A1 Refereed original research article in a scientific journal
Women's preferences for men's facial masculinity are strongest under favorable ecological conditions
Authors: Urszula M. Marcinkowska, Markus J. Rantala, Anthony J. Lee, Mikhail V. Kozlov, Toivo Aavik, Huajian Cai, Jorge Contreras-Garduño, Oona 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
Publisher: NATURE PUBLISHING GROUP
Publication year: 2019
Journal: Scientific Reports
Journal name in source: SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
Journal acronym: SCI REP-UK
Article number: ARTN 3387
Volume: 9
Number of pages: 10
ISSN: 2045-2322
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-019-39350-8
Self-archived copy’s web address: https://research.utu.fi/converis/portal/detail/Publication/40069235
The 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.
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