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Martínez-Ramírez J, Puts D, Nieto J, G-Santoyo I. Effects of facial skin pigmentation on social judgments in a Mexican population. PLoS One 2023; 18:e0279858. [PMID: 38032952 PMCID: PMC10688750 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0279858] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/16/2022] [Accepted: 10/12/2023] [Indexed: 12/02/2023] Open
Abstract
People quickly and involuntarily form impressions of others based on their facial physical attributes, which can modulate critical social interactions. Skin pigmentation is one of the most variable and conspicuous facial traits among human populations. Empirical evidence suggests that these variations reflect ancestral ecological selective pressures balancing cutaneous vitamin D synthesis with the protection of the dermis from ultraviolet radiation. Nevertheless, skin pigmentation may currently be subject to additional selective pressures. For instance, the colonial era in Central and South America developed a highly stratified society based on ethnic origins, and light skin pigmentation became associated with higher social status and deference. This association could have originated through historical social learning that promoted favorable social perceptions towards individuals with lighter skin color and unfavorable perceptions towards individuals with darker skin color, which could still be present in the perception of current populations. Facial skin pigmentation is also sexually dimorphic, with males tending to exhibit darker skin than females, a difference that could be driven by sexual selection. To explore whether social learning and sexual selection represent additional selective pressures on skin pigmentation, we tested how this facial trait influences fundamental social perceptions in a Mexican population (N = 700, 489 female). We sampled facial images of eight European American males with natural lighter facial skin and eight males from an indigenous pre-Columbian community from Mexico, the Me'Phaa, with natural darker facial skin. We produced stimuli from these images by varying the skin pigmentation while preserving the facial shape. Stimuli were rated on attractiveness, trustworthiness, perceived health, dominance, aggressiveness, and femininity/masculinity. We found that the natural light-skinned faces were perceived as more attractive, trustworthy, and healthy but less dominant than the natural dark faces. Furthermore, by varying the facial skin color in these original groups, we altered the perceptions of them, mainly their attractiveness. These results partially support the hypothesis that dark facial skin color may help males compete for mates. Also, the results strongly support the view that lighter facial skin color became associated with social benefits through social learning in this Mexican population. Our findings, when viewed through the lens of cultural evolution, align with previous research in social psychology and anthropology. They hold the potential to offer a comprehensive understanding of the origin of this social phenomenon of cultural transmission, which currently plays a role in the formation of racial attitudes, stereotyping, and racial inequality in Mexican and other Latin American populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jaaziel Martínez-Ramírez
- Faculty of Psychology, Neuroecology Laboratory, National Autonomous University of Mexico, Mexico City, Mexico
| | - David Puts
- Department of Anthropology and Center for Human Evolution and Diversity, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, College Township, Pennsylvania, United States of America
| | - Javier Nieto
- Faculty of Psychology, Laboratory of Learning and Adaptation, National Autonomous University of Mexico, Mexico City, Mexico
| | - Isaac G-Santoyo
- Faculty of Psychology, Neuroecology Laboratory, National Autonomous University of Mexico, Mexico City, Mexico
- Unidad de Investigación en Psicobiología y Neurociencias, National Autonomous University of Mexico, Mexico City, Mexico
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Rodríguez-Niklitschek C, Oporto GH, Chuhuaicura P, Alemán I, Fonseca GM. Cameriere's open apices methodology for dental age estimation in children: a scoping review from a Latin American perspective. Forensic Sci Med Pathol 2023:10.1007/s12024-023-00646-x. [PMID: 37222903 DOI: 10.1007/s12024-023-00646-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 05/08/2023] [Indexed: 05/25/2023]
Abstract
