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Jankowski KS, Zajenkowski M, Górniak J. Chronotype in relation to free and total testosterone in men. Chronobiol Int 2024; 41:924-928. [PMID: 38836459 DOI: 10.1080/07420528.2024.2360719] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/11/2024] [Accepted: 05/19/2024] [Indexed: 06/06/2024]
Abstract
In the current study, we examined the association between eveningness and testosterone levels in men. Specifically, we differentiated between free and total testosterone fractions, with free testosterone being recognized as the most bioavailable form of this hormone. We collected blood samples from 298 men aged 18-44 to assess total and free testosterone. Additionally, we measured sleep timing variables using the Munich Chronotype Questionnaire. The main result of the current study indicated that evening chronotype was associated with higher levels of free testosterone, but was unrelated to total testosterone. Sleep loss was unrelated to the both testosterone fractions. We expanded prior findings by utilizing a more comprehensive testosterone assay what indicated that evening chronotype is primarily associated with the most bioavailable form of testosterone (i.e. free testosterone) in adult men.
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2
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Polo P, Fajardo G, Muñoz-Reyes JA, Valenzuela NT, Belinchón M, Figueroa O, Fernández-Martínez A, Deglín M, Pita M. The role of exogenous testosterone and social environment on the expression of sociosexuality and status-seeking behaviors in young Chilean men. Horm Behav 2024; 161:105522. [PMID: 38447330 DOI: 10.1016/j.yhbeh.2024.105522] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/09/2023] [Revised: 01/14/2024] [Accepted: 02/26/2024] [Indexed: 03/08/2024]
Abstract
Testosterone plays an important role as a social hormone. Current evidence suggests that testosterone is positively related to sociosexuality increasing the psychological attitudes toward investing in short-term versus long-term mating and promotes status-seeking behaviors both by dominance and prestige. In addition, the social environment may play an important role in the expression of mating effort through changes in sociosexuality and status-seeking behaviors. However, the causal relationships among the mentioned variables are still debated. We employed a double-blind, placebo-controlled within-individual design, in order to test and integrate the proposed causal relationships between testosterone and social environment over short-term and long-term mating orientation and dominant and prestigious status-seeking behaviors in a sample of 95 young Chilean men. We did not find evidence that the administration of exogenous testosterone increased short-term or decreased long-term mating orientation as expected. Moreover, exogenous testosterone did not affect either aggressive or cooperative behavior failing to support the social status hypothesis. We also did not find any relationship between short or long-term mating orientation with status-seeking behaviors. Finally, we found support for the effect of social environment on sociosexual attitudes but not over status-seeking behaviors. Thus, men reported higher levels of short-term mating orientation in the presence of a woman compared to a man and no differences were found for long-term mating orientation. We argue that sociosexuality may be expressed flexibly, but contextual factors such as the presence of women seem more important than changes in testosterone levels.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pablo Polo
- Laboratorio de Comportamiento Animal y Humano, Centro de Investigación en Complejidad Social, Facultad de Gobierno, Universidad del Desarrollo, Santiago, Chile.
