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Weirich M, Simpson AP, Knutti N. Effects of testosterone on speech production and perception: Linking hormone levels in males to vocal cues and female voice attractiveness ratings. Physiol Behav 2024; 283:114615. [PMID: 38880296 DOI: 10.1016/j.physbeh.2024.114615] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/27/2024] [Revised: 06/10/2024] [Accepted: 06/13/2024] [Indexed: 06/18/2024]
Abstract
This study sets out to investigate the potential effect of males' testosterone level on speech production and speech perception. Regarding speech production, we investigate intra- and inter-individual variation in mean fundamental frequency (fo) and formant frequencies and highlight the potential interacting effect of another hormone, i.e. cortisol. In addition, we investigate the influence of different speech materials on the relationship between testosterone and speech production. Regarding speech perception, we investigate the potential effect of individual differences in males' testosterone level on ratings of attractiveness of female voices. In the production study, data is gathered from 30 healthy adult males ranging from 19 to 27 years (mean age: 22.4, SD: 2.2) who recorded their voices and provided saliva samples at 9 am, 12 noon and 3 pm on a single day. Speech material consists of sustained vowels, counting, read speech and a free description of pictures. Biological measures comprise speakers' height, grip strength, and hormone levels (testosterone and cortisol). In the perception study, participants were asked to rate the attractiveness of female voice stimuli (sentence stimulus, same-speaker pairs) that were manipulated in three steps regarding mean fo and formant frequencies. Regarding speech production, our results show that testosterone affected mean fo (but not formants) both within and between speakers. This relationship was weakened in speakers with high cortisol levels and depended on the speech material. Regarding speech perception, we found female stimuli with higher mean fo and formants to be rated as sounding more attractive than stimuli with lower mean fo and formants. Moreover, listeners with low testosterone showed an increased sensitivity to vocal cues of female attractiveness. While our results of the production study support earlier findings of a relationship between testosterone and mean fo in males (which is mediated by cortisol), they also highlight the relevance of the speech material: The effect of testosterone was strongest in sustained vowels, potentially due to a strengthened effect of hormones on physiologically strongly influenced tasks such as sustained vowels in contrast to more free speech tasks such as a picture description. The perception study is the first to show an effect of males' testosterone level on female attractiveness ratings using voice stimuli.
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Affiliation(s)
- Melanie Weirich
- Institute for German Linguistics, Friedrich Schiller University, Jena, Germany.
| | - Adrian P Simpson
- Institute for German Linguistics, Friedrich Schiller University, Jena, Germany
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Arnocky S, Davis AC. Do lifestyle and hormonal variables explain links between health and facial attractiveness? Front Psychol 2024; 15:1404387. [PMID: 39205978 PMCID: PMC11349710 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2024.1404387] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/21/2024] [Accepted: 07/09/2024] [Indexed: 09/04/2024] Open
Abstract
Introduction Facial attractiveness has recently been considered an indicator of underlying immunocompetence. However, studies examining this relationship have yielded mixed findings. Previous research suggested that these discrepant findings could be due to the common influence of lifestyle factors upon both rated facial attractiveness and health. Methods Young men (N = 162) provided standardized facial photos with a neutral expression subsequently rated by eight women for overall attractiveness. Saliva was assayed for immunoglobulin A, testosterone (T) and cortisol (C), and body fat was measured using a skinfold caliper. Self-reports of poor health, and lifestyle factors that could influence health status (age, sleep habits, smoking, drinking alcohol, family stress, and exercising) were collected. Results Results showed that symptoms of poor health and skinfold negatively predicted facial attractiveness. There was a modest but statistically non-significant T x C interaction where higher T lower C men trended toward having more attractive faces. A sequential mediation model examining the influence of lifestyle showed support for an indirect effect on facial attractiveness. Specifically, skinfold and poor health symptoms mediated the links between exercise, stress, and facial attractiveness. Discussion These findings suggest links between facial attractiveness and immunocompetence could be linked to some common lifestyle and hormonal variables, but that more comprehensive research involving lifestyle indicators (such as nutrition) are necessary.
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Affiliation(s)
- Steven Arnocky
- Human Evolution Laboratory, Department of Psychology, Nipissing University, North Bay, ON, Canada
| | - Adam C. Davis
- Department of Social Sciences, Canadore College, North Bay, ON, Canada
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Gao K, van der Heide W, Muijderman D, Nichols S, Karwal C, Kuperus P, Groot AT. Ecological immunology: do sexual attraction and immunity trade-off through a desaturase? INSECT SCIENCE 2024. [PMID: 38769890 DOI: 10.1111/1744-7917.13379] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/13/2024] [Revised: 04/08/2024] [Accepted: 04/25/2024] [Indexed: 05/22/2024]
Abstract
Given the limited availability of resources in nature, sexual attractiveness may trade off with immunocompetence, as the immunocompetence handicap hypothesis (ICHH) posits. In invertebrates, a direct link between trade-offs through hormonal/molecular effectors in sexual signals and immunity has not been found so far. Here, we assessed how variation in sexual signals affected parasite infection in two sex pheromone selected lines of the moth Chloridea virescens: an attractive line with a low ratio of 16:Ald/Z11-16:Ald and an unattractive line with a high ratio. When infecting these lines with an apicomplexan parasite, we found that the attractive Low line was significantly more susceptible to the parasite infection than the unattractive High line. Since the ratio difference between these two lines is determined by a delta-11-desturase, we hypothesized that this desaturase may have a dual role, i.e., in the quality of the sexual signal as well as an involvement in immune response, comparable to testosterone in vertebrates. However, when we used CRISPR/cas9 to knockout delta-11-desturase in the attractive Low line, we found that the pheromonal phenotype did change to that of the High line, but the infection susceptibility did not. Notably, when checking the genomic location of delta-11-desaturase in the C. virescens, we found that mucin is adjacent to delta-11-desaturase. When comparing the mucin sequences in both lines, we found four nonsynonymous SNPs in the coding sequence, as well as intronic variation between the two lines. These differences suggest that genetic hitchhiking may explain the variation in susceptibility to parasitic infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ke Gao
- Institute for Biodiversity and Ecosystem Dynamics, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, California, USA
| | - Wout van der Heide
- Institute for Biodiversity and Ecosystem Dynamics, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
- Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York, USA
| | - Daphne Muijderman
- Institute for Biodiversity and Ecosystem Dynamics, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Sarah Nichols
- Institute for Biodiversity and Ecosystem Dynamics, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | | | - Peter Kuperus
- Institute for Biodiversity and Ecosystem Dynamics, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Astrid T Groot
- Institute for Biodiversity and Ecosystem Dynamics, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
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Anticoli S, Dorrucci M, Iessi E, Chiarotti F, Di Prinzio RR, Vinci MR, Zaffina S, Puro V, Colavita F, Mizzoni K, Meschi S, Vonesch N, Albano C, Ortona E, Ruggieri A, Tomao P. Association between sex hormones and anti-S/RBD antibody responses to COVID-19 vaccines in healthcare workers. Hum Vaccin Immunother 2023; 19:2273697. [PMID: 37961893 PMCID: PMC10760357 DOI: 10.1080/21645515.2023.2273697] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/05/2023] [Accepted: 10/18/2023] [Indexed: 11/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Healthcare workers (HCWs) are the target population for vaccination against coronavirus disease (COVID-19) as they are at a high risk of exposure and transmission of pathogens to patients. Neutralizing antibodies developed after COVID-19 vaccination decline within few months of vaccination. Several factors, including age and sex, can affect the intensity, efficacy, and duration of immune response to vaccines. However, sex-specific analyses of humoral responses to COVID-19 vaccines are lacking. This study aimed to evaluate sex-based differences in anti-S/RBD (Receptor Binding Domain) responses at three different time points after the second dose of mRNA COVID-19 vaccine in HCWs in relation to age, and to investigate the role of sex hormones as potential markers of response. Anti-S/RBD levels after two doses of the mRNA vaccine were collected from 521 HCWs naïve to COVID-19, working at two Italian Clinical Centers. Multiple regression analysis was applied to evaluate the association between anti-S levels and sex, age, and plasma levels of sex hormones. Significantly higher anti-S/RBD response to the COVID-19 vaccination was found in female HCWs, and a significant and more abrupt decline in response with time was observed in women than that in men. A novel, positive association of testosterone plasma levels and higher anti-S levels in male HCWs was found, suggesting its potential role as sex specific marker in males. In conclusion, understanding the sex-based differences in humoral immune responses to vaccines may potentially improve vaccination strategies and optimize surveillance programs for HCWs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Simona Anticoli
- Reference Center for Gender-specific Medicine, Istituto Superiore di Sanità [Italian National Institute of Health], Rome, Italy
| | - Maria Dorrucci
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Istituto Superiore di Sanità [Italian National Institute of Health], Rome, Italy
| | - Elisabetta Iessi
- Reference Center for Gender-specific Medicine, Istituto Superiore di Sanità [Italian National Institute of Health], Rome, Italy
| | - Flavia Chiarotti
- Reference Center for the Behavioural Sciences and Mental Health, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, [Italian National Institute of Health], Rome, Italy
| | | | - Maria Rosaria Vinci
- Occupational Medicine Unit, IRCCS Bambino Gesù Children’s Hospital, Rome, Italy
| | - Salvatore Zaffina
- Occupational Medicine Unit, IRCCS Bambino Gesù Children’s Hospital, Rome, Italy
| | - Vincenzo Puro
- UOC Emerging Infections and CRAIDS, National Institute for Infectious Diseases L. Spallanzani IRCSS, Rome, Italy
| | - Francesca Colavita
- UOC Lab of Virology, National Institute for Infectious Diseases L. Spallanzani IRCSS, Rome, Italy
| | - Klizia Mizzoni
- UOC Lab of Virology, National Institute for Infectious Diseases L. Spallanzani IRCSS, Rome, Italy
| | - Silvia Meschi
- UOC Lab of Virology, National Institute for Infectious Diseases L. Spallanzani IRCSS, Rome, Italy
