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Tieo S, Dezeure J, Cryer A, Lepou P, Charpentier MJ, Renoult JP. Social and sexual consequences of facial femininity in a non-human primate. iScience 2023; 26:107901. [PMID: 37766996 PMCID: PMC10520438 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2023.107901] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/17/2023] [Revised: 08/11/2023] [Accepted: 09/08/2023] [Indexed: 09/29/2023] Open
Abstract
In humans, femininity shapes women's interactions with both genders, but its influence on animals remains unknown. Using 10 years of data on a wild primate, we developed an artificial intelligence-based method to estimate facial femininity from naturalistic portraits. Our method explains up to 30% of the variance in perceived femininity in humans, competing with classical methods using standardized pictures taken under laboratory conditions. We then showed that femininity estimated on 95 female mandrills significantly correlated with various socio-sexual behaviors. Unexpectedly, less feminine female mandrills were approached and aggressed more frequently by both sexes and received more male copulations, suggesting a positive valuation of masculinity attributes rather than a perception bias. This study contributes to understand the role of femininity on animal's sociality and offers a framework for non-invasive research on visual communication in behavioral ecology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sonia Tieo
- CEFE, University Montpellier, CNRS, EPHE, IRD, Montpellier, France
| | - Jules Dezeure
- Projet Mandrillus, Fondation Lékédi pour la Biodiversité, Bakoumba BP 52, Gabon
| | - Anna Cryer
- Projet Mandrillus, Fondation Lékédi pour la Biodiversité, Bakoumba BP 52, Gabon
| | - Pascal Lepou
- Projet Mandrillus, Fondation Lékédi pour la Biodiversité, Bakoumba BP 52, Gabon
| | - Marie J.E. Charpentier
- Institut des Sciences de l’Evolution de Montpellier (ISEM), UMR5554 - University of Montpellier/CNRS/IRD/EPHE, Place Eugène Bataillon, 34095 Montpellier Cedex 5, France
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2
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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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3
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Lee AJ, McGuire NKJ. Women's Preferences for Masculinity in Male Faces Are Predicted by Material Scarcity, But Not Time or Psychological Scarcity. EVOLUTIONARY PSYCHOLOGY 2023; 21:14747049231175073. [PMID: 37735893 PMCID: PMC10517608 DOI: 10.1177/14747049231175073] [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: 04/05/2023] [Accepted: 04/25/2023] [Indexed: 09/23/2023] Open
Abstract
Facial femininity in men is purportedly used as a cue by women as a signal of parental quality and willingness to provide resources. Accordingly, in contexts where choosing a partner that will provide resources is more beneficial (e.g., when resources are scarce), women have shown an increase preference for facial femininity in male faces. However, domains of scarcity often covary, and it is, therefore, unclear whether these contextual shifts in facial masculinity/femininity preferences are specific to material scarcity (as implied by previous theory), or due to an unrelated domain of scarcity (e.g., time or psychological scarcity). Here, a sample of 823 women completed the Perceived Scarcity Scale, which measures three separate domains of scarcity: material scarcity, time scarcity, and psychological scarcity. Participants also rated the attractiveness of 42 male faces, which were measured on objective sexual dimorphism and perceived masculinity. Consistent with theory, material scarcity, and not time or psychological scarcity, was associated with a decreased preference for objective sexual dimorphism (i.e., an increased preference for facial femininity). This study provides evidence that women use sexual dimorphism as a cue to material resource provisioning potential when assessing men as a mate.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anthony J. Lee
- Faculty of Natural Sciences, Division of Psychology, University of Stirling, Stirling, Scotland
| | - Nikita K. J. McGuire
- Faculty of Natural Sciences, Division of Psychology, University of Stirling, Stirling, Scotland
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4
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Bartlome RI, Lee AJ. Facial Attractiveness, but not Facial Masculinity, is Used as a Cue to Paternal Involvement in Fathers. ADAPTIVE HUMAN BEHAVIOR AND PHYSIOLOGY 2023; 9:1-16. [PMID: 37360188 PMCID: PMC10234791 DOI: 10.1007/s40750-023-00217-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/12/2023] [Revised: 05/26/2023] [Accepted: 05/29/2023] [Indexed: 06/28/2023]
Abstract
Purpose Facial femininity in men is purportedly used as a cue by women as a signal of paternal involvement. However, evidence for this claim is questionable. Previous findings have shown that paternal involvement is linked to testosterone, but have not investigated facial masculinity directly, while other studies have found that facial masculinity is negatively associated with perceptions of paternal involvement but do not assess the accuracy of this judgement. Here, we assess whether facial masculinity in men is used as a cue to paternal involvement, and whether this cue is accurate. Methods We collected facial photographs of 259 men (156 of which were fathers) who also completed self-report measures of paternal involvement. Facial images were then rated by a separate group of raters on facial masculinity, attractiveness, and perceived paternal involvement. Shape sexual dimorphism was also calculated from the images using geometric morphometrics. Results We found that facial masculinity was not associated with perceptions of paternal involvement, nor was it related with self-reported paternal involvement. Interestingly, facial attractiveness was negatively associated with perceptions of paternal involvement, and we found partial evidence that facial attractiveness was also negatively associated with self-reported paternal involvement. Conclusion These findings challenge the hypothesis that sexual dimorphism is used as a cue to paternal involvement, and perhaps indicate that facial attractiveness is more important for this judgement instead. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s40750-023-00217-y.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ronja I. Bartlome
- Faculty of Natural Sciences, Division of Psychology, University of Stirling, Stirling, Scotland
| | - Anthony J. Lee
- Faculty of Natural Sciences, Division of Psychology, University of Stirling, Stirling, Scotland
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5
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Zhang H, Zhang K, Zhang Z, Zhao M, Liu Q, Luo W, Wu H. Social conformity is associated with inter-trial electroencephalogram variability. Ann N Y Acad Sci 2023; 1523:104-118. [PMID: 36964981 DOI: 10.1111/nyas.14983] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/27/2023]