| | - Gabriela Fajardo
- Laboratorio de Comportamiento Animal y Humano, Centro de Investigación en Complejidad Social, Facultad de Gobierno, Universidad del Desarrollo, Santiago, Chile; Facultad de Administración y Economía, Universidad de Santiago de Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - Jose Antonio Muñoz-Reyes
- Laboratorio de Comportamiento Animal y Humano, Centro de Investigación en Complejidad Social, Facultad de Gobierno, Universidad del Desarrollo, Santiago, Chile
| | - Nohelia T Valenzuela
- Laboratorio de Comportamiento Animal y Humano, Centro de Investigación en Complejidad Social, Facultad de Gobierno, Universidad del Desarrollo, Santiago, Chile
| | - Montserrat Belinchón
- Laboratorio de Comportamiento Animal y Humano, Centro de Investigación en Complejidad Social, Facultad de Gobierno, Universidad del Desarrollo, Santiago, Chile
| | - Oriana Figueroa
- Laboratorio de Comportamiento Animal y Humano, Centro de Investigación en Complejidad Social, Facultad de Gobierno, Universidad del Desarrollo, Santiago, Chile
| | | | - Marcel Deglín
- Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Valparaíso, Valparaíso, Chile; Hospital Carlos van Buren, Valparaíso, Chile; Clínica Ciudad del Mar, Viña del Mar, Chile
| | - Miguel Pita
- Departamento de Biología, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Madrid, Spain
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3
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Pavlovič O, Fiala V, Kleisner K. Congruence in European and Asian perception of Vietnamese facial attractiveness, averageness, symmetry and sexual dimorphism. Sci Rep 2023; 13:13320. [PMID: 37587194 PMCID: PMC10432390 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-40458-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/20/2023] [Accepted: 08/10/2023] [Indexed: 08/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Attractiveness is a proposed universal cue to overall biological quality. Nonetheless, local raters and raters of the same ethnicity may be more accurate in assessing the cues for attractiveness than distant and unfamiliar raters. Shared ethnicity and shared environment may both affect rating accuracy: our aim was to compare their relative influence. Therefore, we photographed young Vietnamese participants (N = 93, 33 women) from Hanoi, Vietnam. The photographs were rated by Czechs, Asian Vietnamese, and Czech Vietnamese (raters of Vietnamese origin who lived in Czechia for all or most of their life). Using geometric morphometrics, we measured facial shape cues to biological quality: averageness, asymmetry, and sexual dimorphism. We expected that Vietnamese raters residing in Czechia and Vietnam would agree on perceived attractiveness and use shape-related facial cues to biological quality better than Czech European raters, who are less familiar with East Asians. Surprisingly, mixed-effect models and post hoc comparisons identified no major cross-group differences in attributed attractiveness and path analyses revealed that the three groups based their rating on shape-related characteristics in a similar way. However, despite the considerable cross-cultural agreement regarding perceived attractiveness, Czech European raters associated attractiveness with facial shape averageness significantly more than Vietnamese raters.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ondřej Pavlovič
- Department of Philosophy and History of Science, Faculty of Science, Charles University, Vinicna 7, 128 44, Prague, Czech Republic.
| | - Vojtěch Fiala
- Department of Philosophy and History of Science, Faculty of Science, Charles University, Vinicna 7, 128 44, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Karel Kleisner
- Department of Philosophy and History of Science, Faculty of Science, Charles University, Vinicna 7, 128 44, Prague, Czech Republic
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Grueter CC, Goodman H, Fay N, Walker B, Coall D. Preference for Male Risk Takers Varies with Relationship Context and Health Status but not COVID Risk. EVOLUTIONARY PSYCHOLOGICAL SCIENCE 2023; 9:1-10. [PMID: 36845029 PMCID: PMC9944803 DOI: 10.1007/s40806-023-00354-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/07/2022] [Revised: 01/12/2023] [Accepted: 02/05/2023] [Indexed: 02/24/2023]
Abstract
Risk taking is more commonly shown by males than females and has a signalling function, serving to advertise one's intrinsic quality to prospective mates. Previous research has established that male risk takers are judged as more attractive for short-term flings than long-term relationships, but the environmental and socioeconomic context surrounding female preferences for male risk takers has been overlooked. Using a survey instrument, we examined female preferences for male risk takers across 1304 females from 47 countries. We found preferences for physical risk takers to be more pronounced in females with a bisexual orientation and females who scored high on risk proneness. Self-reported health was positively associated with preferences for high risk takers as short-term mates, but the effect was moderated by country-level health, i.e. the association was stronger in countries with poorer health. The security provided by better health and access to health care may allow females to capitalise on the genetic quality afforded by selecting a risk-prone male whilst concurrently buffering the potential costs associated with the risk taker's lower paternal investment. The risk of contracting COVID-19 did not predict avoidance of risk takers, perhaps because this environmental cue is too novel to have moulded our behavioural preferences. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s40806-023-00354-3.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cyril C. Grueter
