When women share a husband, physical fights between co-wives are common across cultures
Women are often thought to compete through gossip and exclusion rather than fists. But an analysis of ethnographic records from 19 cultures found physical fights between co-wives documented in 12 of them, suggesting high stakes can change the rules.
Anthropological research examining polygynous marriages across 19 cultures suggests physical confrontations between co-wives are common when resources and partners are highly valuable. Physical aggression was observed in 63.2% of documented cases, indicating women can engage in direct conflict when stakes are high. This contrasts with the prevailing belief that female rivalry primarily involves indirect methods such as gossip and social exclusion.
The findings, published in Evolution and Human Behavior, challenge the notion that women avoid physical fights to protect their survival and children's welfare, relying instead on indirect tactics. Evolutionary theories propose risk-averse strategies in women due to the potential harm of physical injury to their infants' survival.
However, Fisher's analysis reveals that when high-stakes resources and partners are involved, direct physical conflict between co-wives becomes prevalent, challenging the traditional understanding of female competition.
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