Abstract
Human society encompasses diverse social influences, and people experience events differently and may behave differently under such influence, including in forming an impression of others. However, little is known about the underlying neural relevance of individual differences in following others' opinions or social norms. In the present study, we designed a series of tasks centered on social influence to investigate the underlying relevance between an individual's degree of social conformity and their neural variability. We found that individual differences under the social influence are associated with the amount of inter-trial electroencephalogram (EEG) variability over multiple stages in a conformity task (making face judgments and receiving social influence). This association was robust in the alpha band over the frontal and occipital electrodes for negative social influence. We also found that inter-trial EEG variability is a very stable, participant-driven internal state measurement and could be interpreted as mindset instability. Overall, these findings support the hypothesis that higher inter-trial EEG variability may be related to higher mindset instability, which makes participants more vulnerable to exposed external social influence. The present study provides a novel approach that considers the stability of one's endogenous neural signal during tasks and links it to human social behaviors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Haoming Zhang
- Centre for Cognitive and Brain Sciences and Department of Psychology, University of Macau, Macau, China
| | - Kunkun Zhang
- Research Center of Brain and Cognitive Neuroscience, Liaoning Normal University, Dalian, China
| | - Ziqi Zhang
- Research Center of Brain and Cognitive Neuroscience, Liaoning Normal University, Dalian, China
| | - Mingqi Zhao
- Research Center for Motor Control and Neuroplasticity, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Quanying Liu
- Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Smart Healthcare Engineering, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, China
| | - Wenbo Luo
- Research Center of Brain and Cognitive Neuroscience, Liaoning Normal University, Dalian, China
| | - Haiyan Wu
- Centre for Cognitive and Brain Sciences and Department of Psychology, University of Macau, Macau, China
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6
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Examining ecological harshness cues and anticipated food scarcity on food preferences. Food Qual Prefer 2023. [DOI: 10.1016/j.foodqual.2022.104736] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
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7
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Garza R, Byrd-Craven J. The role of hormones in attraction and visual attention to facial masculinity. Front Psychol 2023; 14:1067487. [PMID: 36860792 PMCID: PMC9969844 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2023.1067487] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/11/2022] [Accepted: 01/16/2023] [Indexed: 02/16/2023] Open
Abstract
The current study investigated the ovulatory shift hypothesis, which suggests that women prefer more masculine traits when estradiol is high, and progesterone is low (E/P ratio). The current study used an eye tracking paradigm to measure women's visual attention to facial masculinity across the menstrual cycle. Estradiol (E) and progesterone (P) were collected to determine if salivary biomarkers were associated with visual attention to masculine faces in a short- and long-term mating context. Women (N = 81) provided saliva samples at three time points throughout their menstrual cycle and were asked to rate and view men's faces that had been manipulated to appear feminine and masculine. Overall, masculine faces were viewed longer compared to feminine faces and this was moderated by mating context, where women viewed masculine faces longer for a long-term relationship. There was not any evidence suggesting that E/P ratio was associated with preferences for facial masculinity, but there was evidence to suggest that hormones were associated with visual attention to men in general. In line with sexual strategies theory, there was evidence to suggest that mating context and facial masculinity are important in mate choice; however, there was no evidence to suggest that women's mate choice was associated with shifts across the menstrual cycle.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ray Garza
- Department of Psychology and Communication, Texas A&M International University, Laredo, TX, United States,*Correspondence: Ray Garza,
| | - Jennifer Byrd-Craven
- Oklahoma Center for Evolutionary Analysis, Department of Psychology, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, OK, United States
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8
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Brown M, Sacco DF, Drea KM. Ecologically contingent preferences for formidable coalitional allies as a function of conservative ideologies. PERSONALITY AND INDIVIDUAL DIFFERENCES 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.paid.2022.111699] [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: 10/18/2022]
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9
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Hormonal contraceptives as disruptors of competitive behavior: Theoretical framing and review. Front Neuroendocrinol 2022; 66:101015. [PMID: 35835214 DOI: 10.1016/j.yfrne.2022.101015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/07/2022] [Revised: 06/16/2022] [Accepted: 07/06/2022] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Emerging evidence suggests that hormonal contraceptives (HCs) impact psychological outcomes through alterations in neurophysiology. In this review, we first introduce a theoretical framework for HCs as disruptors of steroid hormone modulation of socially competitive attitudes and behaviors. Then, we comprehensively examine prior research comparing HC users and non-users in outcomes related to competition for reproductive, social, and financial resources. Synthesis of 46 studies (n = 16,290) led to several key conclusions: HC users do not show the same menstrual cycle-related fluctuations in self-perceived attractiveness and some intrasexual competition seen in naturally-cycling women and, further, may show relatively reduced status- or achievement-oriented competitive motivation. However, there a lack of consistent or compelling evidence that HC users and non-users differ in competitive behavior or attitudes for mates or financial resources. These conclusions are tentative given the notable methodological limitations of the studies reviewed. Implications and recommendations for future research are discussed.
