Interesting question, Antiseptic.

>>...would you, as a man, make a decision to give up your seat in the lifeboat to a woman?<<

My answer is yes, I would. In fact, it wouldn't be "giving up my seat", so much as making sure all the women were accommodated first.

In daily life, when not escaping from sinking ships, I regularly give up my seat on the train to women, even those decades younger.

Don't know why, though. I don't think about it, I just do it.

Anti

Just had a scary thought, even with eliminating the "weak, helpless, young, disabled, elderly, pregnant or anyone holding a small child", men would still be left with a few strong healthy female survivors.

Darn, didn't think of that.

Will get back to you.

;)

The following may be of interest:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/science/2010/mar/02/titanic-lusitania-women-children-survival

According to the link cited above apparently survival lies
not in who was on the ships but how quickly they went down.
Interestingly researchers compare the two disasters of the
Titanic and the Lusitania. We're told that the Titanic took
about 3 hours to sink, giving at least some of the passengers
time to regain their cool and remember their manners.
While the Lusitania took less then 20 minutes and panic
was the order of the day with the young and fittest pushing
their way onto the lifeboats and staying on them.

As to what I would expect and do under similar circumstances
today? That's a hypothetical question that one can't really
answer honestly until one's faced with such a horrific
situation. Most people would want to hang on for dear life
I should imagine. However, I certainly would not expect
any sort of special treatment simply because of my gender.
I've always stood up in buses, trams, and trains, and
have always given up my seat for other people.

I would therefore trust that I would be brave enough to allow the
young and the helpless to go first regardless of their gender.
Despite the fact that I do have a morbid fear of drowning -
as a result of almost drowning in the Hawkesbury River as a
child.

Pericles

I too open doors and give up seats to the "the weak, helpless, young, disabled, elderly, pregnant or anyone holding a small child".

Irrespective of gender.

Dunno why either.

Dear Pericles and Ammonite,

You're not self-centred.
You think of others before yourself.
And that's so rare these days.

It also has to do with -
doing things - according to one's own values.

People tend to see the world from a viewpoint
of subjectivity - based on personal values and
experiences. We're influenced by our backgrounds,
training, and prior experiences. We don't all
perceive things in exactly the same way.
Especially when it comes to simple things like -
good manners and courtesy. The niceties that
make life much more pleasnant. These seem to be
things of the past for so many.

Just musing on the type of social conditioning that was obviously a factor in the behaviour of the men on the Titanic. As Pericles has indicated, no thought would have been given to an alternative option. It's a social - and I suspect also, an innate psychological imperative - connected to the instinct of species survival in humans. After all, men have always defended their societies and even now in more traditional societies, women do most of the domestic work while the men look on at ease - but they are ever at the ready to fight and defend their women and children, the survival of the core of the society and its organic source being of paramount consideration.

In a similar situation where children were relying on my actions for their survival, I wouldn't hesitate in attempting to save them first.