ABSTRACT
The aim of this chapter is to document and attempt to explain variation in paternal investment in offspring in four Yanomamo villages. Paternal investment is broadly defined: it ranges from simple childcare (e.g., holding, feeding, comforting) to provisioning (time allocated to food production and other economic activities). I argue that variation in paternal care can be understood only in relation to variation in maternal care. This is because parental investment in offspring is a cooperative activity involving both parents. In addition, I will demonstrate that parental investment is specialized between the sexes with one sex or the other dominating particular types of parental investment.
