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Pisanski K, Fernandez-Alonso M, Díaz-Simón N, Oleszkiewicz A, Sardinas A, Pellegrino R, Estevez N, Mora EC, Luckett CR, Feinberg DR. Assortative mate preferences for height across short-term and long-term relationship contexts in a cross-cultural sample. Front Psychol 2022; 13:937146. [PMID: 36092066 PMCID: PMC9454610 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2022.937146] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/05/2022] [Accepted: 07/14/2022] [Indexed: 11/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Height preferences reflecting positive assortative mating for height—wherein an individual’s own height positively predicts the preferred height of their mate—have been observed in several distinct human populations and are thought to increase reproductive fitness. However, the extent to which assortative preferences for height differ strategically for short-term versus long-term relationship partners, as they do for numerous other indices of mate quality, remains unclear. We explore this possibility in a large representative sample of over 500 men and women aged 15–77 from Canada, Cuba, Norway and the United States. Participants’ own heights were measured, and they indicated their height preferences for a long-term and short-term mate using graphic stimuli containing metric indices. Replicating the “male-taller norm,” participants on average preferred taller-than-average male mates, and shorter-than-average female mates. Positive assortative preferences for height were observed across sexes and samples, however the strength of these height preferences varied with relationship context for men, and not for women. Taller men preferred relatively shorter women for short-term relationships than for long-term relationships, indicating stronger assortative preferences for height in a long-term context. These results provide preliminary evidence that, in addition to mate preferences for other physical traits related to mate quality such as masculinity in the body, face, and voice, assortative preferences for height do vary as a function of expected relationship length, but this was surprisingly only observed in preferences for female height.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katarzyna Pisanski
- Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Laboratoire Dynamique du Language, Université Lyon 2, Lyon, France
- Institute of Psychology, University of Wrocław, Wrocław, Poland
- *Correspondence: Katarzyna Pisanski,
| | | | - Nadir Díaz-Simón
- Interdisciplinary Center on Cognition for Teaching and Learning, University of the Republic, Montevideo, Uruguay
| | - Anna Oleszkiewicz
- Institute of Psychology, University of Wrocław, Wrocław, Poland
- Smell and Taste Clinic, Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany
| | - Adrian Sardinas
- Department of Psychology, University of Western Ontario, London, ON, Canada
| | - Robert Pellegrino
- Smell and Taste Clinic, Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany
- Center for Sensory Science, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN, United States
- Monell Chemical Senses Center, University City Science Center, Philadelphia, PA, United States
| | - Nancy Estevez
- Neurodevelopment Department, Cuban Neurosciences Center, Havana, Cuba
| | - Emanuel C. Mora
- Department of Animal and Human Biology, University of Havana, Havana, Cuba
| | - Curtis R. Luckett
- Center for Sensory Science, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN, United States
| | - David R. Feinberg
- Department of Psychology, Neuroscience and Behaviour, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, Canada
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Mandal DK, Kumar M, Tyagi S. Non-gonadal linear type traits can discriminate reproductive ability of breeding dairy bulls. Reprod Domest Anim 2022; 57:505-514. [PMID: 35076961 DOI: 10.1111/rda.14087] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/25/2021] [Accepted: 01/21/2022] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Linear type traits are easily measurable phenotypic characteristics that help breed characterization, selection of animals for breeding and found to be associated with animals' performance. Unlike cows, there have been limited studies linking body linear traits with male reproductive ability and semen cryo-preservability of breeding bulls. Present study reported the age related changes in body linear type traits in Frieswal (N=378) dairy bulls and its relevance with reproductive potentials of breeding bulls. Our results indicated that body frame size traits were significantly and positively correlated with gonadal linear traits. Among the selected body mophometric parameters body length, chest girth and head circumference were the important body linear type traits having capability to discriminate between bulls of frozen semen doses (FSD) and Non-FSD categories. Discriminant function has been developed based on body linear traits of crossbred dairy bulls to find out males of superior reproductive potentials. Our finding provided evidence that body length (humerous tuberosity to tuber ischii) was the most powerful linear body trait associated with breeding bulls' reproductive ability and semen quality.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dilip Kumar Mandal