Dental age estimation (DAE) is key to establishing an individual's identity, and this is relevant in minors. A widely used method for DAE in children is Cameriere's open apices (CAM). Despite its wide dissemination, there are no clear reports of its use in Latin American populations. A scoping review was conducted using a search strategy in the PubMed/MEDLINE database, Web of Science, and a complementary manual search. Only papers using CAM or its regression equation models for evaluating Latin American populations were included. Ten studies published between 2007 and 2020 responded to the search objective. Brazil was the country with the most studies using CAM (7/10), and the University of Macerata (Italy) was the most declared affiliation (6/10). Seven studies used the original CAM formula in populations from Brazil and Peru, while the European formula (EuCAM) was applied in Mexico, Colombia, and Brazil. Although the method underestimated the age values with acceptable error margins, the correction factor substantially improved the predictive power of the method. Some limitations of the method are highlighted. CAM and its variants can be useful for validation in Latin American settings, but attention to population structures and terminologies is suggested for future research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cynthia Rodríguez-Niklitschek
- Escuela de Odontología, Facultad de Medicina y Ciencias de la Salud, Universidad Mayor, Temuco, Chile
- Escuela de Odontología, Facultad de Odontología, Universidad de La Frontera, Temuco, Chile
- Programa de Doctorado en Biomedicina, Universidad de Granada, Granada, Spain
- Centro de Investigación en Biología Oral (CIBO), Facultad de Odontología, Universidad de La Frontera, Temuco, Chile
- Laboratorio de Biología Celular Y Molecular, Facultad de Odontología, Universidad de La Frontera, Temuco, Chile
| | - Gonzalo H Oporto
- Departamento de Odontología Integral Adultos, Facultad de Odontología, Universidad de La Frontera, Temuco, Chile
- Centro de Investigación en Biología Oral (CIBO), Facultad de Odontología, Universidad de La Frontera, Temuco, Chile
- Laboratorio de Biología Celular Y Molecular, Facultad de Odontología, Universidad de La Frontera, Temuco, Chile
| | - Priscila Chuhuaicura
- Escuela de Odontología, Facultad de Odontología, Universidad de La Frontera, Temuco, Chile
- Departamento de Odontología Integral Adultos, Facultad de Odontología, Universidad de La Frontera, Temuco, Chile
- Centro de Investigación en Biología Oral (CIBO), Facultad de Odontología, Universidad de La Frontera, Temuco, Chile
- Laboratorio de Biología Celular Y Molecular, Facultad de Odontología, Universidad de La Frontera, Temuco, Chile
| | - Inmaculada Alemán
- Departamento de Medicina Legal, Toxicología Y Antropología Física, Universidad de Granada, Granada, Spain
- Programa de Doctorado en Biomedicina, Universidad de Granada, Granada, Spain
| | - Gabriel M Fonseca
- Departamento de Odontología Integral Adultos, Facultad de Odontología, Universidad de La Frontera, Temuco, Chile.
- Programa de Doctorado en Biomedicina, Universidad de Granada, Granada, Spain.
- Unidad de Estimación de Edad Dental, Centro de Investigación en Odontología Legal y Forense (CIO), Facultad de Odontología, Universidad de La Frontera, Francisco Salazar 01145, 4780000, Temuco, Chile.
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Silva CP, de la Fuente Castro C, González Zarzar T, Raghavan M, Tonko-Huenucoy A, Martínez FI, Montalva N. The Articulation of Genomics, Mestizaje, and Indigenous Identities in Chile: A Case Study of the Social Implications of Genomic Research in Light of Current Research Practices. Front Genet 2022; 13:817318. [PMID: 35309125 PMCID: PMC8927767 DOI: 10.3389/fgene.2022.817318] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/17/2021] [Accepted: 02/03/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Constanza P. Silva
- Criminal Justice Research Center, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, United States
- Comunidad Autónoma Diaguita Mapochogasta, Santiago, Chile
- *Correspondence: Constanza P. Silva, ; Constanza de la Fuente Castro, ; Tomás González Zarzar,
| | - Constanza de la Fuente Castro
- Department of Human Genetics, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, United States
- *Correspondence: Constanza P. Silva, ; Constanza de la Fuente Castro, ; Tomás González Zarzar,
| | - Tomás González Zarzar
- Department of Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences, College of Agricultural Sciences, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, United States
- The Huck Institutes of the Life Science, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, United States
- *Correspondence: Constanza P. Silva, ; Constanza de la Fuente Castro, ; Tomás González Zarzar,
| | - Maanasa Raghavan
- Department of Human Genetics, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, United States
| | | | - Felipe I. Martínez
- School of Anthropology, Faculty of Social Sciences, Pontificia Universidad Católica, Santiago, Chile
- Center for Intercultural and Indigenous Research (CIIR), Santiago, Chile
| | - Nicolás Montalva
- Society and Health Research Center, Universidad Mayor, Santiago, Chile
- School of Public Health, Universidad Mayor, Santiago, Chile
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