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10
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When a man sounds like a woman: The consequences of puberphonia for perceived romantic desirability and attractiveness for relationships. CURRENT PSYCHOLOGY 2022. [DOI: 10.1007/s12144-022-02837-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/03/2022]
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11
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Starratt VG, Zambrano R. Healthy, wealthy, wise, and social: Defining and testing a comprehensive model of resources. PERSONALITY AND INDIVIDUAL DIFFERENCES 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.paid.2021.111211] [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: 10/20/2022]
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12
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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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13
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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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14
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Garza R, Pazhoohi F, Byrd-Craven J. Women's Preferences for Strong Men Under Perceived Harsh Versus Safe Ecological Conditions. EVOLUTIONARY PSYCHOLOGY 2021; 19:14747049211032351. [PMID: 34296646 PMCID: PMC10480609 DOI: 10.1177/14747049211032351] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/11/2020] [Accepted: 06/25/2021] [Indexed: 11/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Ecological conditions provide information about available resources for one's environment. In humans, this has been shown to influence reproductive behavior, as individuals may engage in trade-offs between partner quality and investment. For instance, many women may trade-off preferences for men with physical features indicative of social dominance and health over physical features indicative of commitment and investment. The current study explored women's preferences for formidable men under safe vs. harsh ecological conditions. Across three studies, U.S. university women (N = 1,098) were randomly assigned to a perceived harsh or safe ecological condition. They were asked to rate the attractiveness of men's body types (i.e., muscular vs. less muscular). Findings revealed that in general, women rated stronger men as more attractive than weaker men irrespective of the ecological condition. Evidence for preference as a function of ecology appeared only when a two-alternative forced-choice task was used (Study 3), but not in rating tasks (Studies 1 and 2). Study 3 showed that women had a relatively stronger preference for stronger men for short-term relationships in a resource scarce ecological condition. This research provides some evidence that perceived ecological conditions can drive women's preferences for men with enhanced secondary sex characteristics as a function of mating context. These findings are consistent with previous research indicating the importance of physical characteristics in men's attractiveness, and it adds to the existing literature on ecological factors and mating preferences.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ray Garza
- The Oklahoma Center for Evolutionary Analysis, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, OK, USA
| | - Farid Pazhoohi
- Department of Psychology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada
| | - Jennifer Byrd-Craven
- The Oklahoma Center for Evolutionary Analysis, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, OK, USA
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15
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Brown M, Sacco DF, Drea KM. RETRACTED: Socially dominant women strategically build coalitions of strong men in resource-rich environments. PERSONALITY AND INDIVIDUAL DIFFERENCES 2021. [DOI: 10.1016/j.paid.2020.110496] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
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16
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Garza R, Byrd-Craven J. Effects of Women's Short-Term Mating Orientation and Self-Perceived Attractiveness in Rating and Viewing Men's Waist to Chest Ratios. ARCHIVES OF SEXUAL BEHAVIOR 2021; 50:543-551. [PMID: 33057831 DOI: 10.1007/s10508-020-01846-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/01/2019] [Revised: 09/20/2020] [Accepted: 09/21/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Women's mating strategies are dependent on multiple factors, such as identifying which men advertise physical features indicating high genetic quality, as well as identifying which men are willing to invest in offspring. Research has suggested that women pursuing short-term mating prioritize physical attraction to facilitate the acquisition of good genes. Although it is known that physical characteristics are important in mate choice, research investigating the saliency of physical features in assessing male fitness has not been readily explored. The current study used an eye-tracking paradigm to investigate the role of short-term mating in women and their attraction and visual attention to men's waist to chest ratios (WCRs). Women's short-term mating orientation (N = 130) was associated with attraction to men with low WCRs; however, their visual attention was not influenced by their mating strategy. Interestingly, women who perceived themselves as attractive rated men with low WCRs as more attractive and allocated attentional resources to physical features important in mate choice, such as the head and midriff region. The findings from this study lend some support to sexual strategies theory (Buss & Schmitt, 1993) and strategic pluralism (Gangestad & Simpson, 2000), and they suggest that mate preferences may be calibrated as a function of one's mate value.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ray Garza
- The Oklahoma Center for Evolutionary Analysis (OCEAN), Department of Psychology, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, OK, 74078, USA.
| | - Jennifer Byrd-Craven
- The Oklahoma Center for Evolutionary Analysis (OCEAN), Department of Psychology, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, OK, 74078, USA
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17
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Voegeli R, Schoop R, Prestat-Marquis E, Rawlings AV, Shackelford TK, Fink B. Cross-cultural perception of female facial appearance: A multi-ethnic and multi-centre study. PLoS One 2021; 16:e0245998. [PMID: 33481957 PMCID: PMC7822532 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0245998] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/23/2020] [Accepted: 01/12/2021] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Humans extract and use information from the face in assessments of physical appearance. Previous research indicates high agreement about facial attractiveness within and between cultures. However, the use of a narrow age range for facial stimuli, limitations due to unidirectional cross-cultural comparisons, and technical challenges have prevented definitive conclusions about the universality of face perception. In the present study, we imaged the faces of women aged 20 to 69 years in five locations (China, France, India, Japan, and South Africa) and secured age, attractiveness, and health assessments on continuous scales (0-100) from female and male raters (20-66 years) within and across ethnicity. In total, 180 images (36 of each ethnicity) were assessed by 600 raters (120 of each ethnicity), recruited in study centres in the five locations. Linear mixed model analysis revealed main and interaction effects of assessor ethnicity, assessor gender, and photographed participant ("face") ethnicity on age, attractiveness, and health assessments. Thus, differences in judgments of female facial appearance depend on the ethnicity of the photographed person, the ethnicity of the assessor, and whether the assessor is female or male. Facial age assessments correlated negatively with attractiveness and health assessments. Collectively, these findings provide evidence of cross-cultural variation in assessments of age, and even more of attractiveness, and health, indicating plasticity in perception of female facial appearance across cultures, although the decline in attractiveness and health assessments with age is universally found.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | - Todd K. Shackelford
- Department of Psychology, Oakland University, Rochester, Michigan, United States of America
| | - Bernhard Fink
- Biosocial Science Information, Biedermannsdorf, Austria
- Department of Evolutionary Anthropology, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
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18
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Ekrami O, Claes P, Shriver MD, Weinberg SM, Marazita ML, Walsh S, Van Dongen S. Effects of Male Facial Masculinity on Perceived Attractiveness. ADAPTIVE HUMAN BEHAVIOR AND PHYSIOLOGY 2020; 7:73-88. [PMID: 33575162 DOI: 10.1007/s40750-020-00156-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
Studies suggest that high levels of masculinity in men can be a signal of 'better genes' as well as low parental investment. It is the trade-off between these two qualities that has led to the hypothesis that women's preferences for male masculinity are condition-dependent, yet, not all studies support this hypothesis. In addition, there is evidence that more average faces would be perceived as more attractive. Here we study the variation in masculinity preferences of a cohort of heterosexual women (n=769), using manipulated 3D faces of male subjects. We used linear mixed models to test for effects of various covariates such as relationship status, use of hormonal contraception, sociosexual orientation and self-perceived attractiveness on preference for masculinity. Our results show that women's sociosexual orientation has a positive correlation with masculinity preference while using hormonal contraception decreases this preference. None of the other covariates displayed any significant effect on masculinity preference. The initial level of masculinity of the faces (very low, low, average, high and very high) was also shown to affect this preference, where we found a significant preference for higher masculinity in the very low and average group, while no preference was found in the other groups. Our findings support the notion that condition-dependent variables have very small effects, if any, on women's preference for masculinity in men.