| | - Nicoletta Vonesch
- Department of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Epidemiology and Hygiene, Italian Workers’ Compensation Authority (INAIL), Monte Porzio Catone, Rome, Italy
| | - Christian Albano
- B cell Lab, Immunology Research Area, Bambino Gesù Children’s Hospital, Rome, Italy
| | - Elena Ortona
- Reference Center for Gender-specific Medicine, Istituto Superiore di Sanità [Italian National Institute of Health], Rome, Italy
| | - Anna Ruggieri
- Reference Center for Gender-specific Medicine, Istituto Superiore di Sanità [Italian National Institute of Health], Rome, Italy
| | - Paola Tomao
- Department of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Epidemiology and Hygiene, Italian Workers’ Compensation Authority (INAIL), Monte Porzio Catone, Rome, Italy
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Martínez-Ramírez J, Puts D, Nieto J, G-Santoyo I. Effects of facial skin pigmentation on social judgments in a Mexican population. PLoS One 2023; 18:e0279858. [PMID: 38032952 PMCID: PMC10688750 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0279858] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/16/2022] [Accepted: 10/12/2023] [Indexed: 12/02/2023] Open
Abstract
People quickly and involuntarily form impressions of others based on their facial physical attributes, which can modulate critical social interactions. Skin pigmentation is one of the most variable and conspicuous facial traits among human populations. Empirical evidence suggests that these variations reflect ancestral ecological selective pressures balancing cutaneous vitamin D synthesis with the protection of the dermis from ultraviolet radiation. Nevertheless, skin pigmentation may currently be subject to additional selective pressures. For instance, the colonial era in Central and South America developed a highly stratified society based on ethnic origins, and light skin pigmentation became associated with higher social status and deference. This association could have originated through historical social learning that promoted favorable social perceptions towards individuals with lighter skin color and unfavorable perceptions towards individuals with darker skin color, which could still be present in the perception of current populations. Facial skin pigmentation is also sexually dimorphic, with males tending to exhibit darker skin than females, a difference that could be driven by sexual selection. To explore whether social learning and sexual selection represent additional selective pressures on skin pigmentation, we tested how this facial trait influences fundamental social perceptions in a Mexican population (N = 700, 489 female). We sampled facial images of eight European American males with natural lighter facial skin and eight males from an indigenous pre-Columbian community from Mexico, the Me'Phaa, with natural darker facial skin. We produced stimuli from these images by varying the skin pigmentation while preserving the facial shape. Stimuli were rated on attractiveness, trustworthiness, perceived health, dominance, aggressiveness, and femininity/masculinity. We found that the natural light-skinned faces were perceived as more attractive, trustworthy, and healthy but less dominant than the natural dark faces. Furthermore, by varying the facial skin color in these original groups, we altered the perceptions of them, mainly their attractiveness. These results partially support the hypothesis that dark facial skin color may help males compete for mates. Also, the results strongly support the view that lighter facial skin color became associated with social benefits through social learning in this Mexican population. Our findings, when viewed through the lens of cultural evolution, align with previous research in social psychology and anthropology. They hold the potential to offer a comprehensive understanding of the origin of this social phenomenon of cultural transmission, which currently plays a role in the formation of racial attitudes, stereotyping, and racial inequality in Mexican and other Latin American populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jaaziel Martínez-Ramírez
- Faculty of Psychology, Neuroecology Laboratory, National Autonomous University of Mexico, Mexico City, Mexico
| | - David Puts
- Department of Anthropology and Center for Human Evolution and Diversity, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, College Township, Pennsylvania, United States of America
| | - Javier Nieto
- Faculty of Psychology, Laboratory of Learning and Adaptation, National Autonomous University of Mexico, Mexico City, Mexico
| | - Isaac G-Santoyo
- Faculty of Psychology, Neuroecology Laboratory, National Autonomous University of Mexico, Mexico City, Mexico
- Unidad de Investigación en Psicobiología y Neurociencias, National Autonomous University of Mexico, Mexico City, Mexico
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Garza R, Byrd-Craven J. Women's Mating Strategies and Mate Value Are Associated with Viewing Time to Facial Masculinity. ARCHIVES OF SEXUAL BEHAVIOR 2023:10.1007/s10508-023-02621-7. [PMID: 37245165 DOI: 10.1007/s10508-023-02621-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/09/2022] [Revised: 05/09/2023] [Accepted: 05/11/2023] [Indexed: 05/29/2023]
Abstract
Sexual selection has shaped women's preferences for ideal physical features in men that signal good health. Facial masculinity is often used as a proxy in signaling health, viability, and disease resistance, and it is thought to be attractive because it advertises heritable benefits. Preferences for facial masculinity are also associated with individual differences in one's sociosexuality and mate value, where women oriented toward a short-term mating orientation and are of high mate value may prefer men with masculine features. The current study examined women's sociosexuality and mate value (i.e., self-rating of overall desirability) in rating attractiveness and visual attention to facial masculinity in men's faces using an eye-tracking task. Overall, women (N = 72) did not show any significant preferences for men with masculinized over feminized faces. However, women who scored high on sociosexuality (i.e., unrestricted sociosexuality) and mate value demonstrated increased visual attention and looking frequency to masculinized over feminized faces. The study highlights the unique role of cognitive mechanisms in visually assessing a potential mate and how individual differences in short-term mating strategies and mate value may moderate those preferences. These findings underscore the importance of examining individual differences in mate preferences research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ray Garza
- Department of Psychology and Communication, Texas A&M International University, 5201 University Blvd., Laredo, TX, 78041, USA.
| | - Jennifer Byrd-Craven
- The Oklahoma Center for Evolutionary Analysis (OCEAN), Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, OK, USA
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Dlouhá D, Roberts SC, Hlaváčová J, Nouzová K, Kaňková Š. Longitudinal changes in disgust sensitivity during pregnancy and the early postpartum period, and the role of recent health problems. Sci Rep 2023; 13:4752. [PMID: 36959238 PMCID: PMC10036647 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-31060-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/16/2022] [Accepted: 03/06/2023] [Indexed: 03/25/2023] Open
Abstract
Disgust is an essential part of the behavioral immune system, protecting the individual from infection. According to the Compensatory Prophylaxis Hypothesis (CPH), disgust sensitivity increases in times of immunosuppression, potentially including pregnancy. We aimed to replicate a previous study observing longitudinal changes in disgust sensitivity in pregnant women. Additionally, for the first time, we explored how recent health problems influence these changes. To do this, we obtained disgust sensitivity measures from 94 women in each trimester and in early postpartum. In contrast to the original study, where disgust sensitivity was highest in the first trimester, we found that overall and animal reminder disgust increased across pregnancy and after birth. In line with the CPH, women who were recently sick in the first trimester had elevated disgust sensitivity at that time. Although disgust sensitivity was significantly higher in the second trimester and postpartum period compared to the first trimester in mothers pregnant with a male fetus, the overall results regarding the effect of fetus sex on disgust sensitivity were mixed. It seems that changing levels of disgust sensitivity during pregnancy and postpartum result from a suite of physiological and psychological changes that occur during this sensitive period of a woman's life.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniela Dlouhá
- Department of Philosophy and History of Science, Faculty of Science, Charles University, Prague, Czech Republic.
| | - S Craig Roberts
- Division of Psychology, University of Stirling, Stirling, Scotland, United Kingdom
| | - Jana Hlaváčová
- Department of Philosophy and History of Science, Faculty of Science, Charles University, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Kamila Nouzová
- ProfiGyn, S.R.O., Municipal Health Centre Prague, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Šárka Kaňková
- Department of Philosophy and History of Science, Faculty of Science, Charles University, Prague, Czech Republic
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Testosterone, estradiol, and immune response in women. ADAPTIVE HUMAN BEHAVIOR AND PHYSIOLOGY 2022. [DOI: 10.1007/s40750-022-00201-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/15/2022]
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Han C, Li X, Chen X, Lei X, Liao C, Zhang L, Li B, Peng X, Morrison ER. The Autumn Years: Age Differences in Preferences for Sexually Dimorphic Faces. ARCHIVES OF SEXUAL BEHAVIOR 2022; 51:2813-2821. [PMID: 34791579 DOI: 10.1007/s10508-021-02168-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/04/2021] [Revised: 09/19/2021] [Accepted: 09/28/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Life history theory proposes that it is adaptive for older people to shift investment away from reproductive effort (such as mating) to survivorship. However, it remains unclear whether the shift is also present at the psychological level. We investigated this question by comparing preferences for mate choice-relevant cues, sexually dimorphic facial images, between older (60 years and older, n = 92) and younger adults (18-40 years, n = 86). Results showed that older adults had significantly smaller preferences for sexually dimorphic faces of both sexes than young adults. Specifically, both older men and women showed no significant preferences for sexually dimorphic traits when judging opposite-sex faces, and smaller preferences for masculine male faces and feminine female faces when judging same-sex faces. Young adults generally showed strong preferences for masculine male faces and feminine female faces. In Study 2, we confirmed that the absent/reduced preferences in older adults for sexually dimorphic faces did not result from poor visual ability. The smaller preferences for sexually dimorphic facial cues in older adults compared to young adults suggest that older adults may shift away from mating-oriented psychology as they become less fertile.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chengyang Han
- Department of Psychology, Hangzhou Normal University, Hangzhou, China
- Zhejiang Key Laboratory for Research in Assessment of Cognitive Impairments, Hangzhou Normal University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Xiangqian Li
- School of Psychology, Shanghai University of Sport, 399 Changhai Road, Shanghai, 200438, China.
