Women’s preferences for men’s facial masculinity are strongest under favorable ecological conditions

Urszula M. Marcinkowska; Markus J. Rantala; Anthony J. Lee; Mikhail V. Kozlov; Toivo Aavik; Huajian Cai; Jorge Contreras-Garduño; Oana A. David; Gwenaël Kaminski; Norman P. Li; Ike E. Onyishi; Keshav Prasai; Farid Pazhoohi; Pavol Prokop; Sandra L.Rosales Cardozo; Nicolle Sydney; Hirokazu Taniguchi; Indrikis Krams; Barnaby J.W. Dixson

doi:10.1038/s41598-019-39350-8

Women’s preferences for men’s facial masculinity are strongest under favorable ecological conditions

Urszula M. Marcinkowska, Markus J. Rantala, Anthony J. Lee, Mikhail V. Kozlov, Toivo Aavik, Huajian Cai, Jorge Contreras-Garduño, Oana A. David, Gwenaël Kaminski, Norman P. Li, Ike E. Onyishi, Keshav Prasai, Farid Pazhoohi, Pavol Prokop, Sandra L.Rosales Cardozo, Nicolle Sydney, Hirokazu Taniguchi, Indrikis Krams, Barnaby J.W. Dixson^*

^*Corresponding author for this work

School of Psychology

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

Abstract

AbstractThe strength of sexual selection on secondary sexual traits varies depending on prevailing economic and ecological conditions. In humans, cross-cultural evidence suggests women’s preferences for men’s testosterone dependent masculine facial traits are stronger under conditions where health is compromised, male mortality rates are higher and economic development is higher. Here we use a sample of 4483 exclusively heterosexual women from 34 countries and employ mixed effects modelling to test how social, ecological and economic variables predict women’s facial masculinity preferences. We report women’s preferences for more masculine looking men are stronger in countries with higher sociosexuality and where national health indices and human development indices are higher, while no associations were found between preferences and indices of intra-sexual competition. Our results show that women’s preferences for masculine faces are stronger under conditions where offspring survival is higher and economic conditions are more favorable.

Original language	English
Number of pages	0
Journal	Scientific Reports
Volume	9
Issue number	1
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-019-39350-8
Publication status	E-pub ahead of print - 4 Mar 2019

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

Access to Document

10.1038/s41598-019-39350-8

Cite this

Marcinkowska, U. M., Rantala, M. J., Lee, A. J., Kozlov, M. V., Aavik, T., Cai, H., Contreras-Garduño, J., David, O. A., Kaminski, G., Li, N. P., Onyishi, I. E., Prasai, K., Pazhoohi, F., Prokop, P., Cardozo, S. L. R., Sydney, N., Taniguchi, H., Krams, I., & Dixson, B. J. W. (2019). Women’s preferences for men’s facial masculinity are strongest under favorable ecological conditions. Scientific Reports, 9(1). Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-019-39350-8

@article{f06fa91bb00b4ecdb6d3ca2e5924148d,

title = "Women{\textquoteright}s preferences for men{\textquoteright}s facial masculinity are strongest under favorable ecological conditions",

abstract = "AbstractThe strength of sexual selection on secondary sexual traits varies depending on prevailing economic and ecological conditions. In humans, cross-cultural evidence suggests women{\textquoteright}s preferences for men{\textquoteright}s testosterone dependent masculine facial traits are stronger under conditions where health is compromised, male mortality rates are higher and economic development is higher. Here we use a sample of 4483 exclusively heterosexual women from 34 countries and employ mixed effects modelling to test how social, ecological and economic variables predict women{\textquoteright}s facial masculinity preferences. We report women{\textquoteright}s preferences for more masculine looking men are stronger in countries with higher sociosexuality and where national health indices and human development indices are higher, while no associations were found between preferences and indices of intra-sexual competition. Our results show that women{\textquoteright}s preferences for masculine faces are stronger under conditions where offspring survival is higher and economic conditions are more favorable.",