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Affiliation(s)
- Omid Ekrami
- Evolutionary Ecology Group, Department of Biology, University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Peter Claes
- Department of Electrical Engineering, ESAT/PSI, KU Leuven, Leuven, 3000, Belgium
- Medical Imaging Research Center, UZ Leuven, Leuven, 3000, Belgium
- Department of Human Genetics, KU Leuven, Leuven, 3000, Belgium
| | - Mark D Shriver
- Department of Anthropology, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, USA
| | - Seth M Weinberg
- Department of Oral Biology, Center for Craniofacial and Dental Genetics, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
- Department of Human Genetics, Graduate School of Public Health, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, United States
| | - Mary L Marazita
- Department of Oral Biology, Center for Craniofacial and Dental Genetics, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
- Department of Human Genetics, Graduate School of Public Health, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, United States
| | - Susan Walsh
- Department of Biology, Indiana University Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI), Indianapolis, IN, USA
| | - Stefan Van Dongen
- Evolutionary Ecology Group, Department of Biology, University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium
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Niu C, Zheng L. Reproductive strategies may predict women's preferences for male facial masculinity. PERSONALITY AND INDIVIDUAL DIFFERENCES 2020. [DOI: 10.1016/j.paid.2020.110202] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/26/2023]
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Taylor LD. Material Abundance Messages and Women’s Partner Trait Preferences: Effects of Exposure to Advertisements for Consumer Goods. EVOLUTIONARY PSYCHOLOGICAL SCIENCE 2020. [DOI: 10.1007/s40806-020-00268-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
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Women’s Preferences for Men’s Facial Masculinity and Anticipations of Grandparental Care Provision. EVOLUTIONARY PSYCHOLOGICAL SCIENCE 2020. [DOI: 10.1007/s40806-020-00257-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
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22
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Environmental threat influences preferences for sexual dimorphism in male and female faces but not voices or dances. EVOL HUM BEHAV 2020. [DOI: 10.1016/j.evolhumbehav.2020.05.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
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23
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Gleeson BT. Masculinity and the Mechanisms of Human Self-Domestication. ADAPTIVE HUMAN BEHAVIOR AND PHYSIOLOGY 2020. [DOI: 10.1007/s40750-019-00126-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/25/2022]
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Kočnar T, Saribay SA, Kleisner K. Perceived attractiveness of Czech faces across 10 cultures: Associations with sexual shape dimorphism, averageness, fluctuating asymmetry, and eye color. PLoS One 2019; 14:e0225549. [PMID: 31751432 PMCID: PMC6872208 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0225549] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/25/2019] [Accepted: 11/06/2019] [Indexed: 01/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Research on the perception of faces typically assumes that there are some universal values of attractiveness which are shared across individuals and cultures. The perception of attractiveness may, however, vary across cultures due to local differences in both facial morphology and standards of beauty. To examine cross-cultural consensus in the ratings of attractiveness, we presented a set of 120 non-manipulated photographs of Czech faces to ten samples of raters from both European (Czech Republic, Estonia, Sweden, Romania, Turkey, Portugal) and non-European countries (Brazil, India, Cameroon, Namibia). We examined the relative contribution of three facial markers (sexual shape dimorphism, averageness, fluctuating asymmetry) to the perception of attractiveness as well as the possible influence of eye color, which is a locally specific trait. In general, we found that both male and female faces which were closer to the average and more feminine in shape were regarded as more attractive, while fluctuating asymmetry had no effect. Despite a high cross-cultural consensus on attractiveness standards, significant differences in the perception of attractiveness seem to be related to the level of socio-economic development (as measured by the Human Development Index, HDI). Attractiveness ratings by raters from low-HDI countries (India, Cameroon, Namibia) converged less with ratings from Czech Republic than ratings from high-HDI countries (European countries and Brazil). With respect to eye color, some local patterns emerged which we discuss as a consequence of negative frequency-dependent selection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tomáš Kočnar
- Department of Philosophy and History of Science, Charles University in Prague, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - S. Adil Saribay
- Department of Psychology, Boğaziçi University, Istanbul, Turkey
| | - Karel Kleisner
- Department of Philosophy and History of Science, Charles University in Prague, Prague, Czech Republic
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Polo P, Muñoz‐Reyes JA, Pita M, Shackelford TK, Fink B. Testosterone‐dependent facial and body traits predict men's sociosexual attitudes and behaviors. Am J Hum Biol 2019; 31:e23235. [DOI: 10.1002/ajhb.23235] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/13/2018] [Revised: 01/13/2019] [Accepted: 02/21/2019] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Pablo Polo
- Laboratorio de Comportamiento Animal y Humano Universidad de Playa Ancha de Ciencias de la Educación Viña del Mar Chile
| | - Jose Antonio Muñoz‐Reyes
- Laboratorio de Comportamiento Animal y Humano Universidad de Playa Ancha de Ciencias de la Educación Viña del Mar Chile
| | - Miguel Pita
- Departamento de Biología Universidad Autónoma de Madrid Madrid Spain
| | - Todd K. Shackelford
- Department of Psychology Oakland University Rochester Michigan United States
| | - Bernhard Fink
- Department of Behavioral Ecology University of Goettingen Goettingen Germany
- Institute for Advanced Study Hanse‐Wissenschaftskolleg Delmenhorst Germany
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Marcinkowska UM, Helle S, Jones BC, Jasienska G. Does testosterone predict women's preference for facial masculinity? PLoS One 2019; 14:e0210636. [PMID: 30811400 PMCID: PMC6392222 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0210636] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [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: 04/09/2018] [Accepted: 12/29/2018] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
The influence of sex hormones on women’s mate preferences has been an intensively discussed topic for more than a decade. Yet the extent to which levels of sex hormones, and testosterone in particular, influence women’s mate preferences is unclear. Thus, the current study used multilevel modelling to investigate putative relationships between salivary testosterone and facial masculinity preferences in a sample of 68 women, while controlling for their age, partnership status, and sociosexuality. We found no significant associations between masculinity preferences and either individual differences or within-woman changes in testosterone. We did find however, that sociosexuality was positively correlated with masculinity preferences. Although it has previously been suggested that testosterone is related to women’s facial masculinity preference, our data do not support this proposal.
