according to an evolutionary psychology hypothesis that assumes that descent systems are optimized to assure high genetic probability of relatedness between lineage members, males should prefer a patrilineal system if paternal certainty is high; males should prefer a matrilineal system if paternal certainty is low. some research supports this association with one study finding no patrilineal society with low paternity confidence and no matrilineal society with high paternal certainty. another association is that pastoral societies are relatively more often patrilineal compared to horticultural societies. this may be because wealth in pastoral societies in the form of mobile cattle can easily be used to pay bride price which favor concentrating resources on sons so they can marry.