Contest competition and men's facial hair: beards may not provide advantages in combat

Barnaby J W Dixson; James M Sherlock; William K Cornwell; Michael M Kasumovic

doi:10.1016/j.evolhumbehav.2017.11.004

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Contest competition and men's facial hair: beards may not provide advantages in combat

Journal article

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Contest competition and men's facial hair: beards may not provide advantages in combat

Barnaby J W Dixson, James M Sherlock, William K Cornwell and Michael M Kasumovic

Evolution and Human Behavior, Vol.39(2), pp.147-153

2018

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.evolhumbehav.2017.11.004

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Abstract

secual selection

intra-sexual competition

facial hair

human evolution

In contemporary human societies, where direct male-male competition is reduced compared to ancestral societies, sporting competitions remain an avenue for status acquisition via intra-sexual competition. Beards are the most visually salient and sexually dimorphic of men's secondary sexual traits and play a strong role in communicating masculinity, dominance and aggressiveness intra-sexually. Hypotheses have been advanced that beards provide advantages in intra-sexual combat, as protective organs and honest signals of fighting ability. Here we provide the first test of these hypotheses using data from professional mixed martial arts fighters competing in the Ultimate Fighting Championship. We explored whether secondary sexual traits (height, weight, beardedness), fighting stance (southpaw, orthodox), arm reach and past contest experiences impact on contest outcomes. If beards function as protective organs, bearded fighters should succumb to fewer knock-outs, and hence protection to injuries to the jaw, fewer abrasions and lacerations to the face and brain damage than clean-shaven fighters. Alternatively, if beards signal fighting ability then bearded fighters should win more fights. We found no evidence that beardedness was associated with fewer losses by knock-out or greater fighter ability. While fighters with longer reaches won more fights, neither stance nor past experience influenced fight outcomes. We suggest that beards represent dishonest signals of formidability that may serve to curtail the escalation of intra-sexual conflict through intimidation rather than providing advantages in direct combat.

Details

Title: Contest competition and men's facial hair: beards may not provide advantages in combat
Authors: Barnaby J W Dixson (Author) - The University of Queensland
James M Sherlock (Author) - The University of Queensland
William K Cornwell (Author) - UNSW Australia
Michael M Kasumovic (Author) - UNSW Australia
Publication details: Evolution and Human Behavior, Vol.39(2), pp.147-153
Publisher: Elsevier Inc.
Date published: 2018
DOI: 10.1016/j.evolhumbehav.2017.11.004
ISSN: 1879-0607; 1090-5138
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: 99629738902621
Output Type: Journal article

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Collaboration types: Domestic collaboration
Web Of Science research areas: Behavioral Sciences; Psychology, Biological; Social Sciences, Biomedical