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Affiliation(s)
- Urszula M. Marcinkowska
- Department of Environmental Health, Faculty of Health Sciences, Jagiellonian University Medical College, Cracow, Poland
- * E-mail:
| | - Samuli Helle
- Section of Ecology, Department of Biology, University of Turku, Turku, Finland
| | - Benedict C. Jones
- Institute of Neuroscience and Psychology, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, United Kingdom
| | - Grazyna Jasienska
- Department of Environmental Health, Faculty of Health Sciences, Jagiellonian University Medical College, Cracow, Poland
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27
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Biological Bases of Beauty Revisited: The Effect of Symmetry, Averageness, and Sexual Dimorphism on Female Facial Attractiveness. Symmetry (Basel) 2019. [DOI: 10.3390/sym11020279] [Citation(s) in RCA: 46] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
The factors influencing human female facial attractiveness—symmetry, averageness, and sexual dimorphism—have been extensively studied. However, recent studies, using improved methodologies, have called into question their evolutionary utility and links with life history. The current studies use a range of approaches to quantify how important these factors actually are in perceiving attractiveness, through the use of novel statistical analyses and by addressing methodological weaknesses in the literature. Study One examines how manipulations of symmetry, averageness, femininity, and masculinity affect attractiveness using a two-alternative forced choice task, finding that increased masculinity and also femininity decrease attractiveness, compared to unmanipulated faces. Symmetry and averageness yielded a small and large effect, respectively. Study Two utilises a naturalistic ratings paradigm, finding similar effects of averageness and masculinity as Study One but no effects of symmetry and femininity on attractiveness. Study Three applies geometric face measurements of the factors and a random forest machine learning algorithm to predict perceived attractiveness, finding that shape averageness, dimorphism, and skin texture symmetry are useful features capable of relatively accurate predictions, while shape symmetry is uninformative. However, the factors do not explain as much variance in attractiveness as the literature suggests. The implications for future research on attractiveness are discussed.
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Korenman LM, Wetzler EL, Carroll MH, Velilla EV. Is it in your face?: Exploring the effects of sexual dimorphism on perception of leadership potential. MILITARY PSYCHOLOGY 2019. [DOI: 10.1080/08995605.2018.1556555] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/27/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Lisa M. Korenman
- Department of Behavioral Sciences and Leadership, United States Military Academy, West Point, New York
| | - Elizabeth L. Wetzler
- Department of Behavioral Sciences and Leadership, United States Military Academy, West Point, New York
| | - Marjorie H. Carroll
- Department of Behavioral Sciences and Leadership, United States Military Academy, West Point, New York
| | - Elizabeth V. Velilla
- Department of Behavioral Sciences and Leadership, United States Military Academy, West Point, New York
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What people prefer and what they think they prefer in short- and long-term partners. The effects of the phase of the menstrual cycle, hormonal contraception, pregnancy, and the marital and the parenthood status on partner preferences. EVOL HUM BEHAV 2019. [DOI: 10.1016/j.evolhumbehav.2018.09.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/05/2023]
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Robertson JM, Kingsley BE. Sexually Dimorphic Faciometrics in Black Racial Groups From Early Adulthood to Late Middle Age. EVOLUTIONARY PSYCHOLOGY 2018; 16:1474704918811056. [PMID: 30458649 PMCID: PMC10480802 DOI: 10.1177/1474704918811056] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/18/2018] [Accepted: 10/03/2018] [Indexed: 01/15/2023] Open
Abstract
An increasing body of research focusing on gender-related traits has utilized faciometrics in order to consider sexual dimorphism: Aspects as diverse as social heuristics, facial attractiveness, sexual orientation, aggression, and trustworthiness have all been investigated. However, the majority of these studies have tended to focus on White or Caucasian student populations and have paid little regard to either older populations or racial background. The current study therefore investigated sexual dimorphism in 450 participants (225 women) from a Black population across four age groups (20s, 30s, 40s, and 50s). In line with much previous research using White or Caucasian faces, the expected sexual dimorphism was seen in the younger age-group in three of the four indices (cheekbone prominence, facial width to lower facial height, and lower face height to full face height). However, consistent with more recent literature, the facial width to height ratio (fWHR) was not found to be significantly different between men and women in this age-group. Contrary to previous research, when considering broader age groups, the three established measures of facial sexual dimorphism, when looked at independently, remained static over time, but this was not true for fWHR. It is concluded that facial structure does not follow the same aging trajectory in all populations and care should be taken in choice of facial metric, depending on the nature of the sample under investigation.
