https://doi.org/10.1140/epjb/e2010-00128-0
Potential-partnership networks and the dynamical structure of monogamous populations
Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y
Técnicas, Centro Atómico Bariloche and Instituto Balseiro, 8400
Bariloche, Río Negro, Argentina
Corresponding author: a zanette@cab.cnea.gov.ar
Received:
21
January
2010
Revised:
29
March
2010
Published online:
16
April
2010
We introduce a model for the social structure of a two-sex population whose members form heterosexual couples with at most one partner at a time. Individuals can as well remain temporarily single. Partnership is decided on the basis of personal preferences, where members of the opposite sex are ranked according to the predilection of each individual. We distinguish between the network of potential partnership – which is defined by an acceptance threshold in the individual preferences – and the network of realized partnership – which results from dynamical rules for couple breaking and formation. The structural properties of the potential-partnership network are studied, and realized partnership is characterized in terms of the distribution of couple durations.
© EDP Sciences, Società Italiana di Fisica, Springer-Verlag, 2010