Life Histories of the Dobe !Kung: Food, Fatness, and Well-being over the Life-span (Volume 4) (Origins of Human Behavior and Culture)

Life Histories of the Dobe !Kung re-examines an important anthropological data set for the Dobe !Kung, the well-known Bushmen of the Kalahari Desert, collected by Nancy Howell and colleagues. Using life history analysis, Howell reinterprets this rich material to address the question of how these hunter-gatherers maintain their notably good health from childhood through old age in the Kalahari's harsh environment. She divides the population into life history stages that correlate with estimated chronological ages and demonstrates how and why they survive, even thrive, on a modest allotment of calories. She describes how surplus food is produced and distributed, and she considers both the motives for the generous sharing she has observed among the Dobe !Kung and some evolutionary implications of that behavior. Life Histories of the Dobe !Kung: Food, Fatness, and Well-being Over the Life Span......Page 4 Contents......Page 8 Acknowledgments......Page 10 Research with the Dobe !Kung......Page 14 Research Results: Demography of the Dobe !Kung......Page 16 Reconsidering the !Kung......Page 18 Poverty and Social Change in the Dobe Area......Page 25 2. Life History Stages......Page 32 Definitions of Life Stages......Page 33 Prenatal Life and Birth......Page 35 Infancy......Page 37 Childhood......Page 41 Adolescence......Page 45 The Stage of Childbearing......Page 50 Post-Reproductive Life......Page 53 Retirement: Frailty and Dependence......Page 54 Life Stages for Individuals and for the Population......Page 56 Conclusion: Ages and Stages of Life, for !Kung Women and Men......Page 61 Why Are the !Kung So Small?......Page 62 Comparison to International Standards of Height and Weight......Page 66 Body Size in Infancy and Early Childhood......Page 73 Childhood Measures Continued: Body Size for Older Children and Adolescents......Page 77 Body Size during the Reproductive Ages......Page 88 Body Size of Post-Reproductive Adults (45+)......Page 90 Summarizing Body Size: The Body Mass Index Difference Measure......Page 92 4. Calories Required......Page 96 Caloric Requirements for Basal Metabolism......Page 98 Time Budgets of Mean Daily Activities......Page 102 Physical Activity Levels......Page 110 Caloric Requirements for Reproduction......Page 112 Combining the Components of the Necessary Caloric Costs to the Population......Page 114 Are the !Kung Hard-Working People?......Page 116 Production of Food......Page 120 Caloric Balance......Page 133 6. Caloric Balance and Residential Units: Waterholes, Living Groups, Households......Page 140 Waterholes and N!oris......Page 143 Living Groups, Also Known as Bands, Camps, or Villages......Page 152 Households and Their Effects on Well-Being......Page 156 Malthusian, Darwinian, and Common-sense Models of Population Control in the Kalahari......Page 167 7. Kinship Relations as a Support System for Children......Page 170 Relatives in the Household......Page 171 Effects on Children of Having Grandparents in the Living Group......Page 178 Coresidence of Ancestors in the Well-Being of Children......Page 181 The Grandmother Role from the Point of View of Older Women......Page 185 Kinship as a Resource for All !Kung......Page 187 8. Motives for Sharing Food and Other Prosocial Behavior......Page 196 Models of the Motives for Sharing......Page 197 What Do We Mean by a “Surplus”?......Page 207 Sharing Driven by Scarcity......Page 209 Evolutionary Speculation: The Prosocial Brain as a Product of Decisions About Food Sharing, Perceptions of Need, and Nurturance......Page 210 References......Page 224 Index......Page 234 Life Histories of the Dobe !Kung: Food, Fatness, and Well-being Over the Life Span 4 Contents 8 Acknowledgments 10 1. Another Look at the !Kung: A Life History Approach 14 Research with the Dobe !Kung 14 Research Results: Demography of the Dobe !Kung 16 Reconsidering the !Kung 18 Poverty and Social Change in the Dobe Area 25 2. Life History Stages 32 Definitions of Life Stages 33 Prenatal Life and Birth 35 Infancy 37 Childhood 41 Adolescence 45 The Stage of Childbearing 50 Post-Reproductive Life 53 Retirement: Frailty and Dependence 54 Life Stages for Individuals and for the Population 56 Conclusion: Ages and Stages of Life, for !Kung Women and Men 61 3. Body Size and Growth 62 Why Are the !Kung So Small? 62 Comparison to International Standards of Height and Weight 66 Body Size in Infancy and Early Childhood 73 Childhood Measures Continued: Body Size for Older Children and Adolescents 77 Body Size during the Reproductive Ages 88 Body Size of Post-Reproductive Adults (45+) 90 Summarizing Body Size: The Body Mass Index Difference Measure 92 4. Calories Required 96 Caloric Requirements for Basal Metabolism 98 Time Budgets of Mean Daily Activities 102 Physical Activity Levels 110 Caloric Requirements for Reproduction 112 Adjustment for Temperature 114 Combining the Components of the Necessary Caloric Costs to the Population 114 Are the !Kung Hard-Working People? 116 5. Caloric Productivity and Caloric Balance 120 Production of Food 120 Caloric Balance 133 6. Caloric Balance and Residential Units: Waterholes, Living Groups, Households 140 Waterholes and N!oris 143 Living Groups, Also Known as Bands, Camps, or Villages 152 Households and Their Effects on Well-Being 156 Malthusian, Darwinian, and Common-sense Models of Population Control in the Kalahari 167 7. Kinship Relations as a Support System for Children 170 Relatives in the Household 171 Effects on Children of Having Grandparents in the Living Group 178 Coresidence of Ancestors in the Well-Being of Children 181 The Grandmother Role from the Point of View of Older Women 185 Kinship as a Resource for All !Kung 187 8. Motives for Sharing Food and Other Prosocial Behavior 196 Models of the Motives for Sharing 197 What Do We Mean by a “Surplus”? 207 Sharing Driven by Scarcity 209 Evolutionary Speculation: The Prosocial Brain as a Product of Decisions About Food Sharing, Perceptions of Need, and Nurturance 210 References 224 Index 234 0520262336,9780520262331,0520262344,978-0520262348 "Life Histories of the Dobe!Kung re-examines an important anthropological data set for the Dobe!Kung, the well-known "Bushmen" of the Kalahari Desert, collected by Nancy Howell and colleagues. Using life history analysis, Howell reinterprets this rich material to address the question of how these hunter-gatherers maintain their notably good health from childhood through old age in the Kalahari's harsh environment. She divides the population into life history stages that correlate with estimated chronological ages and demonstrates how and why they survive, even thrive, on a modest allotment of calories. She describes how surplus food is produced and distributed, and she considers both the motives for the generous sharing she has observed among the Dobe!Kung and some evolutionary implications of that behavior."--Publisher's website. Life Histories of the Dobe!Kung re-examines an important anthropological data set collected by Nancy Howell and colleagues for the Dobe!Kung, the well-known "Bushmen" of the Kalahari Desert. Using life history analysis, Howell reinterprets this rich material to address the question of how these hunter-gatherers maintain their notably good health from childhood through old age in the Kalahari's harsh environment. She divides the population into life history stages that correlate with estimated chronological ages and demonstrates how and why they survive, even thrive, on a modest allotment of