- Department of Anatomy, Physiology and Human Biology, School of Human Sciences, The University of Western Australia, M309, LB 5005, Perth, WA 6001 Australia
- Centre for Evolutionary Biology, School of Biological Sciences, The University of Western Australia, Perth, WA 6001 Australia
| | - Hannah Goodman
- Department of Anatomy, Physiology and Human Biology, School of Human Sciences, The University of Western Australia, M309, LB 5005, Perth, WA 6001 Australia
| | - Nicolas Fay
- School of Psychological Science, The University of Western Australia, Perth, WA 6001 Australia
| | - Bradley Walker
- School of Psychological Science, The University of Western Australia, Perth, WA 6001 Australia
| | - David Coall
- School of Medical and Health Sciences, Edith Cowan University, Joondalup, WA 6027 Australia
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5
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Androgen receptor gene and sociosexuality. Does fighting ability moderate the effect of genetics in reproductive strategies? CURRENT PSYCHOLOGY 2022. [DOI: 10.1007/s12144-022-04139-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
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6
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Fajardo G, Polo P, Muñoz-Reyes JA, Rodríguez-Sickert C. Long-Term Mating Orientation in Men: The Role of Socioeconomic Status, Protection Skills, and Parenthood Disposition. Front Psychol 2022; 13:815819. [PMID: 35282237 PMCID: PMC8913582 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2022.815819] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/15/2021] [Accepted: 02/07/2022] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
From an evolutionary perspective, phenotypic, social, and environmental factors help to shape the different costs and benefits of pursuing different reproductive strategies (or a mixture of them) from one individual to another. Since men's reproductive success is mainly constrained to women's availability, their mating orientations should be partially calibrated by features that women prefer in a potential partner. For long-term relationships, women prefer traits that signal access to resources, protection skills, and the willingness to share them. Using generalized linear models with laboratory data taken from a Chilean population (N = 197), this study aimed to test whether real and potential resources (measured as self-reported socioeconomic status), protection skills (measured as handgrip strength), and the willingness to provide resources and protection (measured as their disposition toward parenthood) are related to mating orientation in men. Our predictions were: (1) socioeconomic status would be positively associated with long-term and short-term mating orientation but for long-term-oriented individuals, this would be enhanced by having a more favorable parenthood disposition and (2) strength would be positively related to long-term mating orientation in men with higher socioeconomic status and a favorable disposition toward parenthood and it would have a positive and direct association with short-term mating orientation. Our results partially supported the first hypothesis, since men with higher socioeconomic status were more long-term oriented, but parenting disposition did not moderate this effect. Contrary to our expectations, socioeconomic status was not related to short-term mating orientation. Strength appeared not to be significant for long-term mating orientation, even interacting with other traits. However, strength by itself was powerfully linked with a short-term mating orientation. Our results suggest that only some individuals that are attractive for long-term relationships are indeed long-term oriented and may reflect the overall conflict of interests between mating strategies among sexes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gabriela Fajardo
- Laboratorio de Comportamiento Animal y Humano, Facultad de Gobierno, Centro de Investigación en Complejidad Social, Universidad del Desarrollo, Santiago, Chile
| | - Pablo Polo
- Laboratorio de Comportamiento Animal y Humano, Facultad de Gobierno, Centro de Investigación en Complejidad Social, Universidad del Desarrollo, Santiago, Chile
- Laboratorio de Comportamiento Animal y Humano, Centro de Estudios Avanzados, Universidad de Playa Ancha, Viña del Mar, Chile
| | - José Antonio Muñoz-Reyes
- Laboratorio de Comportamiento Animal y Humano, Facultad de Gobierno, Centro de Investigación en Complejidad Social, Universidad del Desarrollo, Santiago, Chile