| | - Xiyue Chen
- Department of Psychology, School of Social Development and Public Policy, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Xue Lei
- School of Business Administration, Zhejiang University of Finance and Economics, Hangzhou, China
| | - Chuanjing Liao
- Department of Mental Health Education, Wenzhou University, Wenzhou, China
| | - Lingshan Zhang
- Institute of Neuroscience and Psychology, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, Scotland, UK
| | - Bingxin Li
- Chinese Academy of Sciences, Key Laboratory of Behavioral Science, Institute of Psychology, Beijing, China
| | - Xian Peng
- National Engineering Laboratory for Educational Big Data, Central China Normal University, Wuhan, China
| | - Edward R Morrison
- Centre for Comparative and Evolutionary Psychology, University of Portsmouth, Portsmouth, UK
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IZZO G, PUJIA R, VACCARO MG, GRECO F, AVERSA A, LA VIGNERA S, LIUZZA MT, EMERENZIANI GP. The relationship between sociosexual orientation, muscle performance and disgust sensitivity: a preliminary correlational study. Minerva Endocrinol (Torino) 2022; 47:140-149. [DOI: 10.23736/s2724-6507.20.03258-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
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Borráz-León JI, Rantala MJ, Krams IA, Cerda-Molina AL, Contreras-Garduño J. Are Toxoplasma-infected subjects more attractive, symmetrical, or healthier than non-infected ones? Evidence from subjective and objective measurements. PeerJ 2022; 10:e13122. [PMID: 35356475 PMCID: PMC8958965 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.13122] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/21/2021] [Accepted: 02/24/2022] [Indexed: 01/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Parasites are among the main factors that negatively impact the health and reproductive success of organisms. However, if parasites diminish a host's health and attractiveness to such an extent that finding a mate becomes almost impossible, the parasite would decrease its odds of reproducing and passing to the next generation. There is evidence that Toxoplasma gondii (T. gondii) manipulates phenotypic characteristics of its intermediate hosts to increase its spread. However, whether T. gondii manipulates phenotypic characteristics in humans remains poorly studied. Therefore, the present research had two main aims: (1) To compare traits associated with health and parasite resistance in Toxoplasma-infected and non-infected subjects. (2) To investigate whether other people perceive differences in attractiveness and health between Toxoplasma-infected and non-infected subjects of both sexes. Methods For the first aim, Toxoplasma-infected (n = 35) and non-infected subjects (n = 178) were compared for self-perceived attractiveness, number of sexual partners, number of minor ailments, body mass index, mate value, handgrip strength, facial fluctuating asymmetry, and facial width-to-height ratio. For the second aim, an independent group of 205 raters (59 men and 146 women) evaluated the attractiveness and perceived health of facial pictures of Toxoplasma-infected and non-infected subjects. Results First, we found that infected men had lower facial fluctuating asymmetry whereas infected women had lower body mass, lower body mass index, a tendency for lower facial fluctuating asymmetry, higher self-perceived attractiveness, and a higher number of sexual partners than non-infected ones. Then, we found that infected men and women were rated as more attractive and healthier than non-infected ones. Conclusions Our results suggest that some sexually transmitted parasites, such as T. gondii, may produce changes in the appearance and behavior of the human host, either as a by-product of the infection or as the result of the manipulation of the parasite to increase its spread to new hosts. Taken together, these results lay the foundation for future research on the manipulation of the human host by sexually transmitted pathogens and parasites.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Indrikis A. Krams
- Department of Biotechnology, Daugavpils University, Daugavpils, Latvia
- Institute of Ecology and Earth Sciences, University of Tartu, Tartu, Estonia
- Department of Zoology and Animal Ecology, University of Latvia, Riga, Latvia
| | - Ana Lilia Cerda-Molina
- Department of Ethology, National Institute of Psychiatry “Ramón de la Fuente Muñiz”, Mexico City, Mexico
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Wu Y, Zheng L, Niu C. Androstadienone influences women's perception of happiness and anger on same-sex faces: Preliminary findings. Biol Psychol 2022; 170:108293. [PMID: 35240247 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsycho.2022.108293] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/01/2021] [Revised: 02/27/2022] [Accepted: 02/27/2022] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
This study investigated whether androstadienone (AND) influences women's emotional perception of potential mates and rivals in a manner that promotes women's reproductive success. Sixty participants (29 in the fertile phase and 31 in the luteal phase) rated their perception of happiness, sadness, anger and sexual arousal from male and female neutral faces during exposure to AND or control solution on two consecutive days. The results showed that AND led women to perceive neutral female faces as unhappier, regardless of their menstrual cycle phase. In addition, AND led women in the fertile phase (i.e., periovulatory phase) to perceive more anger from neutral female faces. Further, no AND-effects were found on the emotional perception of male faces, nor were there perceptions of the sadness or sexual arousal in female faces. These findings may suggest that AND influences women's cognitive processing that can benefit women from staying away from potential threats or preparing to reduce the costs of intrasexual competition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yue Wu
- Key Laboratory of Cognition and Personality (Ministry of Education), Southwest University, Chongqing, China; Faculty of Psychology, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
| | - Lijun Zheng
- Key Laboratory of Cognition and Personality (Ministry of Education), Southwest University, Chongqing, China; Faculty of Psychology, Southwest University, Chongqing, China.
| | - Caoyuan Niu
- Key Laboratory of Cognition and Personality (Ministry of Education), Southwest University, Chongqing, China; Faculty of Psychology, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
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Mengelkoch S, Gassen J, Prokosch ML, Boehm GW, Hill SE. More than just a pretty face? The relationship between immune function and perceived facial attractiveness. Proc Biol Sci 2022; 289:20212476. [PMID: 35168398 PMCID: PMC8848230 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2021.2476] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
It has long been hypothesized that attractiveness provides a cue to a target's health and immunocompetence. However, much of the research testing this hypothesis has relied on a small number of indirect proxies of immune function, and the results of this research have been mixed. Here, we build on this past research, examining the relationship between target attractiveness and (i) self-reported health, (ii) in vivo measures of inflammation and white blood cell count/composition, and (iii) in vitro tests of targets' immune function, including (c1) leucocyte proliferation in response to immunological stimulants, (c2) phagocytosis of Escherichia coli bioparticles, (c3) NK cell-mediated lysis of target tumour cells, and (c4) Staphylococcus aureus growth in isolated plasma. Results revealed multiple, sometimes sex-differentiated, relationships between targets' immune function and others' perceptions of their attractiveness. Together, this work suggests complex, often sex-differentiated relationships between immune function, health, and attractiveness.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Jeff Gassen
- Texas Christian University, Fort Worth, TX, USA
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Butovskaya ML, Rostovtseva VV, Mezentseva AA. Facial and body sexual dimorphism are not interconnected in the Maasai. J Physiol Anthropol 2022; 41:3. [PMID: 34996526 PMCID: PMC8740871 DOI: 10.1186/s40101-021-00276-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/04/2021] [Accepted: 12/10/2021] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND In this paper, we investigate facial sexual dimorphism and its' association with body dimorphism in Maasai, the traditional seminomadic population of Tanzania. We discuss findings on other human populations and possible factors affecting the developmental processes in Maasai. METHODS Full-face anthropological photographs were obtained from 305 Maasai (185 men, 120 women) aged 17-90 years. Facial shape was assessed combining geometric morphometrics and classical facial indices. Body parameters were measured directly using precise anthropological instruments. RESULTS Sexual dimorphism in Maasai faces was low, sex explained 1.8% of the total shape variance. However, male faces were relatively narrower and vertically prolonged, with slightly wider noses, narrower-set and lower eyebrows, wider mouths, and higher forehead hairline. The most sexually dimorphic regions of the face were the lower jaw and the nose. Facial width-to-height ratio (fWHR), measured in six known variants, revealed no significant sexual dimorphism. The allometric effects on facial traits were mostly related to the face growth, rather than the growth of the whole body (body height). Significant body dimorphism was demonstrated, men being significantly higher, with larger wrist diameter and hand grip strength, and women having higher BMI, hips circumferences, upper arm circumferences, triceps skinfolds. Facial and body sexual dimorphisms were not associated. CONCLUSIONS Facial sex differences in Maasai are very low, while on the contrary, the body sexual dimorphism is high. There were practically no associations between facial and body measures. These findings are interpreted in the light of trade-offs between environmental, cultural, and sexual selection pressures.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marina L Butovskaya
- Institute of Ethnology and Anthropology, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, 119334, Russia.
- The National Research University Higher School of Economics, Moscow, 101000, Russia.
- Russian State University for the Humanities, Moscow, 125047, Russia.
| | - Victoria V Rostovtseva
- Institute of Ethnology and Anthropology, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, 119334, Russia
| | - Anna A Mezentseva
- Institute of Ethnology and Anthropology, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, 119334, Russia
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15
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Locke A, Arnocky S. Breast symmetry, but not size or volume, predicts salivary immunoglobulin-A (sIgA) in women. EVOL HUM BEHAV 2021. [DOI: 10.1016/j.evolhumbehav.2021.05.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
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16
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Jones BC, Holzleitner IJ, Shiramizu V. Does facial attractiveness really signal immunocompetence? Trends Cogn Sci 2021; 25:1018-1020. [PMID: 34625347 DOI: 10.1016/j.tics.2021.09.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/12/2021] [Revised: 09/02/2021] [Accepted: 09/03/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
The dominant theory of facial attractiveness judgments is that they evolved to identify healthy individuals with strong immune systems. Here, we summarize results of recent tests of this hypothesis, concluding that it has little compelling empirical support. We then propose an alternative perspective that emphasizes the effects of lifestyle health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Benedict C Jones
- School of Psychological Sciences & Health, University of Strathclyde, Glasgow, UK.
