Reacción a "Female bonobos gain power over males by forming aggressive coalitions"

The study by Surbeck and colleagues represents a significant contribution to our understanding of power dynamics between the sexes in bonobos, one of the few mammal species in which females can hold a higher social status than males, despite sexual dimorphism favouring the latter. This work seeks to identify the factors underlying this phenomenon.

The conclusions of the article are supported by solid data collected over 30 years in six free-ranging bonobo communities. The methodology employed is rigorous, using appropriate statistical models that control for various random effects and possible temporal autocorrelations.

This study is part of a tradition of research on sexual dominance in bonobos (Tokuyama & Furuichi, 2016) and contributes a relevant novelty: it is the first to systematically rule out the self-organisation hypothesis and the reproductive control hypothesis, in favour of the female coalition hypothesis as the main explanation for female power in bonobos (female coalition hypothesis). The results show that the frequency of aggressive coalitions between females—mostly directed against males—is significantly associated with greater relative female power, measured both by the proportion of intersexual conflicts won and by their position in the social hierarchy.

The study, however, is not without limitations. For example, data on sexual swelling and female coalitions are only available for a small subset of communities and years (15 years in five communities), which may limit the generalisation of the results.

From my perspective as a psychologist focused on the study of bonobos and other primates in captivity, I believe that future research should examine whether the factors that explain female power in bonobos—such as female coalitions—are comparable in natural environments and under controlled conditions.

In practical terms, the study's findings have important implications for the field of psychology. They reinforce the idea that social support can be an effective strategy for counteracting dominance based on physical strength, which may inspire broader reflections on the dynamics of power and cooperation in our species.