- ICAR-Central Institute for Research on Cattle, Uttar Pradesh, Grass Farm Road, Meerut Cantt, India
| | - Mahesh Kumar
- ICAR-Central Institute for Research on Cattle, Uttar Pradesh, Grass Farm Road, Meerut Cantt, India
| | - Shrikant Tyagi
- ICAR-Central Institute for Research on Cattle, Uttar Pradesh, Grass Farm Road, Meerut Cantt, India
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Butovskaya ML, Rostovtseva VV, Mezentseva AA. Facial and body sexual dimorphism are not interconnected in the Maasai. J Physiol Anthropol 2022; 41:3. [PMID: 34996526 PMCID: PMC8740871 DOI: 10.1186/s40101-021-00276-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/04/2021] [Accepted: 12/10/2021] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND In this paper, we investigate facial sexual dimorphism and its' association with body dimorphism in Maasai, the traditional seminomadic population of Tanzania. We discuss findings on other human populations and possible factors affecting the developmental processes in Maasai. METHODS Full-face anthropological photographs were obtained from 305 Maasai (185 men, 120 women) aged 17-90 years. Facial shape was assessed combining geometric morphometrics and classical facial indices. Body parameters were measured directly using precise anthropological instruments. RESULTS Sexual dimorphism in Maasai faces was low, sex explained 1.8% of the total shape variance. However, male faces were relatively narrower and vertically prolonged, with slightly wider noses, narrower-set and lower eyebrows, wider mouths, and higher forehead hairline. The most sexually dimorphic regions of the face were the lower jaw and the nose. Facial width-to-height ratio (fWHR), measured in six known variants, revealed no significant sexual dimorphism. The allometric effects on facial traits were mostly related to the face growth, rather than the growth of the whole body (body height). Significant body dimorphism was demonstrated, men being significantly higher, with larger wrist diameter and hand grip strength, and women having higher BMI, hips circumferences, upper arm circumferences, triceps skinfolds. Facial and body sexual dimorphisms were not associated. CONCLUSIONS Facial sex differences in Maasai are very low, while on the contrary, the body sexual dimorphism is high. There were practically no associations between facial and body measures. These findings are interpreted in the light of trade-offs between environmental, cultural, and sexual selection pressures.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marina L Butovskaya
- Institute of Ethnology and Anthropology, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, 119334, Russia.
- The National Research University Higher School of Economics, Moscow, 101000, Russia.
- Russian State University for the Humanities, Moscow, 125047, Russia.
| | - Victoria V Rostovtseva
- Institute of Ethnology and Anthropology, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, 119334, Russia
| | - Anna A Mezentseva
- Institute of Ethnology and Anthropology, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, 119334, Russia
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Sorokowski P, Oleszkiewicz A, Sorokowska A, Pisanski K. Human height preferences as a function of population size in the Cook Islands and Norway. Am J Hum Biol 2019; 32:e23367. [PMID: 31793702 DOI: 10.1002/ajhb.23367] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/08/2019] [Revised: 10/30/2019] [Accepted: 11/17/2019] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Height preferences and mating patterns related to body size vary across cultures yet it remains unclear why such between-population differences exist. Here, we test a hypothesis that nonrandom assortative mating is negative (mating with nonsimilar partners) in small isolated populations, and positive (mating with similar partners) in larger populations. METHODS We compared preferences for sexual dimorphism in stature (SDS, male height/female height) among men and women living in small isolated communities (as few as 60 inhabitants) vs larger urban areas (as many as 70 000 inhabitants). To increase generalizability, data were collected from heterogeneous populations in the South Pacific (Rarotonga vs Palmerston, Cook Islands) and Northern Europe (capital city of Tromsø vs villages in the Troms County of Norway). RESULTS Norwegians preferred a significantly larger difference in height between partners (median SDS ratio of 1.14) than did Cook Islanders (median SDS ratios of 1-1.04). Indeed, while 30% of Cook Island men and women preferred a partner of the exact same height, this preference was observed among less than 3% of Norwegian men and 7% of Norwegian women. Critically, distributions in SDS preferences did not differ by sex or population size. Thus, rural and urban dwellers within both countries showed similar positive assortative preferences for height, wherein own height explained up to 62% of the variability in preferred partner height. CONCLUSIONS Our results do not support negative assortative preferences in small-scale communities, and further indicate that the "male-taller norm," while weaker among Cook Islanders than Europeans, is observed to some extent in the South Pacific.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Anna Oleszkiewicz