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31
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Sensation-seeking in women does not affect their preference for Dark Triad male faces. PERSONALITY AND INDIVIDUAL DIFFERENCES 2018. [DOI: 10.1016/j.paid.2018.03.051] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
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32
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Thomas AG, Stewart-Williams S. Mating strategy flexibility in the laboratory: Preferences for long- and short-term mating change in response to evolutionarily relevant variables. EVOL HUM BEHAV 2018. [DOI: 10.1016/j.evolhumbehav.2017.10.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
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Borras-Guevara ML, Batres C, Perrett DI. Domestic violence shapes Colombian women's partner choices. Behav Ecol Sociobiol 2017; 71:175. [PMID: 29200603 PMCID: PMC5694761 DOI: 10.1007/s00265-017-2405-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/27/2017] [Revised: 11/01/2017] [Accepted: 11/03/2017] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Abstract Potential protection from violence has been suggested as an explanation for women’s preferences for more masculine partners. Previous studies, however, have not considered that violence may be multi-modal, and hence come from different sources. Therefore, we tested the effect of different fears of violence (i.e. vulnerability to public crime, likelihood of within-partnership violence) on masculinity preferences of women from Colombia, a country known for its high rates of violence. Eighty-three adult heterosexual women (mean age ± SD = 26.7 ± 6.01) answered a survey that included questions about health (e.g. frequency of illnesses during the last year and during childhood), access to media (e.g. time spent watching television, frequency of internet use), education (i.e. highest level achieved) and violence perceptions. Participants’ masculinity preferences for Salvadoran, European and Colombian male faces were recorded. Factor analysis revealed two different factors for the answers to questions related to violence. One factor loaded mostly on questions related to public violence and the second factor related to domestic violence. We found that women with higher scores on the domestic violence factor preferred significantly less masculine Colombian male faces. Even after controlling for participant age, education, access to media (TV and internet) and health-related factors, the domestic violence factor contributed significantly to explaining masculinity preferences. The results presented here suggest that women’s preferences for masculinity may be a strategy to avoid aggressive partners and that the source of violence matters in mate choice. Significance statement Women who perceive higher risks of domestic violence prefer less masculine looking partners. Using an experimental approach, we show that Colombian women who feel more in danger of violence within partnership prefer the faces of less masculine males. This was true even after controlling for women’s education level, health and access to media. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (10.1007/s00265-017-2405-2) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
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Affiliation(s)
- Martha Lucia Borras-Guevara
- Perception Lab, School of Psychology and Neuroscience, St Mary's Quad, University of St Andrews, St Andrews, Fife, Scotland KY16 9JP UK
| | - Carlota Batres
- Present Address: Psychology Department, Gettysburg College, 300 North Washington Street, Gettysburg, PA 17325 USA
| | - David I Perrett
- Perception Lab, School of Psychology and Neuroscience, St Mary's Quad, University of St Andrews, St Andrews, Fife, Scotland KY16 9JP UK
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Holzleitner IJ, Perrett DI. Women’s Preferences for Men’s Facial Masculinity: Trade-Off Accounts Revisited. ADAPTIVE HUMAN BEHAVIOR AND PHYSIOLOGY 2017. [DOI: 10.1007/s40750-017-0070-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
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37
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Effects of stress on women's preference for male facial masculinity and their endocrine correlates. Psychoneuroendocrinology 2017; 82:67-74. [PMID: 28511046 DOI: 10.1016/j.psyneuen.2017.05.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/07/2016] [Revised: 05/01/2017] [Accepted: 05/01/2017] [Indexed: 01/31/2023]
Abstract
Women's preferences for masculinity in men's faces seem to vary across the menstrual cycle and are assumed to be strongest around ovulation. A number of hormones have been proposed to underlie these subtle cyclic shifts. Furthermore, mating preferences are context-dependent, and stress has been found to alter mate choice, both in animals and humans. Currently, the effects of stress on women's preference for masculinity remain unknown. To examine the hormonal basis and the impact of stress on facial masculinity preference, we tested for within-subject changes in 52 healthy young women who underwent the Trier Social Stress Test (TSST) and the placebo-TSST in randomized order in the late follicular and mid-luteal phases of their menstrual cycle. Menstrual cycle phase and hormone levels were confirmed using estradiol, testosterone, progesterone, and cortisol analyses from saliva. Results show that women were more likely to be attracted to masculine-faced men right before ovulation than in the mid-luteal phase. Estradiol modulated this masculinity preference with high estradiol levels being related to stronger masculinity preference. When stressed however, women experienced a decrease in male facial masculinity preference. In line with these findings, the higher the cortisol increase to stress, the less were masculine faces preferred to more feminine faces. Mate choice is a central component of reproduction. The present results provide information about the effects of stress and hormonal influences on mate preferences in women.
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Lee AJ, Wright MJ, Martin NG, Keller MC, Zietsch BP. Facial Trustworthiness is Associated with Heritable Aspects of Face Shape. ADAPTIVE HUMAN BEHAVIOR AND PHYSIOLOGY 2017. [DOI: 10.1007/s40750-017-0073-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
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Effects of Sexually Dimorphic Shape Cues on Neurophysiological Correlates of Women’s Face Processing. ADAPTIVE HUMAN BEHAVIOR AND PHYSIOLOGY 2017. [DOI: 10.1007/s40750-017-0072-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
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40
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Watkins CD, Nicholls MJ, Batres C, Xiao D, Talamas S, Perrett DI. Own attractiveness and perceived relationship quality shape sensitivity in women's memory for other men on the attractiveness dimension. Cognition 2017; 163:146-154. [PMID: 28342383 DOI: 10.1016/j.cognition.2017.03.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/01/2016] [Revised: 02/09/2017] [Accepted: 03/13/2017] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
Abstract
Although recent work suggests that opposite-sex facial attractiveness is less salient in memory when individuals are in a committed romantic relationship, romantic relationship quality can vary over time. In light of this, we tested whether activating concerns about romantic relationship quality strengthens memory for attractive faces. Partnered women were exposed briefly to faces manipulated in shape cues to attractiveness before either being asked to think about a moment of emotional closeness or distance in their current relationship. We measured sensitivity in memory for faces as the extent to which they recognized correct versions of studied faces over versions of the same person altered to look either more or less-attractive than their original (i.e., studied) version. Contrary to predictions, high relationship quality strengthened hit rate for faces regardless of the sex or attractiveness of the face. In general, women's memories were more sensitive to attractiveness in women, but were biased toward attractiveness in male faces, both when responding to unfamiliar faces and versions of familiar faces that were more attractive than the original male identity from the learning phase. However, findings varied according to self-rated attractiveness and a psychometric measure of the quality of their current relationship. Attractive women were more sensitive to attractiveness in men, while their less-attractive peers had a stronger bias to remember women as more-attractive and men as less-attractive than their original image respectively. Women in better-quality romantic relationships had stronger positive biases toward, and false memories for, attractive men. Our findings suggest a sophisticated pattern of sensitivity and bias in women's memory for facial cues to quality that varies systematically according to factors that may alter the costs of female mating competition ('market demand') and relationship maintenance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christopher D Watkins
- Division of Psychology, School of Social and Health Sciences, Abertay University, Dundee, Scotland DD1 1HG, United Kingdom.
