friends with benefits?

[novapsyche]

Female baboons exploit chaperones

Male and females of a few species of monkey, including baboons, macaques and others are known to form so-called 'friendships', where particular males and females will spend a lot of time in each other's company.

These friendships are often strictly platonic, and don't seem to involve sex. But no-one knows why they occur.

"We don't really know what males or females get from these friendships," says Nguyen. "Males should be off trying to get other females to mate with them, not squandering their time on a female with a young infant."

Comments

[autodidactic.livejournal.com]

One of them could be gay.

Or, you know, just friends! Scratches and grooming feel good!

[novapsyche.livejournal.com]

Scratches and grooming feel good!

Preach it.

[sophiaserpentia.livejournal.com]

Maybe, possibly, the organism does not do the behest of the selfish gene 100% of the time?

[blackwinterbyrd.livejournal.com]

i didn't read the article, but from what is here, apparently not fucking males who pay attention to you is exploiting them.

WOAH NELLY.

sorry, I'm a primate too. And I think its more telling of a researcher's social structure than the furrier primate's that platonic friendships between members of opposite sex are so heavily qualified with air quotes and produce so much puzzled head scratching. Goddamn it science!! It isn't supposed to be this waaaaaay!!! *shakes fist*

[novapsyche.livejournal.com]

I agree, the word choice was poor. At the same time, I'm sure the author of the article just wanted a title that hooked the reader.

[voiceandsalt.livejournal.com]

Me to scientists: Duh.

[novapsyche.livejournal.com]

How interesting though that baboons can recognize what humans cannot.