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The Evolution of Human Pair-Bonding, Friendship, and Sexual Attraction: Love Bonds

Author(s) : Michael R. Kauth

Reviews and Endorsements

Early evolutionists saw nature and survival as brutal. Affection and romantic bonds, which arguably played an equal part in human survival, are usually dismissed or limited to facilitating reproduction and parenting. Without the limiting lens of seeing bonds solely in terms of sex acts and reproduction, this elegantly written book finally restores same-sex bonds and sex to our understanding of the roles of culture and society in evolution. It is an overdue and rewarding reconceptualization. - Michael Ross, University of Minnesota Medical School, USA.

Dr. Michael Kauth provides an integrated interdisciplinary account of the origin, function, and history of human mating pair-bonds and devoted same-sex friendships, including those that involved sexual intimacy, across history and cultures. His meticulous and well-reasoned analysis leads to the surprising conclusion that sexual attraction is central to both reproduction and friendship. - William Byne, Columbia Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, USA; and Editor-in-Chief, LGBT Health.


How did human pair bonds evolve? Why is human friendship so pervasive for H. Sapiens Sapiens? In this intriguing book, Dr. Kauth suggests a great capacity for sexual variation across all human populations. He explores how "devoted friendships," understood in cultural context, reveal specific functions of male alliances for adaptation and survival. Dr. Kauth appeals to future sex researchers to frame their work within historical and cultural context. - Gilbert Herdt, San Francisco State University, USA.