- Laboratorio de Comportamiento Animal y Humano, Centro de Estudios Avanzados, Universidad de Playa Ancha, Viña del Mar, Chile
| | - Carlos Rodríguez-Sickert
- Laboratorio de Comportamiento Animal y Humano, Facultad de Gobierno, Centro de Investigación en Complejidad Social, Universidad del Desarrollo, Santiago, Chile
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7
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Lidborg LH, Cross CP, Boothroyd LG. A meta-analysis of the association between male dimorphism and fitness outcomes in humans. eLife 2022; 11:e65031. [PMID: 35179485 PMCID: PMC9106334 DOI: 10.7554/elife.65031] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/19/2020] [Accepted: 02/17/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Humans are sexually dimorphic: men and women differ in body build and composition, craniofacial structure, and voice pitch, likely mediated in part by developmental testosterone. Sexual selection hypotheses posit that, ancestrally, more 'masculine' men may have acquired more mates and/or sired more viable offspring. Thus far, however, evidence for either association is unclear. Here, we meta-analyze the relationships between six masculine traits and mating/reproductive outcomes (96 studies, 474 effects, N = 177,044). Voice pitch, height, and testosterone all predicted mating; however, strength/muscularity was the strongest and only consistent predictor of both mating and reproduction. Facial masculinity and digit ratios did not significantly predict either. There was no clear evidence for any effects of masculinity on offspring viability. Our findings support arguments that strength/muscularity may be sexually selected in humans, but cast doubt regarding selection for other forms of masculinity and highlight the need to increase tests of evolutionary hypotheses outside of industrialized populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Linda H Lidborg
- Department of Psychology, Durham UniversityDurhamUnited Kingdom
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8
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Are facial width-to-height ratio, 2D:4D digit ratio and skeletal muscle mass related to men dominant behavior in the Chicken Game? PERSONALITY AND INDIVIDUAL DIFFERENCES 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.paid.2021.111209] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
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9
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Saribay SA, Tureček P, Paluch R, Kleisner K. Differential effects of resource scarcity and pathogen prevalence on heterosexual women's facial masculinity preferences. EVOLUTIONARY HUMAN SCIENCES 2021; 3:e48. [PMID: 37588556 PMCID: PMC10427302 DOI: 10.1017/ehs.2021.42] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/04/2023] Open
Abstract
The present research focused on how environmental harshness may affect heterosexual women's preferences of potential male mates' facial characteristics, namely masculinity-femininity. The evidence on this issue is mixed and mostly from Western samples. We aimed to provide causal evidence using a sample of Turkish women and Turkish male faces. A video-based manipulation was developed to heighten environmental harshness perceptions. In the main experiment, participants were primed with resource scarcity, pathogen prevalence or neither (control). They then saw masculinised vs. feminised versions of the same faces and indicated the face that they would prefer for a long-term relationship and separately rated the faces on various dimensions. In general, masculinised faces were perceived as slightly more attractive, slightly healthier and much more formidable. A multilevel Bayesian model showed that pathogen prevalence lowered the preference for masculinised faces while resource scarcity weakly elevated it. The overall drop in attractiveness ratings in cases of high perceived pathogen prevalence, one of the strongest effects we observed, suggests that during epidemics, the formation of new relationships is not a favourable strategy. Implications for evolutionary theories of mate preference are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- S. Adil Saribay
- Department of Psychology, Kadir Has University, Istanbul, Turkey
| | - Petr Tureček
- Department of Philosophy and History of Sciences, Faculty of Science, Charles University, Prague, Czech Republic
- Center for Theoretical Study, Charles University and Czech Academy of Sciences, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Rüzgar Paluch
- Department of Clinical Psychology, Utrecht University, The Netherlands
| | - Karel Kleisner
- Department of Philosophy and History of Sciences, Faculty of Science, Charles University, Prague, Czech Republic
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10
