Human Sperm Competition: Copulation, Masturbation and Infidelity

by Robin Baker, Mark A. Bellis

Behavioural ecologists and evolutionary biologists have for a number of years been interested in the biological implications of sperm from different males competing for fertilization of the egg in the female tract. This book discusses these implications for human sexual behaviour and human infertility problems. Throughout the book, reference is made to work on the sexual behaviour of other animals, particularly primates and other mammals, where the resulting perspective helps to understand human behaviour.

Genres: Evolution, Nonfiction

370 pages, Hardcover

First published December 31, 1994

About the author

Also published as R. Robin Baker

Reviews

[Pete · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a textbook and I read it to win an argument, but my opponent refused to acknowledge my victory. It is pretty good reading if you are interested in human sperm competition.

[Julia · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book proposes a very interesting theory on how human sperm competition shaped all aspects of human sexuality. But I must say, while most facts about the male half of the population are standard stuff that I already knew from other textbooks, the female half is pure fascination! You're telling me two guys in 1995 knew that human females had "cervical crypts"? That the vagina is a slit and not a cavity? That the cervix can drop down to interact with the seminal pool? Why didn't anyone tell me any of this in any book, class, etc. that had to do with female anatomy and/or function? I would recommend everyone read this book, regardless if they agree with the theory or not, just because of the facts that seem not new to science, but which women likely don't know about our own bodies in 2022! Not to mention the implications this theory has on the world of IVF and other reproductive technologies. Very insightful!