Most couples vow “till death do us part” however is it reasonable to assume that humans should mate for life? Ideally everyone would find their true love at first sight and be together forever but I am not naive, for I know that it not the case. Divorce and cheating are common terms in today’s culture so it is natural to wonder if humans are actually meant to be with one person from early adulthood till death. Further are all humans the same in their ability to remain monogamous?

When you dissect the question of monogamy down to animal instincts and primal behaviors it is clear that monogamy is not common. Only 3% to 5% of 5,000 different species of animals mate for life. According to evolution we are ancestors of primates, so clearly we are going against nature in maintaining monogamy. The point of most long-term, monogamous human relationships is producing offspring and raising a family. However Jane Lancaster, an evolutionary anthropologist at the University of New Mexico says that the bond of raising a child “can fit into all kinds of marriage patterns – polygamy, single parenthood, Monogamy.” This proves that humans do not need the commitment of a monogamous relationship in order to be fulfilled.

Gender is another important variable in monogamy. Does gender affect the likelihood of staying committed while in a monogamous relationship? Males are typically considered the less faithful gender. Daniel Kruger, a social and evolutionary psychologist at the University of Michigan, says that in human relationships “there’s more paternal investment than in most other primates” so men cannot be completely at fault.

Whether humans are meant to mate for life and it’s just a matter of finding the right person or polygamy is the answer, divorce rates have spiked within he past 50 years. The question of monogamy is an important topic to consider especially as society continues to change. How to preform the necessary experiments and studies to find the true answer is unclear.