The comparative biopsychology of non-conceptive sexuality

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Reproductive sex is the engine that drives evolution. As such, one of the most basic tenets of evolutionary research is that individuals should behave in ways to maximize their reproductive success. Nevertheless, non-conceptive sex is widespread in the animal kingdom. Why would organisms engage in non-conceptive sexual behaviours given that such interactions appear, at first glance, to undermine reproduction? My program of comparative biopsychological research addresses this question by examining how same-sex sexuality develops and evolves. I do so using cross-species (i.e., Japanese macaques) and cross-cultural (i.e., Samoan) approaches. My work on Japanese macaques focuses on elucidating how and why female-female and female-male mounting evolved. My work in Samoa focuses on testing various theories that purport to account for why genes for male homosexuality do not go extinct. In most species, males are primarily attracted to females, and females are primarily attracted to males. This is perhaps the largest and most widespread of any psychological sex difference in sexually reproducing species. My comparative research is significant because it helps elucidate the psychobiological bases of exceptions to this fundamental pattern. By focusing on exceptions to the rule, my research contributes towards a more comprehensive picture of how patterns of sexuality develop and evolve across species and cultures.