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Fiala V, Třebický V, Pazhoohi F, Leongómez JD, Tureček P, Saribay SA, Akoko RM, Kleisner K. Facial attractiveness and preference of sexual dimorphism: A comparison across five populations. EVOLUTIONARY HUMAN SCIENCES 2021; 3:e38. [PMID: 37588529 PMCID: PMC10427909 DOI: 10.1017/ehs.2021.33] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Despite intensive research, evolutionary psychology has not yet reached a consensus regarding the association between sexual dimorphism and attractiveness. This study examines associations between perceived and morphological facial sexual dimorphism and perceived attractiveness in samples from five distant countries (Cameroon, Colombia, Czechia, Iran and Turkey). We also examined possible moderating effects of skin lightness, averageness, age, body mass and facial width. Our results suggest that in all samples, women's perceived femininity was positively related to their perceived attractiveness. Women found perceived masculinity in men attractive only in Czechia and Colombia, two distant populations. The association between perceived sexual dimorphism and attractiveness is thus potentially universal only for women. Across populations, morphological sexual dimorphism and averageness are not universally associated with either perceived facial sexual dimorphism or attractiveness. With our exploratory approach, results highlight the need for control of which measure of sexual dimorphism is used (perceived or measured) because they affect perceived attractiveness differently. Morphological averageness and sexual dimorphism are not good predictors of perceived attractiveness. It is noted that future studies should use samples from multiple populations to allow for identification of specific effects of local environmental and socioeconomic conditions on preferred traits in unmanipulated local facial stimuli.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vojtěch Fiala
- Department of Philosophy and History of Science, Faculty of Science, Charles University, Viničná 7, 128 44 Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Vít Třebický
- Department of Philosophy and History of Science, Faculty of Science, Charles University, Viničná 7, 128 44 Prague, Czech Republic
- Faculty of Physical Education and Sport, Charles University, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Farid Pazhoohi
- Department of Psychology, University of British Columbia, 2136 West Mall, Vancouver, British Columbia, V6T 1Z4, Canada
| | - Juan David Leongómez
- Human Behaviour Laboratory, Faculty of Psychology, Universidad El Bosque, Bogota, Colombia
| | - Petr Tureček
- Department of Philosophy and History of Science, Faculty of Science, Charles University, Viničná 7, 128 44 Prague, Czech Republic
| | - S. Adil Saribay
- Department of Psychology, Kadir Has University, Istanbul, Turkey
| | - Robert Mbe Akoko
- Department of Communication and Development Studies, University of Bamenda, Cameroon
| | - Karel Kleisner
- Department of Philosophy and History of Science, Faculty of Science, Charles University, Viničná 7, 128 44 Prague, Czech Republic
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11
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Hodges-Simeon CR, Albert G, Richardson GB, McHale TS, Weinberg SM, Gurven M, Gaulin SJC. Was facial width-to-height ratio subject to sexual selection pressures? A life course approach. PLoS One 2021; 16:e0240284. [PMID: 33711068 PMCID: PMC7954343 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0240284] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/22/2020] [Accepted: 01/16/2021] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Sexual selection researchers have traditionally focused on adult sex differences; however, the schedule and pattern of sex-specific ontogeny can provide insights unobtainable from an exclusive focus on adults. Recently, it has been debated whether facial width-to-height ratio (fWHR; bi-zygomatic breadth divided by midface height) is a human secondary sexual characteristic (SSC). Here, we review current evidence, then address this debate using ontogenetic evidence, which has been under-explored in fWHR research. Facial measurements were collected from 3D surface images of males and females aged 3 to 40 (Study 1; US European-descent, n = 2449), and from 2D photographs of males and females aged 7 to 21 (Study 2; Bolivian Tsimane, n = 179), which were used to calculate three fWHR variants (which we call fWHRnasion, fWHRstomion, and fWHRbrow) and two other common facial masculinity ratios (facial width-to-lower-face-height ratio, fWHRlower, and cheekbone prominence). We test whether the observed pattern of facial development exhibits patterns indicative of SSCs, i.e., differential adolescent growth in either male or female facial morphology leading to an adult sex difference. Results showed that only fWHRlower exhibited both adult sex differences as well as the classic pattern of ontogeny for SSCs-greater lower-face growth in male adolescents relative to females. fWHRbrow was significantly wider among both pre- and post-pubertal males in the Bolivian Tsimane sample; post-hoc analyses revealed that the effect was driven by large sex differences in brow height, with females having higher placed brows than males across ages. In both samples, all fWHR measures were inversely associated with age; that is, human facial growth is characterized by greater relative elongation in the mid-face and lower face relative to facial width. This trend continues even into middle adulthood. BMI was also a positive predictor of most of the ratios across ages, with greater BMI associated with wider faces. Researchers collecting data on fWHR should target fWHRlower and fWHRbrow and should control for both age and BMI. Researchers should also compare ratio approaches with multivariate techniques, such as geometric morphometrics, to examine whether the latter have greater utility for understanding the evolution of facial sexual dimorphism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carolyn R Hodges-Simeon