| | - Iris J Holzleitner
- Department of Social Sciences, University of the West of England, Bristol, UK
| | - Victor Shiramizu
- School of Psychological Sciences & Health, University of Strathclyde, Glasgow, UK
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17
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Schwambergová D, Sorokowska A, Slámová Ž, Třebická Fialová J, Sabiniewicz A, Nowak-Kornicka J, Borkowska B, Pawłowski B, Havlíček J. No evidence for association between human body odor quality and immune system functioning. Psychoneuroendocrinology 2021; 132:105363. [PMID: 34343779 DOI: 10.1016/j.psyneuen.2021.105363] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2021] [Revised: 06/15/2021] [Accepted: 07/18/2021] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
Abstract
Previous studies have shown that women perceive male faces with a more reactive immune system as more attractive, but whether body odor might likewise provide cues to immune function has not been investigated yet. These two studies tested a possible relationship between body odor quality and immunoreactivity (Study 1) and immune system function (Study 2). In Study 1, we collected body odor samples from 21 men just before and two weeks after vaccination against hepatitis A/B and meningococcus. We determined the levels of specific antibodies (selected as markers of immune system's reactivity), testosterone, and cortisol. Subsequently, 88 female raters assessed the odor samples for their attractiveness, intensity, and healthiness. In Study 2, we collected body odor and blood samples from 35 men and women. We assessed key parameters of their innate and adaptive immunity, such as complement activity or total lymphocyte T and B counts and asked 95 raters to assess the odor samples for their attractiveness, intensity, and healthiness. In Study 1, we found no significant association between antibody levels induced by vaccination and perceived body odor attractiveness, intensity, and healthiness. We also found no significant relationship between antibody levels and steroid hormones (testosterone and cortisol). In Study 2, we likewise found no association between basal key parameters (innate and adaptive) of the immune system and body odor quality. Our results indicate that body odor may not serve as a cue to the reactivity of the immune system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dagmar Schwambergová
- Department of Zoology, Faculty of Science, Charles University, Viničná 7, 128 44 Prague, Czech Republic; National Institute of Mental Health, Topolová 748, 250 67 Klecany, Czech Republic.
| | - Agnieszka Sorokowska
- Institute of Psychology, University of Wroclaw, Plac Uniwersytecki 1, 50-137 Wroclaw, Poland
| | - Žaneta Slámová
- National Institute of Mental Health, Topolová 748, 250 67 Klecany, Czech Republic; Department of Philosophy and History of Sciences, Faculty of Science, Charles University, Viničná 7, 128 44 Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Jitka Třebická Fialová
- Department of Zoology, Faculty of Science, Charles University, Viničná 7, 128 44 Prague, Czech Republic; National Institute of Mental Health, Topolová 748, 250 67 Klecany, Czech Republic
| | - Agnieszka Sabiniewicz
- Institute of Psychology, University of Wroclaw, Plac Uniwersytecki 1, 50-137 Wroclaw, Poland; Smell and Taste Clinic, TU Dresden, Fetscherstrasse 74, 01307 Dresden, Germany
| | - Judyta Nowak-Kornicka
- Department of Human Biology, University of Wroclaw, Przybyszewskiego 63, 51-148 Wroclaw, Poland
| | - Barbara Borkowska
- Department of Human Biology, University of Wroclaw, Przybyszewskiego 63, 51-148 Wroclaw, Poland
| | - Bogusław Pawłowski
- Department of Human Biology, University of Wroclaw, Przybyszewskiego 63, 51-148 Wroclaw, Poland
| | - Jan Havlíček
- Department of Zoology, Faculty of Science, Charles University, Viničná 7, 128 44 Prague, Czech Republic; National Institute of Mental Health, Topolová 748, 250 67 Klecany, Czech Republic
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18
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Saribay SA, Tureček P, Paluch R, Kleisner K. Differential effects of resource scarcity and pathogen prevalence on heterosexual women's facial masculinity preferences. EVOLUTIONARY HUMAN SCIENCES 2021; 3:e48. [PMID: 37588556 PMCID: PMC10427302 DOI: 10.1017/ehs.2021.42] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/04/2023] Open
Abstract
The present research focused on how environmental harshness may affect heterosexual women's preferences of potential male mates' facial characteristics, namely masculinity-femininity. The evidence on this issue is mixed and mostly from Western samples. We aimed to provide causal evidence using a sample of Turkish women and Turkish male faces. A video-based manipulation was developed to heighten environmental harshness perceptions. In the main experiment, participants were primed with resource scarcity, pathogen prevalence or neither (control). They then saw masculinised vs. feminised versions of the same faces and indicated the face that they would prefer for a long-term relationship and separately rated the faces on various dimensions. In general, masculinised faces were perceived as slightly more attractive, slightly healthier and much more formidable. A multilevel Bayesian model showed that pathogen prevalence lowered the preference for masculinised faces while resource scarcity weakly elevated it. The overall drop in attractiveness ratings in cases of high perceived pathogen prevalence, one of the strongest effects we observed, suggests that during epidemics, the formation of new relationships is not a favourable strategy. Implications for evolutionary theories of mate preference are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- S. Adil Saribay
- Department of Psychology, Kadir Has University, Istanbul, Turkey
| | - Petr Tureček
- Department of Philosophy and History of Sciences, Faculty of Science, Charles University, Prague, Czech Republic
- Center for Theoretical Study, Charles University and Czech Academy of Sciences, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Rüzgar Paluch
- Department of Clinical Psychology, Utrecht University, The Netherlands
| | - Karel Kleisner
- Department of Philosophy and History of Sciences, Faculty of Science, Charles University, Prague, Czech Republic
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Capital as an Integrative Conceptualisation of Human Characteristics, Behaviour, and Outcomes Predicting Reproductive Success and Evolutionary Fitness. EVOLUTIONARY PSYCHOLOGICAL SCIENCE 2021. [DOI: 10.1007/s40806-021-00293-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
AbstractAccording to evolutionary theory, human cognition and behaviour are based on adaptations selected for their contribution to reproduction in the past, which in the present may result in differential reproductive success and inclusive fitness. Because this depiction is broad and human behaviour often separated from this ultimate outcome (e.g., increasing childlessness), evolutionary theory can only incompletely account for human everyday behaviour. Moreover, effects of most studied traits and characteristics on mating and reproductive success turned out not to be robust. In this article, an abstract descriptive level for evaluating human characteristics, behaviour, and outcomes is proposed, as a predictor of long-term reproductive success and fitness. Characteristics, behaviour, and outcomes are assessed in terms of attained and maintained capital, defined by more concrete (e.g., mating success, personality traits) and abstract (e.g., influence, received attention) facets, thus extending constructs like embodied capital and social capital theory, which focuses on resources embedded in social relationships. Situations are framed as opportunities to gain capital, and situational factors function as elicitors for gaining and evaluating capital. Combined capital facets should more robustly predict reproductive success and (theoretically) fitness than individual fitness predictors. Different ways of defining and testing these associations are outlined, including a method for empirically examining the psychometric utility of introducing a capital concept. Further theorising and empirical research should more precisely define capital and its facets, and test associations with (correlates of) reproductive success and fitness.
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20
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Fiala V, Třebický V, Pazhoohi F, Leongómez JD, Tureček P, Saribay SA, Akoko RM, Kleisner K. Facial attractiveness and preference of sexual dimorphism: A comparison across five populations. EVOLUTIONARY HUMAN SCIENCES 2021; 3:e38. [PMID: 37588529 PMCID: PMC10427909 DOI: 10.1017/ehs.2021.33] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Despite intensive research, evolutionary psychology has not yet reached a consensus regarding the association between sexual dimorphism and attractiveness. This study examines associations between perceived and morphological facial sexual dimorphism and perceived attractiveness in samples from five distant countries (Cameroon, Colombia, Czechia, Iran and Turkey). We also examined possible moderating effects of skin lightness, averageness, age, body mass and facial width. Our results suggest that in all samples, women's perceived femininity was positively related to their perceived attractiveness. Women found perceived masculinity in men attractive only in Czechia and Colombia, two distant populations. The association between perceived sexual dimorphism and attractiveness is thus potentially universal only for women. Across populations, morphological sexual dimorphism and averageness are not universally associated with either perceived facial sexual dimorphism or attractiveness. With our exploratory approach, results highlight the need for control of which measure of sexual dimorphism is used (perceived or measured) because they affect perceived attractiveness differently. Morphological averageness and sexual dimorphism are not good predictors of perceived attractiveness. It is noted that future studies should use samples from multiple populations to allow for identification of specific effects of local environmental and socioeconomic conditions on preferred traits in unmanipulated local facial stimuli.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vojtěch Fiala
- Department of Philosophy and History of Science, Faculty of Science, Charles University, Viničná 7, 128 44 Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Vít Třebický
- Department of Philosophy and History of Science, Faculty of Science, Charles University, Viničná 7, 128 44 Prague, Czech Republic
- Faculty of Physical Education and Sport, Charles University, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Farid Pazhoohi
- Department of Psychology, University of British Columbia, 2136 West Mall, Vancouver, British Columbia, V6T 1Z4, Canada
| | - Juan David Leongómez
- Human Behaviour Laboratory, Faculty of Psychology, Universidad El Bosque, Bogota, Colombia
| | - Petr Tureček
- Department of Philosophy and History of Science, Faculty of Science, Charles University, Viničná 7, 128 44 Prague, Czech Republic
| | - S. Adil Saribay
- Department of Psychology, Kadir Has University, Istanbul, Turkey
| | - Robert Mbe Akoko
- Department of Communication and Development Studies, University of Bamenda, Cameroon
| | - Karel Kleisner
- Department of Philosophy and History of Science, Faculty of Science, Charles University, Viničná 7, 128 44 Prague, Czech Republic
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21
