Male and Female Perceptions of Pair-Bond Dynamics: Monogamy in Western Gulls, Larus occidentalis

Abstract

In recent years, a question has arisen as to whether male and female investigators view natural phenomena in the same way. There could be differences in the research questions asked, the type of data collected, or the way in which a particular datum or observation is interpreted (Fox-Keller, 1985), leading to the possibility that male domination of certain fields leads to a biased view of nature. Lawton, Garska, and Hanks (this volume) have suggested that male-biased narratives have become so pervasive that both male and female researchers are trained to emphasize this perspective, such that some female investigators use a male-centered perspective in their research.