| | - Mike J Nicholls
- Division of Psychology, School of Social and Health Sciences, Abertay University, Dundee, Scotland DD1 1HG, United Kingdom
| | - Carlota Batres
- School of Psychology and Neuroscience, University of St Andrews, St Mary's Quad, South Street, St Andrews, Fife KY16 9JP, United Kingdom
| | - Dengke Xiao
- School of Psychology and Neuroscience, University of St Andrews, St Mary's Quad, South Street, St Andrews, Fife KY16 9JP, United Kingdom
| | - Sean Talamas
- School of Psychology and Neuroscience, University of St Andrews, St Mary's Quad, South Street, St Andrews, Fife KY16 9JP, United Kingdom
| | - David I Perrett
- School of Psychology and Neuroscience, University of St Andrews, St Mary's Quad, South Street, St Andrews, Fife KY16 9JP, United Kingdom
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41
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McAllister LS, Pepper GV, Virgo S, Coall DA. The evolved psychological mechanisms of fertility motivation: hunting for causation in a sea of correlation. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci 2016; 371:20150151. [PMID: 27022078 DOI: 10.1098/rstb.2015.0151] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 02/03/2016] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Cultural, ecological, familial and physiological factors consistently influence fertility behaviours, however, the proximate psychological mechanisms underlying fertility decisions in humans are poorly understood. Understanding the psychological mechanisms underlying human fertility may illuminate the final processes by which some of these known predictors have their influence. To date, research into the psychological mechanisms underlying fertility has been fragmented. Aspects of reproductive psychology have been examined by researchers in a range of fields, but the findings have not been systematically integrated in one review. We provide such a review, examining current theories and research on psychological mechanisms of fertility. We examine the methods and populations used in the research, as well as the disciplines and theoretical perspectives from which the work has come. Much of the work that has been done to date is methodologically limited to examining correlations between ecological, social and economic factors and fertility. We propose, and support with examples, the use of experimental methods to differentiate causal factors from correlates. We also discuss weaknesses in the experimental research, including limited work with non-WEIRD (western, educated, industrialized, rich and democratic) populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lisa S McAllister
- Department of Anthropology, University of California Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, CA 93106, USA
| | - Gillian V Pepper
- Evolutionary Demography Group, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Keppel Street, London WC1E 7HT, UK
| | - Sandra Virgo
- Institute of Health and Society, Newcastle University, The Baddiley-Clark Building, Richardson Road, Newcastle upon Tyne NE2 4AX, UK
| | - David A Coall
- School of Medical and Health Sciences, Edith Cowan University, 270 Joondalup Drive, Joondalup, WA 6027, Australia School of Psychiatry and Clinical Neurosciences, University of Western Australia, Crawley, WA 6009, Australia
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42
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Batres C, Perrett DI. How the Harsh Environment of an Army Training Camp Changes Human (Homo sapiens) Facial Preferences. Ethology 2016. [DOI: 10.1111/eth.12571] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Carlota Batres
- School of Psychology and Neuroscience; University of St Andrews; Fife UK
| | - David I. Perrett
- School of Psychology and Neuroscience; University of St Andrews; Fife UK
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Hill AK, Cárdenas RA, Wheatley JR, Welling LLM, Burriss RP, Claes P, Apicella CL, McDaniel MA, Little AC, Shriver MD, Puts DA. Are there vocal cues to human developmental stability? Relationships between facial fluctuating asymmetry and voice attractiveness. EVOL HUM BEHAV 2016; 38:249-258. [PMID: 34629843 DOI: 10.1016/j.evolhumbehav.2016.10.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 49] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
Fluctuating asymmetry (FA), deviation from perfect bilateral symmetry, is thought to reflect an organism's relative inability to maintain stable morphological development in the face of environmental and genetic stressors. Previous research has documented negative relationships between FA and attractiveness judgments in humans, but scant research has explored relationships between the human voice and this putative marker of genetic quality in either sex. Only one study (and in women only) has explored relationships between vocal attractiveness and asymmetry of the face, a feature-rich trait space central in prior work on human genetic quality and mate choice. We therefore examined this relationship in three studies comprising 231 men and 240 women from two Western samples as well as Hadza hunter-gatherers of Tanzania. Voice recordings were collected and rated for attractiveness, and FA was computed from two-dimensional facial images as well as, for a subset of men, three-dimensional facial scans. Through meta-analysis of our results and those of prior studies, we found a negative association between FA and vocal attractiveness that was highly robust and statistically significant whether we included effect sizes from previously published work, or only those from the present research, and regardless of the inclusion of any individual sample or method of assessing FA (e.g., facial or limb FA). Weighted mean correlations between FA and vocal attractiveness across studies were -.23 for men and -.29 for women. This research thus offers strong support for the hypothesis that voices provide cues to genetic quality in humans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexander K Hill
- Department of Anthropology, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802
| | - Rodrigo A Cárdenas
- Department of Psychology, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802
| | - John R Wheatley
- Department of Anthropology, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802
| | - Lisa L M Welling
- Department of Anthropology, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802
| | - Robert P Burriss
- Department of Anthropology, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802
| | - Peter Claes
- KU Leuven, ESAT/PSI - UZ Leuven, MIRC - iMinds, Medical IT Department, Belgium
| | - Coren L Apicella
- Department of Psychology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104
| | - Michael A McDaniel
- Department of Management, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA 23284
| | | | - Mark D Shriver
- Department of Anthropology, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802
| | - David A Puts
- Department of Anthropology, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802.,Center for Brain, Behavior, and Cognition, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802
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Competition-related factors directly influence preferences for facial cues of dominance in allies. Behav Ecol Sociobiol 2016; 70:2071-2079. [PMID: 27881894 PMCID: PMC5102944 DOI: 10.1007/s00265-016-2211-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/25/2016] [Revised: 08/25/2016] [Accepted: 08/30/2016] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Abstract Alliance formation is a critical dimension of social intelligence in political, social and biological systems. As some allies may provide greater “leverage” than others during social conflict, the cognitive architecture that supports alliance formation in humans may be shaped by recent experience, for example in light of the outcomes of violent or non-violent forms intrasexual competition. Here we used experimental priming techniques to explore this issue. Consistent with our predictions, while men’s preferences for dominant allies strengthened following losses (compared to victories) in violent intrasexual contests, women’s preferences for dominant allies weakened following losses (compared to victories) in violent intrasexual contests. Our findings suggest that while men may prefer dominant (i.e. masculine) allies following losses in violent confrontation in order to facilitate successful resource competition, women may “tend and befriend” following this scenario and seek support from prosocial (i.e. feminine) allies and/or avoid the potential costs of dominant allies as long-term social partners. Moreover, they demonstrate facultative responses to signals related to dominance in allies, which may shape sex differences in sociality in light of recent experience and suggest that intrasexual selection has shaped social intelligence in humans. Significance statement Although alliance formation is an important facet of social intelligence in political and biological systems, we know relatively little about the cognitive processes involved in social preferences for allies. As recent experience may alter the leverage provided by different social partners, here we tested whether preferences for facial cues to dominance-prosociality (masculinity-femininity) alter in light of recent experience of violent and economic contests for status. Our findings demonstrate sex-specific responses to these facial cues. While men’s preferences for facial cues related to dominance in allies strengthen following losses (compared to wins) in violent contests, women’s preferences for facial cues related to dominance in allies weaken following losses (compared to wins) in violent contests. These findings suggest that intrasexual selection, in part, has shaped the evolution of social intelligence in humans as revealed in flexibility in social preferences for allies.
