Westermarck Effect: A Wider Implication?

"Reverse" sexual imprinting: when two people live in close domestic proximity
during the first few years in the life of either one, both are desensitized
(immune) to later close sexual attraction. This phenomenon, known as the
"Westermarck effect", was first formally described by a Finnish anthropologist
(philosopher and sociologist), Edvard Westermarck (1862-1939). The Westermarck
effect has since been observed in many places and cultures, including in
the Israeli kibbutz system, and the Chinese Shim-pua marriage customs, as
well as in biological-related families.

In the case of the Israeli kibbutzim (collective farms), children were reared
somewhat communally in peer groups, groups based on age, not biological
relation. A study of the marriage patterns of these children later in life
revealed that out of the nearly 3,000 marriages that occurred across the
kibbutz system, only fourteen were between children from the same peer group.
Of those fourteen, none had been reared together during the first six years
of life. This result provides evidence not only that the Westermarck effect
is demonstrable, but that it operates during the critical period from birth
to the age of six (Shepher, 1983).

When close proximity during this critical period does not occur, for example,
where a brother and sister are brought up separately, never meeting one
another, they may find one another highly sexually attractive when they
meet as adults. This phenomenon is known as "genetic sexual attraction".
This observation is consistent with the theory that the Westermarck effect
evolved because it suppressed inbreeding. This attraction may also be seen
with cousin couples such as FDR and his wife Eleanor Roosevelt.


A Cause of Extra-marital Affair?

So-called "extra-marital affair" might be in part due to the Westermarck
effect of the married couples in adult age, a desensitization to mutual
sexual attraction in the family.

It is basically same as immunological tolerance to our own body's components,
and a therapy called desentization of allergic reaction by an excess allergen.
When people get used to each other, they would lose each other's attraction
(or interest), as they get tired of each other. In other words we have
to keep "refreshing" ourselves as much as possible.

A very long time ago (more than a half century ago), when I was still a
small boy, my late father told me once or a few times that it would be ideal
for a couple to meet each other (or live together) only during weekends.
During weekdays, both are very busy in doing their own jobs whatever it
might be. So only during weekends they could take a rest, and enjoy each
other's company. I thought it a brilliant wisdom, although he have never
taken his own wisdom, probably because he had to take care of three young
children of his own closely every day at home, while my mother kept working
outside to earn our living. My father was a very rare (exceptionally inspiring)
house-husband among the post-war Japanese society.

In Europe and US, I know many academic couples, husband and wife of whom
work in different cities, such as Boston and Denver, and only during weekends
they live together. Their marriage appear to last for good, as my father's
wisdom hinted a long time ago.


Change your field often to keep your creativity or uniqueness

Likewise, we must change working place or field reasonably often (every
several years) so that we could get a fresh stimulus from our new colleagues
and give a fresh idea of our own back to them for a creative work. In a
new field we can see things in a quite different angle (view point), leading
to a new insight for a great leap of the field, hopefully. The "permanent"
employment system in Japan has blocked the "creativity" in science and any
other academic fields. Likewise, the abolition of the retirement age (around
65) in US and Australia recently causes a similar problem.

I know many senior (or senile) scientists in US over 70s or even 80s still
sitting on the same chair in the same lab for over a half century, doing
basically nothing productive or creative, mainly because they don't know
what they would do after their retirement. People tend to call it their
"dedication" to science, but honestly I don't think so. Instead of occupying
a high-paid salary position, give your "overtime" position to a younger talented
person, and do a volunteer work in whatever field you like for the rest of
your life, as long as your brain works.

For instance, my own mother (nearly 91) in Tokyo still keeps working as a
volunteer at a local hospital, a few days a week, to help disabled or "old"
people (actually much younger than herself). This new life style during her
last three decades (since her retirement) actually keeps her in a very good
health without any stress on herself and any other people.