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Leary CJ, Crocker-Buta S, Holloway A, Kennedy JGC. Glucocorticoid-Mediated Changes in Male Green Treefrog Vocalizations Alter Attractiveness to Females. Integr Comp Biol 2021; 61:283-291. [PMID: 33940612 DOI: 10.1093/icb/icab053] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Adrenal glucocorticoids (GCs) are increasingly recognized as important modulators of male courtship signals, suggesting that circulating levels of these steroids can play a central role in sexual selection. However, few studies have examined whether GC-mediated effects on male sexual signals actually impact mate choice by females. Here, we examine how corticosterone (CORT)-mediated changes in the vocalizations of male green treefrogs, Dryophytes cinereus, influence attractiveness to females. In this species, agonistic acoustic signaling between rival males competing for mates increases circulating CORT levels in contest losers. Acute elevations in CORT, in turn, decrease the duration of male advertisement calls and increase the latency between successive calls, resulting in a net reduction in vocal effort (the amount of signaling per unit time) that occurs independently of changes in circulating androgens. Based on known preferences for acoustic features in D. cinereus, and other anuran species, the direction of CORT-mediated effects on temporal call characteristics is expected to compromise attractiveness to females, but whether they are of sufficient magnitude to impact female mate choice decisions is unclear. To examine whether CORT-mediated effects on male advertisement calls reduce attractiveness to females, we broadcast vocalizations in dual speaker playback experiments approximating the mean and 1 SD above and below the mean call duration and vocal effort values (the two primary vocal features impacted by elevated CORT) of males with low and high CORT levels. Results revealed strong preferences by females for the calls characteristic of males with low CORT in tests using the approximate mean and 1 SD above the mean call duration and vocal effort values, but females did not show a preference for calls of males with low CORT in trials using call values approximating 1 SD below the mean. Overall, females preferred males with signal traits predictive of low CORT, however this effect was nonlinear with attenuated preferences when signal alternatives differed only marginally indicating a possible thresholding effect. Specifically, females appeared to discriminate between males with low versus high CORT based primarily on differences in call rates associated with CORT-mediated changes in call duration and vocal effort. Our results highlight that changes in circulating CORT during male-male vocal interactions can decrease attractiveness to females, suggesting that circulating levels of CORT can play a critical role in both intra- and intersexual selection.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Ashli Holloway
- Department of Biological Sciences, Alcorn State University, Lorman, MS 39096, USA
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22
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Kowal M, Sorokowski P, Żelaźniewicz A, Nowak J, Orzechowski S, Żurek A, Żurek G. A positive relationship between body height and the testosterone response to physical exercise. EVOL HUM BEHAV 2021. [DOI: 10.1016/j.evolhumbehav.2020.08.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
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23
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Luoto S, Krama T, Rubika A, Borráz-León JI, Trakimas G, Elferts D, Skrinda I, Krams R, Moore FR, Birbele E, Kaminska I, Contreras-Garduño J, Rantala MJ, Krams IA. Socioeconomic position, immune function, and its physiological markers. Psychoneuroendocrinology 2021; 127:105202. [PMID: 33756285 DOI: 10.1016/j.psyneuen.2021.105202] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2020] [Revised: 02/23/2021] [Accepted: 03/12/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
The development of costly traits such as immune function and secondary sexual traits is constrained by resource availability. The quality of developmental conditions and the availability of resources in ontogeny may therefore influence immune system functions and other biological traits. We analyzed causal pathways between family socioeconomic position, strength of immune response, and five physiological biomarkers in young Latvian men (n = 93) using structural equation modeling. Men from wealthier families had higher testosterone levels (rs = 0.280), stronger immune response (rs = 0.551), and higher facial attractiveness (rs = 0.300). There were weak, non-significant correlations between family income, body fat percentage (rs = -0.147), and fluctuating asymmetry (rs = -0.159). Testosterone partially (33.8%) mediated the effect of family income on facial masculinity. Testosterone (positively) and adiposity (negatively) partially (4%) mediated the relationship between family income and immune function. Higher facial masculinity, higher facial symmetry, and lower adiposity were reliable and independent cues of better immune function (R2 = 0.238) in a larger sample of young Latvian men (N = 146). Resource availability in ontogeny has an important role for the development of immune function and physical appearance, and it is a key parameter to be included in human eco-immunological research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Severi Luoto
- School of Psychology, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
| | - Tatjana Krama
- Institute of Ecology and Earth Sciences, University of Tartu, Tartu, Estonia; Chair of Plant Health, Estonian University of Life Sciences, Tartu, Estonia; Department of Biotechnology, Daugavpils University, Daugavpils, Latvia
| | - Anna Rubika
- Department of Anatomy and Physiology, Daugavpils University, Daugavpils, Latvia
| | - Javier I Borráz-León
- Department of Biology, University of Turku, Turku, Finland; Department of Ethology, National Institute of Psychiatry "Ramón de la Fuente Muñiz", Mexico City, Mexico
| | - Giedrius Trakimas
- Institute of Biosciences, Life Sciences Center, Vilnius University, Vilnius, Lithuania
| | - Didzis Elferts
- Department of Botany and Ecology, Faculty of Biology, University of Latvia, Rīga, Latvia
| | | | - Ronalds Krams
- Chair of Plant Health, Estonian University of Life Sciences, Tartu, Estonia; Department of Biotechnology, Daugavpils University, Daugavpils, Latvia; Department of Anatomy and Physiology, Daugavpils University, Daugavpils, Latvia
| | - Fhionna R Moore
- Institute of Health and Wellbeing, University of Glasgow, United Kingdom
| | - Elza Birbele
- Department of Zoology and Animal Ecology, Faculty of Biology, University of Latvia, Rīga, Latvia
| | - Irena Kaminska
- Department of Anatomy and Physiology, Daugavpils University, Daugavpils, Latvia
| | - Jorge Contreras-Garduño
- Escuela Nacional de Estudios Superiores Unidad Morelia, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Morelia, Mexico
| | - Markus J Rantala
- Department of Biology & Turku Brain and Mind Centre, University of Turku, Turku, Finland
| | - Indrikis A Krams
- Institute of Ecology and Earth Sciences, University of Tartu, Tartu, Estonia; Department of Biotechnology, Daugavpils University, Daugavpils, Latvia; Department of Zoology and Animal Ecology, Faculty of Biology, University of Latvia, Rīga, Latvia.
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24
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How and why patterns of sexual dimorphism in human faces vary across the world. Sci Rep 2021; 11:5978. [PMID: 33727579 PMCID: PMC7966798 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-85402-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/17/2020] [Accepted: 02/22/2021] [Indexed: 01/31/2023] Open
Abstract
Sexual selection, including mate choice and intrasexual competition, is responsible for the evolution of some of the most elaborated and sexually dimorphic traits in animals. Although there is sexual dimorphism in the shape of human faces, it is not clear whether this is similarly due to mate choice, or whether mate choice affects only part of the facial shape difference between men and women. Here we explore these questions by investigating patterns of both facial shape and facial preference across a diverse set of human populations. We find evidence that human populations vary substantially and unexpectedly in both the magnitude and direction of facial sexually dimorphic traits. In particular, European and South American populations display larger levels of facial sexual dimorphism than African populations. Neither cross-cultural differences in facial shape variation, sex differences in body height, nor differing preferences for facial femininity and masculinity across countries, explain the observed patterns of facial dimorphism. Altogether, the association between sexual shape dimorphism and attractiveness is moderate for women and weak (or absent) for men. Analysis that distinguishes between allometric and non-allometric components reveals that non-allometric facial dimorphism is preferred in women's faces but not in faces of men. This might be due to different regimes of ongoing sexual selection acting on men, such as stronger intersexual selection for body height and more intense intrasexual physical competition, compared with women.
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Albert G, Arnocky S, Puts DA, Hodges-Simeon CR. Can listeners assess men's self-reported health from their voice? EVOL HUM BEHAV 2021. [DOI: 10.1016/j.evolhumbehav.2020.08.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
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26
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Low fundamental and formant frequencies predict fighting ability among male mixed martial arts fighters. Sci Rep 2021; 11:905. [PMID: 33441596 PMCID: PMC7806622 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-79408-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/16/2020] [Accepted: 12/08/2020] [Indexed: 01/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Human voice pitch is highly sexually dimorphic and eminently quantifiable, making it an ideal phenotype for studying the influence of sexual selection. In both traditional and industrial populations, lower pitch in men predicts mating success, reproductive success, and social status and shapes social perceptions, especially those related to physical formidability. Due to practical and ethical constraints however, scant evidence tests the central question of whether male voice pitch and other acoustic measures indicate actual fighting ability in humans. To address this, we examined pitch, pitch variability, and formant position of 475 mixed martial arts (MMA) fighters from an elite fighting league, with each fighter's acoustic measures assessed from multiple voice recordings extracted from audio or video interviews available online (YouTube, Google Video, podcasts), totaling 1312 voice recording samples. In four regression models each predicting a separate measure of fighting ability (win percentages, number of fights, Elo ratings, and retirement status), no acoustic measure significantly predicted fighting ability above and beyond covariates. However, after fight statistics, fight history, height, weight, and age were used to extract underlying dimensions of fighting ability via factor analysis, pitch and formant position negatively predicted "Fighting Experience" and "Size" factor scores in a multivariate regression model, explaining 3-8% of the variance. Our findings suggest that lower male pitch and formants may be valid cues of some components of fighting ability in men.
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Borráz-León JI, Rantala MJ, Luoto S, Krams I, Contreras-Garduño J, Cerda-Molina AL, Krama T. Toxoplasma gondii and Psychopathology: Latent Infection Is Associated with Interpersonal Sensitivity, Psychoticism, and Higher Testosterone Levels in Men, but Not in Women. ADAPTIVE HUMAN BEHAVIOR AND PHYSIOLOGY 2021. [DOI: 10.1007/s40750-020-00160-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Abstract
Objective
The ability of parasites to hijack the nervous system, manipulating the host’s physiology and behavior in ways that enhance the parasite’s fitness while damaging host fitness, is a topic of ongoing research interest in evolutionary biology, but is largely overlooked in mental health research. Nevertheless, recent evidence has shown that Toxoplasma gondii infection can change host testosterone levels and influence the development of some psychiatric disorders. Here, we tested this hypothesis in a mixed sample of 213 non-clinical subjects.
Methods
Participants (nmales = 108, nfemales = 105) provided 5 ml of blood to quantify testosterone levels and Toxoplasma gondii antibodies. The Symptom Checklist-90-Revised was used to assess psychopathological symptoms.
Results
The results showed that Toxoplasma-infected men had higher testosterone levels and scored higher in Interpersonal Sensitivity and Psychoticism symptoms than non-infected men. Toxoplasma-infected women did not differ from control women.
Conclusions
Framed in an evolutionary framework, the findings suggest that the elevated testosterone levels and the expression of psychopathological symptoms can be seen as the result of the manipulation exerted by Toxoplasma gondii either to reach its definitive host or to increase its spread. Future research can benefit from integrating insights from evolutionary biology and parasite-host interactions with physiology, immunology, and mental health to develop a better understanding of mental health etiology.
