Although a positive relationship between male status and offspring count has been predicted by evolutionary theory and found in animal species and "traditional" human societies, in modern societies, most studies found no or even a negative relationship.
The present results of a positive relationship between status and offspring count within a subsample of modern society indicate that status may be a more important dimension for subsamples than for representative samples of entire societies. Thus, evolutionary forces may still be at work in modern societies, a finding that may not only be of relevance for biologists, but also for economists and management as it might explain the striving for high and prestigious positions in men.
Ethology