After you cry you feel better: Grandmothers in contemporary Armenia, an applied application of evolutionary biology

Date of Completion

January 2001

Keywords

Anthropology, Cultural|Sociology, Individual and Family Studies

Degree

Ph.D.

Abstract

The grandmothering role in Armenia is an integral part of the construction of families with newborns. Ethnographic interviews explored whether or not the role of Armenian grandmothers in the early months in the lives of grandchildren insures wellness for the children, support for the mother, and fitness benefits for the grandmother. Such actions by Armenian grandmothers are found to be consistent with the argument that patterns in female resource choice, extended provisioning of weaned offspring, and long postmenopausal life spans are interdependent traits. ^

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