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Nowak-Kornicka J, Borkowska B, Pawłowski B. Masculinity and immune system efficacy in men. PLoS One 2020; 15:e0243777. [PMID: 33315964 PMCID: PMC7735617 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0243777] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/16/2020] [Accepted: 11/25/2020] [Indexed: 01/23/2023] Open
Abstract
Masculinity-related morphological traits are supposed to be honest indicators of a man's biological quality. While some studies showed that sexually dimorphic traits are related to various aspects of biological condition such as general health, immunity or fertility, still little is known about the relationship between masculine traits and the effectiveness of innate and adaptive immunity in humans. The aim of this study was to see if masculine traits, which are dependent on androgen levels in foetal and pubertal stages of development, are related to the immune quality in healthy men. The immune quality was evaluated for 91 healthy men aged 19-36 years. Immunity measurements included innate and adaptive parameters. General health status, age, testosterone level, BMI, physical activity, and smoking were controlled. The shoulder-to-hip ratio (SHR), 2D:4D digit ratio and hand-grip strength (HGS) were used as markers of masculinization. The regressions showed that when controlling for confounds, masculinity-related traits were in general not related to innate and adaptive immunity. Only a weak association was observed for right 2D:4D ratio and T-lymphocyte counts (but it becomes non-significant after adjustment for multiple comparisons). Our results do not support the premise that masculinity is a cue for immunological quality in men. However, the positive association between right 2D:4D and T lymphocytes might suggest that further studies are needed to verify if androgen stimulation in prenatal development might be related to immunity in adulthood.
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Schild C, Aung T, Kordsmeyer TL, Cardenas RA, Puts DA, Penke L. Linking human male vocal parameters to perceptions, body morphology, strength and hormonal profiles in contexts of sexual selection. Sci Rep 2020; 10:21296. [PMID: 33277544 PMCID: PMC7719159 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-77940-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/21/2020] [Accepted: 11/18/2020] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Sexual selection appears to have shaped the acoustic signals of diverse species, including humans. Deep, resonant vocalizations in particular may function in attracting mates and/or intimidating same-sex competitors. Evidence for these adaptive functions in human males derives predominantly from perception studies in which vocal acoustic parameters were manipulated using specialist software. This approach affords tight experimental control but provides little ecological validity, especially when the target acoustic parameters vary naturally with other parameters. Furthermore, such experimental studies provide no information about what acoustic variables indicate about the speaker-that is, why attention to vocal cues may be favored in intrasexual and intersexual contexts. Using voice recordings with high ecological validity from 160 male speakers and biomarkers of condition, including baseline cortisol and testosterone levels, body morphology and strength, we tested a series of pre-registered hypotheses relating to both perceptions and underlying condition of the speaker. We found negative curvilinear and negative linear relationships between male fundamental frequency (fo) and female perceptions of attractiveness and male perceptions of dominance. In addition, cortisol and testosterone negatively interacted in predicting fo, and strength and measures of body size negatively predicted formant frequencies (Pf). Meta-analyses of the present results and those from two previous samples confirmed that fonegatively predicted testosterone only among men with lower cortisol levels. This research offers empirical evidence of possible evolutionary functions for attention to men's vocal characteristics in contexts of sexual selection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christoph Schild
- Department of Psychology, University of Copenhagen, Øster Farimagsgade 2A, 1353, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Toe Aung
- Department of Anthropology and Center for Brain, Behavior and Cognition, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, 16802, USA
| | - Tobias L Kordsmeyer
- Department of Psychology and Leibniz ScienceCampus Primate Cognition, University of Goettingen, Gosslerstrasse 14, 37073, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Rodrigo A Cardenas
- Department of Psychology, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, 16802, USA
| | - David A Puts
- Department of Anthropology and Center for Brain, Behavior and Cognition, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, 16802, USA.
| | - Lars Penke
- Department of Psychology and Leibniz ScienceCampus Primate Cognition, University of Goettingen, Gosslerstrasse 14, 37073, Göttingen, Germany.
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Feeling Stressed and Ugly? Leave the City and Visit Nature! An Experiment on Self-and Other-Perceived Stress and Attractiveness Levels. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2020; 17:ijerph17228519. [PMID: 33212963 PMCID: PMC7698395 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph17228519] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/28/2020] [Revised: 11/09/2020] [Accepted: 11/13/2020] [Indexed: 01/20/2023]
Abstract
Natural environments, compared to urban environments, usually lead to reduced stress and positive body appreciation. We assumed that walks through nature and urban environments affect self- and other-perceived stress and attractiveness levels. Therefore, we collected questionnaire data and took photographs of male participants' faces before and after they took walks. In a second step, female participants rated the photographs. As expected, participants felt more restored and attractive, and less stressed after they walked in nature compared to an urban environment. A significant interaction of environment (nature, urban) and time (pre, post) indicated that the men were rated by the women as being more stressed after the urban walk. Other-rated attractiveness levels, however, were similar for both walks and time points. In sum, we showed that the rather stressful experience of a short-term urban walk mirrors in the face of men and is detectable by women.
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31
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Rosso AA, Nicholson DJ, Logan ML, Chung AK, Curlis JD, Degon ZM, Knell RJ, Garner TWJ, McMillan WO, Cox CL. Sex-biased parasitism and expression of a sexual signal. Biol J Linn Soc Lond 2020. [DOI: 10.1093/biolinnean/blaa162] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022]
Abstract
Abstract
Given that sexual signals are often expressed more highly in one sex than the other, they can impose a sex-specific cost of reproduction through parasitism. The two primary paradigms regarding the relationship of parasites to sexual signals are the good genes hypothesis and the immunocompetence handicap hypothesis; however, there are other ecological, morphological and energetic factors that might influence parasite infections in a sex-specific fashion. We tested the relationship between expression of a sexual signal (the dewlap) and ecological, morphological and energetic factors mediating ectoparasite (mite) load between male and female Panamanian slender anoles (Anolis apletophallus). We found that males were more highly parasitized than females because of the preponderance of ectoparasites on the larger dewlap of males. Indeed, ectoparasite infection increased with both body size and dewlap size in males but not in females, and parasite infection was related to energy storage in a sex-specific fashion for the fat bodies, liver and gonads. Our work and previous work on testosterone in anoles suggests that this pattern did not arise solely from immunosuppression by testosterone, but that mites prefer the dewlap as an attachment site. Thus, the expression of this sexual signal could incur a fitness cost that might structure life-history trade-offs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adam A Rosso
- Department of Biology, Georgia Southern University, Statesboro, GA, USA
| | - Daniel J Nicholson
- School of Biological and Chemical Sciences, Queen Mary University of London, London, UK
| | - Michael L Logan
- Department of Biology, University of Nevada-Reno, Reno, NV, USA
- Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, Panama City, Panama
| | - Albert K Chung
- Department of Biology, Georgia Southern University, Statesboro, GA, USA
- Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - John David Curlis
- Department of Biology, Georgia Southern University, Statesboro, GA, USA
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Zachariah M Degon
- Department of Biology, Georgia Southern University, Statesboro, GA, USA
| | - Robert J Knell
- School of Biological and Chemical Sciences, Queen Mary University of London, London, UK
| | | | - W Owen McMillan
- Department of Biology, University of Nevada-Reno, Reno, NV, USA
| | - Christian L Cox
- Department of Biology, Georgia Southern University, Statesboro, GA, USA
- Institute of Environment and Department of Biological Sciences, Florida International University, Miami, FL, USA
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32
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Niu C, Zheng L. Reproductive strategies may predict women's preferences for male facial masculinity. PERSONALITY AND INDIVIDUAL DIFFERENCES 2020. [DOI: 10.1016/j.paid.2020.110202] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/26/2023]
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33
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Hodges-Simeon CR, Grail GPO, Albert G, Landry N, Ortiz TL, Carré JM, McHale TS, Arnocky SA. Testosterone, cortisol, and secretory immunoglobulin-A within a single day and across two sequential days among trans- and cis-gender men. Steroids 2020; 160:108640. [PMID: 32298661 DOI: 10.1016/j.steroids.2020.108640] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/18/2019] [Revised: 03/02/2020] [Accepted: 03/30/2020] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Previous research on the association between testosterone (T) and immunity has produced conflicting results. OBJECTIVES We address two potential reasons for these empirical inconsistencies in the present research. First, the association between T and immunity may depend on which branch of the immune system is considered. Here, we examine secretory IgA (sIgA), a measure of mucosal immunity functionally related to respiratory infection risk. Second, the association between T and immunity may depend on a third regulatory variable. Therefore, we examine the interaction between T and cortisol (CORT) as well as their independent and combined effects on mucosal immunity. To do this, we explore intra-individual associations between sIgA, CORT, and T within a single day (i.e., morning vs. evening) and across 2 sequential mornings. We target two samples of men: (1) cisgender (i.e., born and identifying as men), and (2) transgender (i.e., born female but identifying as men) undergoing T therapy for gender realignment. MATERIALS AND METHODS One hundred and forty-eight adult men (transgender n = 29) provided saliva samples at three time points: (1) upon waking, (2) before sleep on the same day, and (3) upon waking the following day. Samples were assayed in duplicate for sIgA, T and CORT. RESULTS For cisgender men, sIgA, T, and CORT exhibited clear circadian rhythms and were significantly related within and between samples. For transgender men, evidence for circadian change was found for sIgA and CORT, but not T. Further, sIgA was associated with CORT, but not T. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS This study provides the first evidence that salivary T and sIgA concentrations are associated within a single day and across sequential days for cisgender men. Differences between cis- and transgender men suggest that this may only be true for T levels driven by endogenous production; however, future studies should employ a larger sample size.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Graham P O Grail
