Human preferences for sexually dimorphic faces may be
evolutionarily novel

J 2014

Human preferences for sexually dimorphic faces may be evolutionarily novel

SCOTT, Isabel M., Andrew P. CLARK, Steven C. JOSEPHSON, Adam H. BOYETTE, Innes C. CUTHILL et. al.

Basic information

Original name

Human preferences for sexually dimorphic faces may be evolutionarily novel

Authors

SCOTT, Isabel M. (826 United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland), Andrew P. CLARK (826 United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland), Steven C. JOSEPHSON (840 United States of America), Adam H. BOYETTE (840 United States of America), Innes C. CUTHILL (826 United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland), Ruby L. FRIED (840 United States of America), Mhairi A. GIBSON (826 United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland), Barry S. HEWLETT (840 United States of America), Mark JAMIESON (826 United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland), William JANKOWIAK (840 United States of America), Melissa A. LIEBERT (840 United States of America), Benjamin G. PURZYCKI (840 United States of America), John Hayward SHAVER (840 United States of America, guarantor, belonging to the institution), J. Josh SNODGRASS (840 United States of America), Richard SOSIS (840 United States of America), Lawrence S. SUGIYAMA (840 United States of America), Viren SWAMI (826 United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland), Douglas W. YU (826 United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland), Yangke ZHAO (156 China), Ian S. PENTON-VOAK (826 United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland), P. L. HONEY (124 Canada) and Z. HUANG (156 China)

Edition

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, National Academy of Sciences, 2014, 0027-8424

Other information

Language

English

Type of outcome

Článek v odborném periodiku

Field of Study

60300 6.3 Philosophy, Ethics and Religion

Country of publisher

United States of America

Confidentiality degree

není předmětem státního či obchodního tajemství

Impact factor

Impact factor: 9.674

RIV identification code

RIV/00216224:14210/14:00078432

Organization unit

Faculty of Arts

DOI

http://dx.doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1409643111

UT WoS

000342633900034

Keywords in English

aggression; cross-cultural; evolution; facial attractiveness; stereotyping

Abstract

V originále

A large literature proposes that preferences for exaggerated sex typicality in human faces (masculinity/femininity) reflect a long evolutionary history of sexual and social selection. This proposal implies that dimorphism was important to judgments of attractiveness and personality in ancestral environments. It is difficult to evaluate, however, because most available data come from large-scale, industrialized, urban populations. Here, we report the results for 12 populations with very diverse levels of economic development. Surprisingly, preferences for exaggerated sex-specific traits are only found in the novel, highly developed environments. Similarly, perceptions that masculine males look aggressive increase strongly with development and, specifically, urbanization. These data challenge the hypothesis that facial dimorphism was an important ancestral signal of heritable mate value. One possibility is that highly developed environments provide novel opportunities to discern relationships between facial traits and behavior by exposing individuals to large numbers of unfamiliar faces, revealing patterns too subtle to detect with smaller samples.

Links

EE2.3.20.0048, research and development project

Name: Laboratoř pro experimentální výzkum náboženství

Citovat

SCOTT, Isabel M., Andrew P. CLARK, Steven C. JOSEPHSON, Adam H. BOYETTE, Innes C. CUTHILL, Ruby L. FRIED, Mhairi A. GIBSON, Barry S. HEWLETT, Mark JAMIESON, William JANKOWIAK, Melissa A. LIEBERT, Benjamin G. PURZYCKI, John Hayward SHAVER, J. Josh SNODGRASS, Richard SOSIS, Lawrence S. SUGIYAMA, Viren SWAMI, Douglas W. YU, Yangke ZHAO, Ian S. PENTON-VOAK, P. L. HONEY and Z. HUANG. Human preferences for sexually dimorphic faces may be evolutionarily novel. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America. National Academy of Sciences, 2014, vol. 111, No 40, p. 14388-14393. ISSN 0027-8424. Available from: https://dx.doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1409643111.

