similar to IQ and is highly correlated with years of education.

But sometimes women choose other. Psychologists have a term for such behavior of partners who choose out of their own group: hypergamy and hypogamy. But what we understand these terms? We would like to know why women do this.

Let's Not argue, why women marry those who are qualitatively better than others — with it all is clear. But for those who are qualitatively worse? What women see in a stupid but attractive the Neanderthals, which they are choosing, and how it differed from the mating 100,000 years ago? The question is particularly important because women today are choosing more often the Neanderthals, and the trend is likely to continue in the future.

Usually, when a woman choose a mate outside their own IQ or educational group, married. This trend affects the culture, ethnic group and race. Even in developing countries such as Nigeria, romantic partners typically have the same level of education, but when there is a difference, women tend to marry more intelligent. In some countries this model was the result of the fact that women for a long time did not receive higher education. Recently, the number of women who have received a degree has steadily increased, surpassing the number of men in 2003, while the trend line in men in this parameter decreased. Now that the gender gap in education favors women, women of the modern world more likely to marry, having higher mental ability and income.

In those days, when the choices are limited, women will be satisfied with Neanderthals than to remain single — the biological clock is not standing still. We can also assume that in periods of shortage of men fighting for survival in the ice age, diseases and wars, the appeal of men has increased, even if they were Neanderthals.

Another development in the modern world, helping to change the choice of women who prefer to marry outside their equitable group, was the Internet. A study conducted in 2017, showed that couples found on the Internet, are much less common than traditional couples between people that occur in the field — in school, among friends, at religious meetings and so on.

But these patterns of mating outside one intellectual group is more complicated, since IQ is only one measure of intelligence. Similarly, the level of education has a socio-economic base, which partially reflect a family origin, and therefore IQ and level of education are associated with a complex set of other factors influencing the choice of spouses. Even the height and IQ are related, and are largely determined genetically. affect the behavior, determining the choice of partner, but mating affect the gene pool. Many of the factors influencing the choice of partner, and the complex way they interact can push a woman to the choice of partner, which in some respects is outside their group, and some inside.

Despite the desire for romantic partners who are similar to us, there is an advantage in mating with someone else. In addition, romantic partners typically have the same mental disorder — such as autism, schizophrenia and depression. The same applies to Smoking, substance abuse and crime. A study conducted in 2017, showed that people who had committed criminalcrimes before marriage, much more often marry other people with a criminal record. After the wedding the couple have committed more criminal offences.

The Crossing between the first hominids was probably a problem in the prehistoric time, and breeding outside the group has the advantage of increasing genetic diversity in the population. Neanderthal DNA in the genome of H. sapiens remains today, as it has some value for survival. For example, the Neanderthal genes involved in the innate immune system, which mingled with the DNA of H. sapiens, gave the descendants an advantage.

Take a Closer look at the people. You never know who is in front of you is Neanderthal or Homo sapiens. However, does it really matter? Tell us .