- Department of Anthropology, Boston University, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Graham Albert
- Department of Anthropology, Boston University, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - George B Richardson
- School of Human Services, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, Ohio, United States of America
| | - Timothy S McHale
- Department of Anthropology, Boston University, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
- Department of Anthropology and Museum Studies, Central Washington University, Ellensburg, Washington, United States of America
| | - Seth M Weinberg
- Center for Craniofacial and Dental Genetics, Department of Oral Biology, School of Dental Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States of America
- Department of Anthropology, Dietrich School of Arts and Sciences, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States of America
| | - Michael Gurven
- Department of Anthropology, University of California, Santa Barbara, California, United States of America
| | - Steven J C Gaulin
- Department of Anthropology, University of California, Santa Barbara, California, United States of America
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12
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Figueroa O, Muñoz-Reyes JA, Rodriguez-Sickert C, Valenzuela N, Pavez P, Ramírez-Herrera O, Pita M, Diaz D, Fernández-Martínez AB, Polo P. Testing strategic pluralism: The roles of attractiveness and competitive abilities to understand conditionality in men's short-term reproductive strategies. PLoS One 2020; 15:e0237315. [PMID: 32866153 PMCID: PMC7458284 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0237315] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/02/2019] [Accepted: 07/23/2020] [Indexed: 01/20/2023] Open
Abstract
The decision to allocate time and energy to find multiple sexual partners or raise children is a fundamental reproductive trade-off. The Strategic Pluralism Hypothesis argues that human reproductive strategies are facultatively calibrated towards either investing in mating or parenting (or a mixture), according to the expression of features dependent on the individual's condition. This study seeks to test predictions derived from this hypothesis in a sample of 242 young men (M ± SD = 22.12 ± 3.08) from Chile's 5th Region (33֯ south latitude). Specifically, two predictions were considered that raise questions about the relationship between traits related to physical and psychological attractiveness (fluctuating facial asymmetry and self-perception of attractiveness) and competitive skills (baseline testosterone and self-perception of fighting ability) with short-term reproductive strategies. Our results indicate that psychological features related to the self-perception of physical attractiveness are related to short-term reproductive strategies. However, no evidence was found that fluctuating facial asymmetry, basal levels of testosterone and self-perception of fighting ability were related to short-term reproductive strategies. These results support the existing evidence of the importance of physical attractiveness in calibrating men's reproductive strategies but cast doubts about the role of fluctuating facial asymmetry. They also suggest that traits related to physical attractiveness, in comparison to competitive capabilities, play a more important role in calibrating men's short-term reproductive strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Oriana Figueroa
- Doctorado en Ciencias de la Complejidad Social, Centro de Investigación en Complejidad Social, Facultad de Gobierno, Universidad del Desarrollo, Concepción, Chile
- Laboratorio de Comportamiento Animal y Humano, Centro de Estudios Avanzados, Universidad de Playa Ancha, Valparaíso, Chile
| | - Jose Antonio Muñoz-Reyes
- Laboratorio de Comportamiento Animal y Humano, Centro de Estudios Avanzados, Universidad de Playa Ancha, Valparaíso, Chile
| | - Carlos Rodriguez-Sickert
- Centro de Investigación en Complejidad Social, Facultad de Gobierno, Universidad del Desarrollo, Concepción, Chile
| | - Nohelia Valenzuela
- Laboratorio de Comportamiento Animal y Humano, Centro de Estudios Avanzados, Universidad de Playa Ancha, Valparaíso, Chile
- Departamento de Ciencias Biológicas, Facultad de Ciencias Biológicas, Universidad Andrés Bello, Viña del Mar, Chile
| | - Paula Pavez
