Why Do We Do That? 3. Why do we have grandmas?
Feb 14, 2025
Emily Emmott, an anthropologist at University College London, navigates the intriguing world of grandmothers and their surprising evolutionary significance. She discusses how grandmothers aid in child-rearing and enhance survival rates, emphasizing their unique role in family dynamics. The conversation touches on menopause's rarity in the animal kingdom and how it aligns with the nurturing role of grandmothers. Personal anecdotes reveal the deep emotional bonds and support they provide, proving that grandmothers are not just family fixtures, but vital pillars of society.
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The Grandmother Hypothesis
- Grandmothers are helpful childcare providers, and their post-reproductive lifespan is an evolutionary puzzle.
- Menopause frees them to support their grandchildren, aligning with anthropologists' interest.
Grandmothers and Child Survival
- The Grandmother Hypothesis suggests menopause evolved to facilitate grandmothers' childcare role.
- Studies show grandmothers, especially maternal ones, significantly improve grandchildren's survival rates.
Maternal vs. Paternal Grandmothers
- Maternal grandmothers consistently improve child survival, while paternal grandmothers' impact is less clear.
- Paternal grandmothers may prioritize family size over individual grandchild survival, research suggests.