- Department of Anthropology, Boston University, Boston, MA, United States; Department of Forensic Sciences, George Washington University, Washington, D.C., United States
| | - Graham Albert
- Department of Anthropology, Boston University, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Nicholas Landry
- Department of Psychology, Nipissing University, North Bay, Ontario, Canada
| | - Triana L Ortiz
- Department of Psychology, Nipissing University, North Bay, Ontario, Canada
| | - Justin M Carré
- Department of Psychology, Nipissing University, North Bay, Ontario, Canada
| | - Timothy S McHale
- Department of Anthropology, Boston University, Boston, MA, United States; Department of Anthropology and Museum Studies, Central Washington University, Ellensburg, WA, United States
| | - Steven A Arnocky
- Department of Psychology, Nipissing University, North Bay, Ontario, Canada
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Rubika A, Luoto S, Krama T, Trakimas G, Rantala MJ, Moore FR, Skrinda I, Elferts D, Krams R, Contreras-Garduño J, Krams IA. Women's socioeconomic position in ontogeny is associated with improved immune function and lower stress, but not with height. Sci Rep 2020; 10:11517. [PMID: 32661326 PMCID: PMC7359344 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-68217-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/17/2020] [Accepted: 06/11/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Immune function, height and resource accumulation comprise important life history traits in humans. Resource availability models arising from life history theory suggest that socioeconomic conditions influence immune function, growth and health status. In this study, we tested whether there are associations between family income during ontogeny, adult height, cortisol level and immune response in women. A hepatitis B vaccine was administered to 66 young Latvian women from different socioeconomic backgrounds, and blood samples were then collected to measure the level of antibodies that the women produced in response to the vaccination. Cortisol levels were measured from plasma samples pre- and post-vaccination. Women from wealthier families had lower cortisol levels, and women from the highest family income group had the highest levels of antibody titers against hepatitis B vaccine. No significant relationships were observed between cortisol level and immune function, nor between family income and height. The results show that income level during ontogeny is associated with the strength of immune response and with psychoneuroendocrine pathways underlying stress perception in early adulthood. The findings indicate that the quality of the developmental niche is associated with the condition-dependent expression of immune function and stress response.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna Rubika
- Department of Anatomy and Physiology, Daugavpils University, Daugavpils, 5401, Latvia
| | - Severi Luoto
- English, Drama and Writing Studies, University of Auckland, Auckland, 1010, New Zealand
- School of Psychology, University of Auckland, Auckland, 1010, New Zealand
| | - Tatjana Krama
- Institute of Ecology and Earth Sciences, University of Tartu, 51010, Tartu, Estonia
- Chair of Plant Health, Estonian University of Life Sciences, 51014, Tartu, Estonia
- Department of Biotechnology, Daugavpils University, Daugavpils, 5401, Latvia
| | - Giedrius Trakimas
- Department of Biotechnology, Daugavpils University, Daugavpils, 5401, Latvia
- Institute of Biosciences, Vilnius University, 10257, Vilnius, Lithuania
| | - Markus J Rantala
- Department of Biology, University of Turku, 20014, Turku, Finland
- Turku Brain and Mind Centre, University of Turku, 20014, Turku, Finland
| | - Fhionna R Moore
- College of Medical, Veterinary and Life Sciences, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, G12 8QQ, UK
| | - Ilona Skrinda
- Daugavpils Regional Hospital, Daugavpils, 5417, Latvia
| | - Didzis Elferts
- Department of Botany and Ecology, Faculty of Biology, University of Latvia, Rīga, 1004, Latvia
| | - Ronalds Krams
- Chair of Plant Health, Estonian University of Life Sciences, 51014, Tartu, Estonia
- Department of Biotechnology, Daugavpils University, Daugavpils, 5401, Latvia
| | - Jorge Contreras-Garduño
- Escuela Nacional de Estudios Superiores Unidad Morelia, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, 58190, Morelia, Mexico
| | - Indrikis A Krams
- Institute of Ecology and Earth Sciences, University of Tartu, 51010, Tartu, Estonia.
- Department of Biotechnology, Daugavpils University, Daugavpils, 5401, Latvia.
- Department of Zoology and Animal Ecology, Faculty of Biology, University of Latvia, Rīga, 1004, Latvia.
- Latvian Biomedical Research and Study Centre, Rīga, 1067, Latvia.
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35
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Knight EL, Sarkar A, Prasad S, Mehta PH. Beyond the challenge hypothesis: The emergence of the dual-hormone hypothesis and recommendations for future research. Horm Behav 2020; 123:104657. [PMID: 31863735 PMCID: PMC7311256 DOI: 10.1016/j.yhbeh.2019.104657] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2019] [Revised: 12/12/2019] [Accepted: 12/16/2019] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
The challenge hypothesis makes specific predictions about the association between testosterone and status-seeking behaviors, but the findings linking testosterone to these behaviors are often inconsistent. The dual-hormone hypothesis was developed to help explain these inconsistencies. Specifically, according to this hypothesis, testosterone's association with status-seeking behavior depends on levels of cortisol. Here, we (1) describe the dual-hormone hypothesis in relation to the challenge hypothesis; (2) review recent studies that tested the dual-hormone hypothesis as well as meta-scientific evidence of heterogeneous dual-hormone findings across studies; (3) discuss potential explanations for this heterogeneity, including methodological considerations, contextual factors, and individual differences; and (4) provide recommendations for new work aimed at testing and extending the dual-hormone hypothesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Erik L Knight
- Center for Healthy Aging, Pennsylvania State University, United States of America; Department of Biobehavioral Health, Pennsylvania State University, United States of America.
| | - Amar Sarkar
- Trinity College, University of Cambridge, United Kingdom; Leverhulme Centre for Human Evolutionary Studies, Department of Archaeology, University of Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - Smrithi Prasad
- Marshall School of Business, University of Southern California, United States of America
| | - Pranjal H Mehta
- Department of Experimental Psychology, University College London, United Kingdom
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36
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Environmental threat influences preferences for sexual dimorphism in male and female faces but not voices or dances. EVOL HUM BEHAV 2020. [DOI: 10.1016/j.evolhumbehav.2020.05.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
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37
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Aung T, Puts D. Voice pitch: a window into the communication of social power. Curr Opin Psychol 2020; 33:154-161. [DOI: 10.1016/j.copsyc.2019.07.028] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/05/2019] [Revised: 07/10/2019] [Accepted: 07/11/2019] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
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38
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DE LA PeÑa E, MartÍn J, Barja I, PÉrez-Caballero R, Acosta I, Carranza J. Immune challenge of mating effort: steroid hormone profile, dark ventral patch and parasite burden in relation to intrasexual competition in male Iberian red deer. Integr Zool 2020; 15:262-275. [PMID: 31912636 DOI: 10.1111/1749-4877.12427] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Testosterone secretion may regulate the reproductive effort and the development of sexual traits, but it may also involve costs at the immunological and metabolic levels. However, the evidence for this trade-off in wild populations is scarce. Cortisol also plays an important role in mediating the reproductive and immune functions. In this study, we analyzed whether the endoparasite burden relates to hormonal levels (fecal testosterone and cortisol metabolites) and/or morphological sexual traits (size of the dark ventral patch, a trait that indicates reproductive effort in males) in male Iberian red deer. For this purpose, we sampled male red deer harvested during hunting actions in 2 types of populations in south western Spain that differed in structure, affecting the level of male-male competition for mates. We used coprological analyses to estimate the parasite burden mainly of gastrointestinal and bronchopulmonary nematodes and of protozoa, and assessed testosterone and cortisol metabolite levels from fecal pellets. We found a positive relationship of host parasitation with both testosterone levels and the size of the dark ventral patch, but these relationships depended on the intensity of male-male competition in the population, being only found under the high-competition scenario. These results are discussed under the hypothesis of the testosterone immunocompetence handicap, suggesting a cost at the immunological level, and, therefore, higher susceptibility to parasite infection in males that make a greater reproductive effort. However, this effect seems to be modulated by the social environment (male-male competition) that might lead to different optima in testosterone production and sexual trait development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eva DE LA PeÑa
- Wildlife Research Unit, University of Córdoba, Córdoba, Spain
| | - José MartÍn
- Department of Evolutionary Ecology, National Museum of Natural Sciences (Spanish Research Council, CSIC), Madrid, Spain
| | - Isabel Barja
- Department of Biology, Zoology Unit, Autonomous University of Madrid, Madrid, Spain.,Biodiversity and Global Change Research Centre, Autonomous University of Madrid, Madrid, Spain
| | - Raúl PÉrez-Caballero
- Parasitology and Parasitic Diseases Unit, Animal Health Department, University of Córdoba, Córdoba, Spain.,Laboratory of Malaria Immunology and Vaccinology, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | - Isabel Acosta
- Parasitology and Parasitic Diseases Unit, Animal Health Department, University of Córdoba, Córdoba, Spain
| | - Juan Carranza
- Wildlife Research Unit, University of Córdoba, Córdoba, Spain
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Foo YZ, Simmons LW, Perrett DI, Holt PG, Eastwood PR, Rhodes G. Immune function during early adolescence positively predicts adult facial sexual dimorphism in both men and women. EVOL HUM BEHAV 2020. [DOI: 10.1016/j.evolhumbehav.2020.02.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
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40
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Joye P, Kawecki TJ. Sexual selection favours good or bad genes for pathogen resistance depending on males' pathogen exposure. Proc Biol Sci 2020; 286:20190226. [PMID: 31064300 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2019.0226] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Resistance to pathogens is often invoked as an indirect benefit of female choice, but experimental evidence for links between father's sexual success and offspring resistance is scarce and equivocal. Two proposed mechanisms might generate such links. Under the first, heritable resistance to diverse pathogens depends on general immunocompetence; owing to shared condition dependence, male sexual traits indicate immunocompetence independently of the male's pathogen exposure. By contrast, other hypotheses (e.g. Hamilton-Zuk) assume that sexual traits only reveal heritable resistance if the males have been exposed to the pathogen. The distinction between the two mechanisms has been neglected by experimental studies. We show that Drosophila melanogaster males that are successful in mating contests (one female with two males) sire sons that are substantially more resistant to the intestinal pathogen Pseudomonas entomophila-but only if the males have themselves been exposed to the pathogen before the mating contest. By contrast, sons of males sexually successful in the absence of pathogen exposure are less resistant than sons of unsuccessful males. We detected no differences in daughters' resistance. Thus, while sexual selection may have considerable consequences for offspring resistance, these consequences may be sex-specific. Furthermore, contrary to the 'general immunocompetence' hypothesis, these consequences can be positive or negative depending on the epidemiological context under which sexual selection operates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Patrick Joye