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Lindová J, Little AC, Havlíček J, Roberts SC, Rubešová A, Flegr J. Effect of Partnership Status on Preferences for Facial Self-Resemblance. Front Psychol 2016; 7:869. [PMID: 27378970 PMCID: PMC4906020 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2016.00869] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/09/2015] [Accepted: 05/26/2016] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Self-resemblance has been found to have a context-dependent effect when expressing preferences for faces. Whereas dissimilarity preference during mate choice in animals is often explained as an evolutionary adaptation to increase heterozygosity of offspring, self-resemblance can be also favored in humans, reflecting, e.g., preference for kinship cues. We performed two studies, using transformations of facial photographs to manipulate levels of resemblance with the rater, to examine the influence of self-resemblance in single vs. coupled individuals. Raters assessed facial attractiveness of other-sex and same-sex photographs according to both short-term and long-term relationship contexts. We found a preference for dissimilarity of other-sex and same-sex faces in single individuals, but no effect of self-resemblance in coupled raters. No effect of sex of participant or short-term vs. long-term attractiveness rating was observed. The results support the evolutionary interpretation that dissimilarity of other-sex faces is preferred by uncoupled individuals as an adaptive mechanism to avoid inbreeding. In contrast, lower dissimilarity preference of other-sex faces in coupled individuals may reflect suppressed attention to attractiveness cues in potential alternative partners as a relationship maintenance mechanism, and its substitution by attention to cues of kinship and psychological similarity connected with greater likelihood of prosocial behavior acquisition from such persons.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jitka Lindová
- Department of Anthropology, Faculty of Humanities, Charles UniversityPrague, Czech Republic; National Institute of Mental Health, Charles UniversityPrague, Czech Republic
| | | | - Jan Havlíček
- Department of Zoology, Faculty of Science, Charles University Prague, Czech Republic
| | - S Craig Roberts
- School of Natural Sciences, University of Stirling Stirling, UK
| | - Anna Rubešová
- Department of Anthropology, Faculty of Humanities, Charles University Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Jaroslav Flegr
- Department of Philosophy and History of Science, Faculty of Science, Charles University Prague, Czech Republic
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Lyons M, Blanchard A. “I could see, in the depth of his eyes, my own beauty reflected”: Women's assortative preference for narcissistic, but not for Machiavellian or psychopathic male faces. PERSONALITY AND INDIVIDUAL DIFFERENCES 2016. [DOI: 10.1016/j.paid.2016.03.025] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
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Marcinkowska UM, Lyons MT, Helle S. Women's reproductive success and the preference for Dark Triad in men's faces. EVOL HUM BEHAV 2016. [DOI: 10.1016/j.evolhumbehav.2016.01.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
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Lyons M, Marcinkowska U, Moisey V, Harrison N. The effects of resource availability and relationship status on women's preference for facial masculinity in men: An eye-tracking study. PERSONALITY AND INDIVIDUAL DIFFERENCES 2016. [DOI: 10.1016/j.paid.2016.02.025] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
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Abstract
As a highly social species, humans frequently exchange social information to support almost all facets of life. One of the richest and most powerful tools in social communication is the face, from which observers can quickly and easily make a number of inferences - about identity, gender, sex, age, race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, physical health, attractiveness, emotional state, personality traits, pain or physical pleasure, deception, and even social status. With the advent of the digital economy, increasing globalization and cultural integration, understanding precisely which face information supports social communication and which produces misunderstanding is central to the evolving needs of modern society (for example, in the design of socially interactive digital avatars and companion robots). Doing so is challenging, however, because the face can be thought of as comprising a high-dimensional, dynamic information space, and this impacts cognitive science and neuroimaging, and their broader applications in the digital economy. New opportunities to address this challenge are arising from the development of new methods and technologies, coupled with the emergence of a modern scientific culture that embraces cross-disciplinary approaches. Here, we briefly review one such approach that combines state-of-the-art computer graphics, psychophysics and vision science, cultural psychology and social cognition, and highlight the main knowledge advances it has generated. In the light of current developments, we provide a vision of the future directions in the field of human facial communication within and across cultures.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rachael E Jack
- School of Psychology, University of Glasgow, Scotland G12 8QB, UK; Institute of Neuroscience and Psychology, University of Glasgow, Scotland G12 8QB, UK.
| | - Philippe G Schyns
- School of Psychology, University of Glasgow, Scotland G12 8QB, UK; Institute of Neuroscience and Psychology, University of Glasgow, Scotland G12 8QB, UK.
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Lyons M, Simeonov L. The undesirable Dark Triad? Women dislike Dark Triad male faces across different mating context and socio-ecological conditions. PERSONALITY AND INDIVIDUAL DIFFERENCES 2016. [DOI: 10.1016/j.paid.2015.11.047] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
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