@article{1216911,
   author = {Scott, Isabel M. and Clark, Andrew P. and Josephson, Steven C. and Boyette, Adam H. and Cuthill, Innes C. and Fried, Ruby L. and Gibson, Mhairi A. and Hewlett, Barry S. and Jamieson, Mark and Jankowiak, William and Liebert, Melissa A. and Purzycki, Benjamin G. and Shaver, John Hayward and Snodgrass, J. Josh and Sosis, Richard and Sugiyama, Lawrence S. and Swami, Viren and Yu, Douglas W. and Zhao, Yangke and PentonandVoak, Ian S. and Honey, P. L. and Huang, Z.},
   article_number = {40},
   doi = {http://dx.doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1409643111},
   keywords = {aggression; cross-cultural; evolution; facial attractiveness; stereotyping},
   language = {eng},
   issn = {0027-8424},
   journal = {Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America},
   title = {Human preferences for sexually dimorphic faces may be evolutionarily novel},
   volume = {111},
   year = {2014}
}

TY  - JOUR
ID  - 1216911
AU  - Scott, Isabel M. - Clark, Andrew P. - Josephson, Steven C. - Boyette, Adam H. - Cuthill, Innes C. - Fried, Ruby L. - Gibson, Mhairi A. - Hewlett, Barry S. - Jamieson, Mark - Jankowiak, William - Liebert, Melissa A. - Purzycki, Benjamin G. - Shaver, John Hayward - Snodgrass, J. Josh - Sosis, Richard - Sugiyama, Lawrence S. - Swami, Viren - Yu, Douglas W. - Zhao, Yangke - Penton-Voak, Ian S. - Honey, P. L. - Huang, Z.
PY  - 2014
TI  - Human preferences for sexually dimorphic faces may be evolutionarily novel
JF  - Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America
VL  - 111
IS  - 40
SP  - 14388-14393
EP  - 14388-14393
PB  - National Academy of Sciences
SN  - 00278424
KW  - aggression
KW  - cross-cultural
KW  - evolution
KW  - facial attractiveness
KW  - stereotyping
N2  - A large literature proposes that preferences for exaggerated sex typicality in human faces (masculinity/femininity) reflect a long evolutionary history of sexual and social selection. This proposal implies that dimorphism was important to judgments of attractiveness and personality in ancestral environments. It is difficult to evaluate, however, because most available data come from large-scale, industrialized, urban populations. Here, we report the results for 12 populations with very diverse levels of economic development. Surprisingly, preferences for exaggerated sex-specific traits are only found in the novel, highly developed environments. Similarly, perceptions that masculine males look aggressive increase strongly with development and, specifically, urbanization. These data challenge the hypothesis that facial dimorphism was an important ancestral signal of heritable mate value. One possibility is that highly developed environments provide novel opportunities to discern relationships between facial traits and behavior by exposing individuals to large numbers of unfamiliar faces, revealing patterns too subtle to detect with smaller samples.
ER  -

SCOTT, Isabel M., Andrew P. CLARK, Steven C. JOSEPHSON, Adam H. BOYETTE, Innes C. CUTHILL, Ruby L. FRIED, Mhairi A. GIBSON, Barry S. HEWLETT, Mark JAMIESON, William JANKOWIAK, Melissa A. LIEBERT, Benjamin G. PURZYCKI, John Hayward SHAVER, J. Josh SNODGRASS, Richard SOSIS, Lawrence S. SUGIYAMA, Viren SWAMI, Douglas W. YU, Yangke ZHAO, Ian S. PENTON-VOAK, P. L. HONEY and Z. HUANG. Human preferences for sexually dimorphic faces may be evolutionarily novel. \textit{Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America}. National Academy of Sciences, 2014, vol.~111, No~40, p.~14388-14393. ISSN~0027-8424. Available from: https://dx.doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1409643111.

Detailed Information on Publication Record