- Laboratorio de Comportamiento Animal y Humano, Centro de Estudios Avanzados, Universidad de Playa Ancha, Valparaíso, Chile
| | - Oriana Ramírez-Herrera
- Laboratorio de Comportamiento Animal y Humano, Centro de Estudios Avanzados, Universidad de Playa Ancha, Valparaíso, Chile
| | - Miguel Pita
- Departamento de Biología, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Madrid, España
| | - David Diaz
- Facultad de Ciencias Económicas, Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | | | - Pablo Polo
- Laboratorio de Comportamiento Animal y Humano, Centro de Estudios Avanzados, Universidad de Playa Ancha, Valparaíso, Chile
- * E-mail:
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13
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Multivariate Intra-Sexual Selection on Men’s Perceptions of Male Facial Morphology. ADAPTIVE HUMAN BEHAVIOR AND PHYSIOLOGY 2020. [DOI: 10.1007/s40750-020-00128-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/17/2023]
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14
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Muñoz-Reyes JA, Polo P, Valenzuela N, Pavez P, Ramírez-Herrera O, Figueroa O, Rodriguez-Sickert C, Díaz D, Pita M. The Male Warrior Hypothesis: Testosterone-related Cooperation and Aggression in the Context of Intergroup Conflict. Sci Rep 2020; 10:375. [PMID: 31942026 PMCID: PMC6962424 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-019-57259-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/15/2019] [Accepted: 12/20/2019] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
The Male Warrior Hypothesis (MWH) establishes that men's psychology has been shaped by inter-group competition to acquire and protect reproductive resources. In this context, sex-specific selective pressures would have favored cooperation with the members of one's group in combination with hostility towards outsiders. We investigate the role of developmental testosterone, as measured indirectly through static markers of prenatal testosterone (2D:4D digit ratio) and pubertal testosterone (body musculature and facial masculinity), on both cooperation and aggressive behavior in the context of intergroup conflict among men. Supporting the MWH, our results show that the intergroup conflict scenario promotes cooperation within group members and aggression toward outgroup members. Regarding the hormonal underpinnings of this phenomenon, we find that body musculature is positively associated with aggression and cooperation, but only for cooperation when context (inter-group competition) is taken into account. Finally, we did not find evidence that the formidability of the group affected individual rates of aggression or cooperation, controlling for individual characteristics.
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Affiliation(s)
- J A Muñoz-Reyes
- Laboratorio de Comportamiento Animal y Humano, Centro de Estudios Avanzados, Universidad de Playa Ancha, Valparaíso, Chile.
| | - P Polo
- Laboratorio de Comportamiento Animal y Humano, Centro de Estudios Avanzados, Universidad de Playa Ancha, Valparaíso, Chile
| | - N Valenzuela
- Laboratorio de Comportamiento Animal y Humano, Centro de Estudios Avanzados, Universidad de Playa Ancha, Valparaíso, Chile.,Departamento de Ciencias Biológicas, Facultad de Ciencias de la Vida, Universidad Andrés Bello, Viña del Mar, Chile
| | - P Pavez
- Laboratorio de Comportamiento Animal y Humano, Centro de Estudios Avanzados, Universidad de Playa Ancha, Valparaíso, Chile
| | - O Ramírez-Herrera
- Laboratorio de Comportamiento Animal y Humano, Centro de Estudios Avanzados, Universidad de Playa Ancha, Valparaíso, Chile
| | - O Figueroa
- Laboratorio de Comportamiento Animal y Humano, Centro de Estudios Avanzados, Universidad de Playa Ancha, Valparaíso, Chile.,Centro de Investigación en Complejidad Social, Facultad de Gobierno, Universidad del Desarrollo, Santiago, Chile
| | - C Rodriguez-Sickert
- Centro de Investigación en Complejidad Social, Facultad de Gobierno, Universidad del Desarrollo, Santiago, Chile
| | - D Díaz
- Facultad de Ciencias Económicas, Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - M Pita
- Departamento de Biología, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Madrid, Spain
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15
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Clarkson TR, Sidari MJ, Sains R, Alexander M, Harrison M, Mefodeva V, Pearson S, Lee AJ, Dixson BJW. A multivariate analysis of women's mating strategies and sexual selection on men's facial morphology. ROYAL SOCIETY OPEN SCIENCE 2020; 7:191209. [PMID: 32218951 PMCID: PMC7029899 DOI: 10.1098/rsos.191209] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/16/2019] [Accepted: 11/26/2019] [Indexed: 06/01/2023]
Abstract