- Institute of Psychology, University of Wroclaw, Wroclaw, Poland.,Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Technical University Dresden, Smell and Taste Center, Dresden, Germany
| | - Agnieszka Sorokowska
- Institute of Psychology, University of Wroclaw, Wroclaw, Poland.,Department of Psychotherapy and Psychosomatic Medicine, Technical University Dresden, Dresden, Germany
| | - Katarzyna Pisanski
- Institute of Psychology, University of Wroclaw, Wroclaw, Poland.,Equipe de Neuro-Ethologie Sensorielle ENES/CRNL, University of Lyon/Saint-Etienne, CNRS UMR5292, INSERM UMR_S 1028, Saint-Etienne, France
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Sex differences in emotion recognition ability: The mediating role of trait emotional awareness. MOTIVATION AND EMOTION 2017. [DOI: 10.1007/s11031-017-9648-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
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Stulp G, Simons MJ, Grasman S, Pollet TV. Assortative mating for human height: A meta-analysis. Am J Hum Biol 2017; 29:e22917. [PMID: 27637175 PMCID: PMC5297874 DOI: 10.1002/ajhb.22917] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/08/2015] [Revised: 05/31/2016] [Accepted: 08/14/2016] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVES The study of assortative mating for height has a rich history in human biology. Although the positive correlation between the stature of spouses has often been noted in western populations, recent papers suggest that mating patterns for stature are not universal. The objective of this paper was to review the published evidence to examine the strength of and universality in assortative mating for height. METHODS We conducted an extensive literature review and meta-analysis. We started with published reviews but also searched through secondary databases. Our search led to 154 correlations of height between partners. We classified the populations as western and non-western based on geography. These correlations were then analyzed via meta-analytic techniques. RESULTS 148 of the correlations for partner heights were positive and the overall analysis indicates moderate positive assortative mating (r = .23). Although assortative mating was slightly stronger in countries that can be described as western compared to non-western, this difference was not statistically significant. We found no evidence for a change in assortative mating for height over time. There was substantial residual heterogeneity in effect sizes and this heterogeneity was most pronounced in western countries. CONCLUSIONS Positive assortative mating for height exists in human populations, but is modest in magnitude suggesting that height is not a major factor in mate choice. Future research is necessary to understand the underlying causes of the large amount of heterogeneity observed in the degree of assortative mating across human populations, which may stem from a combination of methodological and ecological differences.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gert Stulp
- Department of Sociology, University of Groningen / Inter-university Center for Social Science Theory and Methodology (ICS), GroningenThe Netherlands
- Department of Population HealthLondon School of Hygiene and Tropical MedicineLondonUnited Kingdom
| | - Mirre J.P. Simons
- Department of Animal and Plant SciencesUniversity of SheffieldSheffieldUnited Kingdom
| | - Sara Grasman
- Department of Experimental and Applied PsychologyVU University AmsterdamAmsterdamThe Netherlands
| | - Thomas V. Pollet
- Department of Experimental and Applied PsychologyVU University AmsterdamAmsterdamThe Netherlands
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Abstract
This study proposed ordered probit models as a methodology to verify the male-taller norm and the male-not-too-tall norm while controlling for other factors. This study confirmed the prevalence of the male-taller and the male-not-too-tall norms in Taiwan. The frequency of the height difference between a husband and wife within the range of 5–15 cm was higher than what would be expected by chance. This range in Taiwan was smaller than the range in the United Kingdom, which may imply that there are preferred height differences between couples that vary across populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hung-Lin Tao
- Department of Economics, Soochow University, Taipei, Taiwan
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