The Returning soldier effect is a phenomenon which suggests that more boys are born during and immediately after wars.[1][2] This effect is one of the many factors influencing human sex ratio.
The phenomenon was first noticed in 1883 by Carl Düsing of the University of Jena, who suggested that it was a natural regulation of the status quo. Writing in 1899, an Australian physician, Arthur Davenport, used Düsing's findings to hypothesize that the cause was the difference between the comparative ill-health of the returning troops compared to the good health of their partners.[3] Research published in 1954 by Brian MacMahon and Thomas F. Pugh showed that the sex ratio of white live-births in the United States had shown a marked increase in favor of boys between 1945 and 1947, with a peak in 1946.[4] In 2007, Satoshi Kanazawa published a paper theorizing that the effect was due to "the fact that taller soldiers are more likely to survive battle and that taller parents are more likely to have sons". This was based on his research of British Army records from the First World War, which showed that "surviving soldiers were on average more than one inch (3.33 cm) taller than fallen soldiers".[1] Valerie Grant attributed it to changing hormone levels of women during war, as they tended to "adopt more dominant roles".[5][6] William H. James writing in 2008 gave an increase in coital rates by returning soldiers as a possible cause. He also noted that a fall in the ratio of male births had been recorded in Iran following the Iran–Iraq War, "explained by psychological stress causing pregnant women disproportionately to abort male fetuses".[7]
^ abKanazawa, S. (2007-09-27). "Big and tall soldiers are more likely to survive battle: a possible explanation for the 'returning soldier effect' on the secondary sex ratio". Human Reproduction. Vol. 22, no. 11. pp. 3002–3008. doi:10.1093/humrep/dem239. Retrieved 2020-12-25.
^"JU Research - Jagiellonian University - Jagiellonian University". Retrieved 2020-12-25.
^Davenport, Arthur Frederick (1901). "Notes on the Origin of Sex". Intercolonial Medical Congress of Australasia: Transactions of the Fifth Session, Held in Brisbane, Queensland, September, 1899: 123–130. Retrieved 26 December 2020.
^MacMahon, Brian; Pugh, Thomas F (June 1954). "Sex ratio of white births in the United States during the Second World War". American Journal of Human Genetics. 6 (2): 284–292. PMC1716540. PMID 13158334.
^Ridley, Matt (1994-10-06). The Red Queen: Sex and the Evolution of Human Nature. Penguin UK. ISBN978-0-14-196545-1.
^James, William H (March 2009). "The variations of human sex ratio at birth during and after wars, and their potential explanations". Journal of Theoretical Biology. 257 (1): 116–23. Bibcode:2009JThBi.257..116J. doi:10.1016/j.jtbi.2008.09.028. PMID 18952111. Retrieved 26 December 2020.
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returning, soldier, effect, phenomenon, which, suggests, that, more, boys, born, during, immediately, after, wars, this, effect, many, factors, influencing, human, ratio, phenomenon, first, noticed, 1883, carl, düsing, university, jena, suggested, that, natura. The Returning soldier effect is a phenomenon which suggests that more boys are born during and immediately after wars 1 2 This effect is one of the many factors influencing human sex ratio The phenomenon was first noticed in 1883 by Carl Dusing of the University of Jena who suggested that it was a natural regulation of the status quo Writing in 1899 an Australian physician Arthur Davenport used Dusing s findings to hypothesize that the cause was the difference between the comparative ill health of the returning troops compared to the good health of their partners 3 Research published in 1954 by Brian MacMahon and Thomas F Pugh showed that the sex ratio of white live births in the United States had shown a marked increase in favor of boys between 1945 and 1947 with a peak in 1946 4 In 2007 Satoshi Kanazawa published a paper theorizing that the effect was due to the fact that taller soldiers are more likely to survive battle and that taller parents are more likely to have sons This was based on his research of British Army records from the First World War which showed that surviving soldiers were on average more than one inch 3 33 cm taller than fallen soldiers 1 Valerie Grant attributed it to changing hormone levels of women during war as they tended to adopt more dominant roles 5 6 William H James writing in 2008 gave an increase in coital rates by returning soldiers as a possible cause He also noted that a fall in the ratio of male births had been recorded in Iran following the Iran Iraq War explained by psychological stress causing pregnant women disproportionately to abort male fetuses 7 See also EditKiller ape theoryReferences Edit a b Kanazawa S 2007 09 27 Big and tall soldiers are more likely to survive battle a possible explanation for the returning soldier effect on the secondary sex ratio Human Reproduction Vol 22 no 11 pp 3002 3008 doi 10 1093 humrep dem239 Retrieved 2020 12 25 JU Research Jagiellonian University Jagiellonian University Retrieved 2020 12 25 Davenport Arthur Frederick 1901 Notes on the Origin of Sex Intercolonial Medical Congress of Australasia Transactions of the Fifth Session Held in Brisbane Queensland September 1899 123 130 Retrieved 26 December 2020 MacMahon Brian Pugh Thomas F June 1954 Sex ratio of white births in the United States during the Second World War American Journal of Human Genetics 6 2 284 292 PMC 1716540 PMID 13158334 Grant Valerie J 2008 Sex of Offspring Differences between Mothers Evolutionary Psychology 6 1 doi 10 1177 147470490800600117 S2CID 146289598 Ridley Matt 1994 10 06 The Red Queen Sex and the Evolution of Human Nature Penguin UK ISBN 978 0 14 196545 1 James William H March 2009 The variations of human sex ratio at birth during and after wars and their potential explanations Journal of Theoretical Biology 257 1 116 23 Bibcode 2009JThBi 257 116J doi 10 1016 j jtbi 2008 09 028 PMID 18952111 Retrieved 26 December 2020 This military related article is a stub You can help Wikipedia by expanding it vte Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Returning soldier effect amp oldid 1102583626, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