The strength and direction of sexual selection via female choice on masculine facial traits in men is a paradox in human mate choice research. While masculinity may communicate benefits to women and offspring directly (i.e. resources) or indirectly (i.e. health), masculine men may be costly as long-term partners owing to lower paternal investment. Mating strategy theory suggests women's preferences for masculine traits are strongest when the costs associated with masculinity are reduced. This study takes a multivariate approach to testing whether women's mate preferences are context-dependent. Women (n = 919) rated attractiveness when considering long-term and short-term relationships for male faces varying in beardedness (clean-shaven and full beards) and facial masculinity (30% and 60% feminized, unmanipulated, 30% and 60% masculinized). Participants then completed scales measuring pathogen, sexual and moral disgust, disgust towards ectoparasites, reproductive ambition, self-perceived mate value and the facial hair in partners and fathers. In contrast to past research, we found no associations between pathogen disgust, self-perceived mate value or reproductive ambition and facial masculinity preferences. However, we found a significant positive association between moral disgust and preferences for masculine faces and bearded faces. Preferences for beards were lower among women with higher ectoparasite disgust, providing evidence for ectoparasite avoidance hypothesis. However, women reporting higher pathogen disgust gave higher attractiveness ratings for bearded faces than women reporting lower pathogen disgust, providing support for parasite-stress theories of sexual selection and mate choice. Preferences for beards were also highest among single and married women with the strongest reproductive ambition. Overall, our results reflect mixed associations between individual differences in mating strategies and women's mate preferences for masculine facial traits.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tessa R. Clarkson
- School of Psychology, University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
| | - Morgan J. Sidari
- School of Psychology, University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
| | - Rosanna Sains
- School of Psychology, University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
| | - Meredith Alexander
- School of Psychology, University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
| | - Melissa Harrison
- School of Psychology, University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
| | - Valeriya Mefodeva
- School of Psychology, University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
| | - Samuel Pearson
- School of Psychology, University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
| | - Anthony J. Lee
- Division of Psychology, University of Stirling, Stirling, Scotland, UK
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16
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Dixson BJW, Kennedy-Costantini S, Lee AJ, Nelson NL. Mothers are sensitive to men's beards as a potential cue of paternal investment. Horm Behav 2019; 113:55-66. [PMID: 30978339 DOI: 10.1016/j.yhbeh.2019.04.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/30/2019] [Revised: 03/27/2019] [Accepted: 04/08/2019] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
Mating strategy theories assert that women's preferences for androgen dependent traits in men are stronger when the costs of reduced paternal investment are lowest. Past research has shown that preferences for facial masculinity are stronger among nulliparous and non-pregnant women than pregnant or parous women. In two studies, we examine patterns in women's preferences for men's facial hair - likely the most visually conspicuous and sexually dimorphic of men's secondary sexual traits - when evaluating men's masculinity, dominance, age, fathering, and attractiveness. Two studies were conducted among heterosexual pregnant women, mothers, non-contractive and contraceptive users. Study 1 used a between-subjects sample (N = 2103) and found that mothers had significantly higher preferences for beards when judging fathering than all other women. Pregnant women and mothers also judged beards as more masculine and older, but less attractive, than non-contractive and contraceptive users. Parous women judged beards higher for age, masculinity and fathering, but lower for attractiveness, than nulliparous women. Irrespective of reproductive status, beards were judged as looking more dominant than clean-shaven faces. Study 2 used a within-subjects design (N = 53) among women surveyed during pregnancy and three months post-partum. Judgments of parenting skills were higher for bearded stimuli during pregnancy among women having their first baby, whereas among parous women parenting skills judgments for bearded stimuli were higher post-partum. Our results suggest that mothers are sensitive to beardedness as a masculine secondary sexual characteristic that may denote parental investment, providing evidence that women's mate preferences could reflect sexual selection for direct benefits.
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Affiliation(s)
- Barnaby J W Dixson
- School of Psychology, The University of Queensland, St. Lucia, Brisbane 4072, QLD, Australia.
| | | | | | - Nicole L Nelson
- School of Psychology, The University of Queensland, St. Lucia, Brisbane 4072, QLD, Australia
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