Aging and human sexual behavior: Biocultural perspectives–A mini-review

PB Gray, JR Garcia�- Gerontology, 2012 - karger.com
Gerontology, 2012karger.com
In this mini-review, we consider an evolutionary biocultural perspective on human aging and
sexuality. An evolutionary approach to senescence highlights the energetic trade-offs
between fertility and mortality. By comparing humans to other primates, we situate human
senescence as an evolutionary process, with shifts in postreproductive sexual behavior in
this light. Age-related declines in sexual behavior are typical for humans but also highly
contingent on the sociocultural context within which aging individuals express their�…
Abstract
In this mini-review, we consider an evolutionary biocultural perspective on human aging and sexuality. An evolutionary approach to senescence highlights the energetic trade-offs between fertility and mortality. By comparing humans to other primates, we situate human senescence as an evolutionary process, with shifts in postreproductive sexual behavior in this light. Age-related declines in sexual behavior are typical for humans but also highly contingent on the sociocultural context within which aging individuals express their sexuality. We briefly review some of the most comprehensive studies of aging and sexual behavior, both from the USA and cross-culturally. We frame these patterns with respect to the long-term relationships within which human sexual behavior typically occurs. Because sexuality is typically expressed within pair-bonds, sexual behavior sometimes declines in both members of a couple with age, but also exhibits sex-specific effects that have their roots in evolved sex differences.
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