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Evolutionary Psychology, Lecture 6: Female Mate Preferences
In humans the presence or absence of head and facial hair provide strong social/sexual signals. Facial hair is generated at puberty in the presence of testosterone and rate of beard growth is positively related to androgen levels. It has been suggested that facial hair may have evolved as a dominance signal as it increases the apparent size of the jaw, itself a male secondary sexual characteristic. Males with facial hair are rated as being more masculine, strong, potent, dominant and courageous, but also as lacking in self-control, dirty, aggressive and reckless (Reed & Blunk, 1990). Studies assessing the effects of facial hair and attractiveness reveal conflicting findings, women often state that they do not find male facial hair attractive but one study which manipulated the extent of facial hair in Identikit pictures found that attractiveness ratings increased as the quantity of facial hair increased (Hatfield & Sprecher, 1986). There may be large cultural differences in this respect as in some cultures a moustache is a masculine status symbol, while in others it is viewed in negative terms.
Muscarella & Cunningham (1996) suggested that male pattern baldness evolved as a signal of aging and social maturity whereby aggression and risk-taking decrease and nurturing behaviours increase. This may signal a male with enhanced social status but reduced physical threat. In their study males and females viewed 6 male models with different levels of facial hair (beard and moustache or clean-) and cranial hair (full head of hair, receding and bald). Participants rated each combination on 32 adjectives related to social perceptions. Males with facial hair and those with bald or receding hair were rated as being older than those who were clean-shaven, or had a full head of hair. Beards and a full head of hair were also seen as being more aggressive and less socially mature, baldness was associated with less attractiveness and more social maturity.
thoughts?
In humans the presence or absence of head and facial hair provide strong social/sexual signals. Facial hair is generated at puberty in the presence of testosterone and rate of beard growth is positively related to androgen levels. It has been suggested that facial hair may have evolved as a dominance signal as it increases the apparent size of the jaw, itself a male secondary sexual characteristic. Males with facial hair are rated as being more masculine, strong, potent, dominant and courageous, but also as lacking in self-control, dirty, aggressive and reckless (Reed & Blunk, 1990). Studies assessing the effects of facial hair and attractiveness reveal conflicting findings, women often state that they do not find male facial hair attractive but one study which manipulated the extent of facial hair in Identikit pictures found that attractiveness ratings increased as the quantity of facial hair increased (Hatfield & Sprecher, 1986). There may be large cultural differences in this respect as in some cultures a moustache is a masculine status symbol, while in others it is viewed in negative terms.
Muscarella & Cunningham (1996) suggested that male pattern baldness evolved as a signal of aging and social maturity whereby aggression and risk-taking decrease and nurturing behaviours increase. This may signal a male with enhanced social status but reduced physical threat. In their study males and females viewed 6 male models with different levels of facial hair (beard and moustache or clean-) and cranial hair (full head of hair, receding and bald). Participants rated each combination on 32 adjectives related to social perceptions. Males with facial hair and those with bald or receding hair were rated as being older than those who were clean-shaven, or had a full head of hair. Beards and a full head of hair were also seen as being more aggressive and less socially mature, baldness was associated with less attractiveness and more social maturity.
thoughts?