author = "Marcinkowska, {Urszula M.} and Rantala, {Markus J.} and Lee, {Anthony J.} and Kozlov, {Mikhail V.} and Toivo Aavik and Huajian Cai and Jorge Contreras-Gardu{\~n}o and David, {Oana A.} and Gwena{\"e}l Kaminski and Li, {Norman P.} and Onyishi, {Ike E.} and Keshav Prasai and Farid Pazhoohi and Pavol Prokop and Cardozo, {Sandra L.Rosales} and Nicolle Sydney and Hirokazu Taniguchi and Indrikis Krams and Dixson, {Barnaby J.W.}",

year = "2019",

month = mar,

day = "4",

doi = "10.1038/s41598-019-39350-8",

language = "English",

volume = "9",

journal = "Scientific Reports",

issn = "2045-2322",

publisher = "Nature Publishing Group",

number = "1",

}

Marcinkowska, UM, Rantala, MJ, Lee, AJ, Kozlov, MV, Aavik, T, Cai, H, Contreras-Garduño, J, David, OA, Kaminski, G, Li, NP, Onyishi, IE, Prasai, K, Pazhoohi, F, Prokop, P, Cardozo, SLR, Sydney, N, Taniguchi, H, Krams, I & Dixson, BJW 2019, 'Women’s preferences for men’s facial masculinity are strongest under favorable ecological conditions', Scientific Reports, vol. 9, no. 1. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-019-39350-8

TY - JOUR

T1 - Women’s preferences for men’s facial masculinity are strongest under favorable ecological conditions

AU - Marcinkowska, Urszula M.

AU - Rantala, Markus J.

AU - Lee, Anthony J.

AU - Kozlov, Mikhail V.

AU - Aavik, Toivo

AU - Cai, Huajian

AU - Contreras-Garduño, Jorge

AU - David, Oana A.

AU - Kaminski, Gwenaël

AU - Li, Norman P.

AU - Onyishi, Ike E.

AU - Prasai, Keshav

AU - Pazhoohi, Farid

AU - Prokop, Pavol

AU - Cardozo, Sandra L.Rosales

AU - Sydney, Nicolle

AU - Taniguchi, Hirokazu

AU - Krams, Indrikis

AU - Dixson, Barnaby J.W.

PY - 2019/3/4

Y1 - 2019/3/4

N2 - AbstractThe strength of sexual selection on secondary sexual traits varies depending on prevailing economic and ecological conditions. In humans, cross-cultural evidence suggests women’s preferences for men’s testosterone dependent masculine facial traits are stronger under conditions where health is compromised, male mortality rates are higher and economic development is higher. Here we use a sample of 4483 exclusively heterosexual women from 34 countries and employ mixed effects modelling to test how social, ecological and economic variables predict women’s facial masculinity preferences. We report women’s preferences for more masculine looking men are stronger in countries with higher sociosexuality and where national health indices and human development indices are higher, while no associations were found between preferences and indices of intra-sexual competition. Our results show that women’s preferences for masculine faces are stronger under conditions where offspring survival is higher and economic conditions are more favorable.

AB - AbstractThe strength of sexual selection on secondary sexual traits varies depending on prevailing economic and ecological conditions. In humans, cross-cultural evidence suggests women’s preferences for men’s testosterone dependent masculine facial traits are stronger under conditions where health is compromised, male mortality rates are higher and economic development is higher. Here we use a sample of 4483 exclusively heterosexual women from 34 countries and employ mixed effects modelling to test how social, ecological and economic variables predict women’s facial masculinity preferences. We report women’s preferences for more masculine looking men are stronger in countries with higher sociosexuality and where national health indices and human development indices are higher, while no associations were found between preferences and indices of intra-sexual competition. Our results show that women’s preferences for masculine faces are stronger under conditions where offspring survival is higher and economic conditions are more favorable.

U2 - 10.1038/s41598-019-39350-8

DO - 10.1038/s41598-019-39350-8

M3 - Article

SN - 2045-2322

VL - 9

JO - Scientific Reports

JF - Scientific Reports

IS - 1

ER -

Women’s preferences for men’s facial masculinity are strongest under favorable ecological conditions

Abstract

UN SDGs

Access to Document

Fingerprint

Cite this