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A multivariate analysis of women's mating strategies and sexual selection on men's facial morphology1.27 MB
Published VersionCC BY V4.0, Open Access
Journal article
A multivariate analysis of women's mating strategies and sexual selection on men's facial morphology
Royal Society Open Science, Vol.7(1), pp.1-21
2020
PMCID: PMC7029899
PMID: 32218951
Abstract
The strength and direction of sexual selection via female choice on masculine facial traits in men is a paradox in human mate choice research. While masculinity may communicate benefits to women and offspring directly (i.e. resources) or indirectly (i.e. health), masculine men may be costly as long-term partners owing to lower paternal investment. Mating strategy theory suggests women's preferences for masculine traits are strongest when the costs associated with masculinity are reduced. This study takes a multivariate approach to testing whether women's mate preferences are context-dependent. Women (n = 919) rated attractiveness when considering long-term and short-term relationships for male faces varying in beardedness (clean-shaven and full beards) and facial masculinity (30% and 60% feminized, unmanipulated, 30% and 60% masculinized). Participants then completed scales measuring pathogen, sexual and moral disgust, disgust towards ectoparasites, reproductive ambition, self-perceived mate value and the facial hair in partners and fathers. In contrast to past research, we found no associations between pathogen disgust, self-perceived mate value or reproductive ambition and facial masculinity preferences. However, we found a significant positive association between moral disgust and preferences for masculine faces and bearded faces. Preferences for beards were lower among women with higher ectoparasite disgust, providing evidence for ectoparasite avoidance hypothesis. However, women reporting higher pathogen disgust gave higher attractiveness ratings for bearded faces than women reporting lower pathogen disgust, providing support for parasite-stress theories of sexual selection and mate choice. Preferences for beards were also highest among single and married women with the strongest reproductive ambition. Overall, our results reflect mixed associations between individual differences in mating strategies and women's mate preferences for masculine facial traits.
Details
- Title
- A multivariate analysis of women's mating strategies and sexual selection on men's facial morphology
- Authors
- Tessa R Clarkson (Author) - The University of QueenslandMorgan J Sidari (Author) - The University of QueenslandRosanna Sains (Author) - The University of QueenslandMeredith Alexander (Author) - The University of QueenslandMelissa Harrison (Author) - The University of QueenslandValeriya Mefodeva (Author) - The University of QueenslandSamuel Pearson (Author) - The University of QueenslandAnthony J Lee (Author) - University of StirlingBarnaby J W Dixson (Author) - The University of Queensland
- Publication details
- Royal Society Open Science, Vol.7(1), pp.1-21
- Publisher
- The Royal Society Publishing
- Date published
- 2020
- DOI
- 10.1098/rsos.191209
- ISSN
- 2054-5703
- PMID
- 32218951; PMC7029899
- Copyright note
- © 2020 The Authors. Published by the Royal Society under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/, which permits unrestricted use, provided the original author and source are credited.
- Organisation Unit
- Australian Centre for Pacific Islands Research; University of the Sunshine Coast, Queensland; School of Health - Psychology; School of Health and Behavioural Sciences - Legacy
- Language
- English
- Record Identifier
- 99629740402621
- Output Type
- Journal article
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- Collaboration types
- Domestic collaboration
- International collaboration
- Web Of Science research areas
- Behavioral Sciences