- Department of Ecology and Evolution, University of Lausanne , 1015 Lausanne , Switzerland
| | - Tadeusz J Kawecki
- Department of Ecology and Evolution, University of Lausanne , 1015 Lausanne , Switzerland
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41
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Tarumi W, Shinohara K. Women's body odour during the ovulatory phase modulates testosterone and cortisol levels in men. PLoS One 2020; 15:e0230838. [PMID: 32231386 PMCID: PMC7108710 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0230838] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/24/2019] [Accepted: 03/06/2020] [Indexed: 01/25/2023] Open
Abstract
A growing body of evidence suggests that men may perceive women’s bodily odour to be more attractive during the high-fertility ovulatory phase than during other phases in the menstrual cycle. In particular, women’s bodily odour may influence important aspects of male mating behaviour, but the precise nature of this phenomena remains to be elucidated. Twenty-six men and five women participated in the study. Each woman wore a cotton T-shirt during the night for 3 days during the ovulatory phase, after which the regions of the T-shirt that had been in contact with the woman’s chest, armpits, and back, were cut out of the garment. We evaluated the changes in testosterone and cortisol levels in the saliva of men who smelled these cloth pieces. The odour emitted from the backs of women in the ovulatory phase was found to increase testosterone secretion in men, whereas the odour emitted from the chests of women in the ovulatory phase reduced cortisol secretion in men. These results suggest that the odour of specific body parts of women modulate unconscious physiological reactions in men.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wataru Tarumi
- Department of Neurobiology & Behavior Division of Advanced Preventive Medical Sciences Nagasaki University, Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Nagasaki City, Nagasaki, Japan
| | - Kazuyuki Shinohara
- Department of Neurobiology & Behavior Division of Advanced Preventive Medical Sciences Nagasaki University, Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Nagasaki City, Nagasaki, Japan
- * E-mail:
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42
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Pandeirada JNS, Fernandes NL, Vasconcelos M. Attractiveness of Human Faces: Norms by Sex, Sexual Orientation, Age, Relationship Stability, and Own Attractiveness Judgements. Front Psychol 2020; 11:419. [PMID: 32231625 PMCID: PMC7083125 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2020.00419] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/05/2019] [Accepted: 02/24/2020] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Josefa N S Pandeirada
- Centro de Investigação em Tecnologias e Serviços de Saúde, University of Aveiro, Aveiro, Portugal.,William James Center for Research, University of Aveiro, Aveiro, Portugal
| | - Natália Lisandra Fernandes
- Centro de Investigação em Tecnologias e Serviços de Saúde, University of Aveiro, Aveiro, Portugal.,William James Center for Research, University of Aveiro, Aveiro, Portugal
| | - Marco Vasconcelos
- William James Center for Research, University of Aveiro, Aveiro, Portugal
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43
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Kretzschmar P, Auld H, Boag P, Gansloßer U, Scott C, Van Coeverden de Groot PJ, Courtiol A. Mate choice, reproductive success and inbreeding in white rhinoceros: New insights for conservation management. Evol Appl 2020; 13:699-714. [PMID: 32211061 PMCID: PMC7086106 DOI: 10.1111/eva.12894] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/21/2018] [Revised: 10/04/2019] [Accepted: 10/29/2019] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Improving our sparse knowledge of the mating and reproductive behaviour of white rhinoceros (Ceratotherium simum Burchell, 1817) is essential for the effective conservation of this iconic species. By combining morphological, physiological and habitat data with paternity assignments of 104 known mother-offspring pairs collected over a period of 13 years, we provide the most comprehensive analysis of the mating system in this species. We show that while the overall mating system was promiscuous, and both males and females produced more offspring when mating with several partners, half of all females with multiple offspring were monogamous. Additionally, we find that mating and reproductive success varied significantly among territorial males in two independent sets of males. In females, however, variation in the mating and the reproductive success was not larger than expected by random demographic fluctuations. Horn size, testosterone metabolite concentration, territory size, habitat openness and the volume of preferred food within the territory did not seem to influence male mating or reproductive success. Moreover, there was no sign of inbreeding avoidance: females tended to mate more frequently with closely related males, and one daughter produced a progeny with her father. The lack of inbreeding avoidance, in combination with the skew in male reproductive success, the partial monogamy in females and the territorial-based mating system, jeopardizes the already low genetic variation in the species. Considering that the majority of populations are restricted to fenced reserves and private farms, we recommend taking preventive measures that aim to reduce inbreeding in white rhinoceros. A video abstract can be viewed here.
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Affiliation(s)
- Petra Kretzschmar
- Department of Evolutionary EcologyLeibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife ResearchBerlinGermany
| | - Hailie Auld
- Department of BiologyQueen's UniversityKingstonOntarioCanada
| | - Peter Boag
- Department of BiologyQueen's UniversityKingstonOntarioCanada
| | - Udo Gansloßer
- Zoological Institute and Museum of Greifswald UniversityGreifswaldGermany
- Institute of Zoology and Evolutionary ResearchFriedrich Schiller UniversityJenaGermany
| | - Candace Scott
- Department of BiologyQueen's UniversityKingstonOntarioCanada
- Department of Applied Sciences and ComputingSt. Lawrence CollegeKingstonOntarioCanada
| | | | - Alexandre Courtiol
- Department of Evolutionary GeneticsLeibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife ResearchBerlinGermany
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44
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Stower RE, Lee AJ, McIntosh TL, Sidari MJ, Sherlock JM, Dixson BJW. Mating Strategies and the Masculinity Paradox: How Relationship Context, Relationship Status, and Sociosexuality Shape Women's Preferences for Facial Masculinity and Beardedness. ARCHIVES OF SEXUAL BEHAVIOR 2020; 49:809-820. [PMID: 31016490 DOI: 10.1007/s10508-019-1437-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/19/2017] [Revised: 03/02/2019] [Accepted: 03/03/2019] [Indexed: 05/12/2023]
Abstract
According to the dual mating strategy model, in short-term mating contexts women should forego paternal investment qualities in favor of mates with well-developed secondary sexual characteristics and dominant behavioral displays. We tested whether this model explains variation in women's preferences for facial masculinity and beardedness in male faces. Computer-generated composites that had been morphed to appear ± 50% masculine were rated by 671 heterosexual women (M age = 31.72 years, SD = 6.43) for attractiveness when considering them as a short-term partner, long-term partner, a co-parent, or a friend. They then completed the Revised Sociosexual Inventory (SOI-R) to determine their sexual openness on dimensions of desire, behavior, and attitudes. Results showed that women's preferences were strongest for average facial masculinity, followed by masculinized faces, with feminized faces being least attractive. In contrast to past research, facial masculinity preferences were stronger when judging for co-parenting partners than for short-term mates. Facial masculinity preferences were also positively associated with behavioral SOI, negatively with desire, and were unrelated to global or attitudinal SOI. Women gave higher ratings for full beards than clean-shaven faces. Preferences for beards were higher for co-parenting and long-term relationships than short-term relationships, although these differences were not statistically significant. Preferences for facial hair were positively associated with global and attitudinal SOI, but were unrelated to behavioral SOI and desire. Although further replication is necessary, our findings indicate that sexual openness is associated with women's preferences for men's facial hair and suggest variation in the association between sociosexuality and women's facial masculinity preferences.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rebecca E Stower
- School of Psychology, University of Queensland, St Lucia, QLD, 4072, Australia
| | - Anthony J Lee
- Division of Psychology, University of Stirling, Stirling, Scotland, UK
| | - Toneya L McIntosh
- School of Psychology, University of Queensland, St Lucia, QLD, 4072, Australia
| | - Morgan J Sidari
- School of Psychology, University of Queensland, St Lucia, QLD, 4072, Australia
| | - James M Sherlock
- School of Psychology, University of Queensland, St Lucia, QLD, 4072, Australia
| | - Barnaby J W Dixson
- School of Psychology, University of Queensland, St Lucia, QLD, 4072, Australia.
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Multivariate Intra-Sexual Selection on Men’s Perceptions of Male Facial Morphology. ADAPTIVE HUMAN BEHAVIOR AND PHYSIOLOGY 2020. [DOI: 10.1007/s40750-020-00128-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/17/2023]
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Leary CJ, Baugh AT. Glucocorticoids, male sexual signals, and mate choice by females: Implications for sexual selection. Gen Comp Endocrinol 2020; 288:113354. [PMID: 31830474 DOI: 10.1016/j.ygcen.2019.113354] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/02/2019] [Revised: 12/01/2019] [Accepted: 12/06/2019] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
We review work relating glucocorticoids (GCs), male sexual signals, and mate choice by females to understand the potential for GCs to modulate the expression of sexually selected traits and how sexual selection potentially feeds back on GC regulation. Our review reveals that the relationship between GC concentrations and the quality of male sexual traits is mixed, regardless of whether studies focused on structural traits (e.g., coloration) or behavioral traits (e.g., vocalizations) or were examined in developmental or activational frameworks. In contrast, the few mate choice experiments that have been done consistently show that females prefer males with low GCs, suggesting that mate choice by females favors males that maintain low levels of GCs. We point out, however, that just as sexual selection can drive the evolution of diverse reproductive strategies, it may also promote diversity in GC regulation. We then shift the focus to females where we highlight evidence indicating that stressors or high GCs can dampen female sexual proceptivity and the strength of preferences for male courtship signals. Hence, even in cases where GCs are tightly coupled with male sexual signals, the strength of sexual selection on aspects of GC physiology can vary depending on the endocrine status of females. Studies examining how GCs relate to sexual selection may shed light on how variation in stress physiology, sexual signals, and mate choice are maintained in natural populations and may be important in understanding context-dependent relationships between GC regulation and fitness.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christopher J Leary
- Department of Biology, University of Mississippi, PO Box 1848, University, MS 38677, USA.
| | - Alexander T Baugh
- Department of Biology, Swarthmore College, 500 College Avenue, Swarthmore, PA 19081, USA
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Solomon E, Lyons M. Not My Protector—Women Have an Aversion to High Dark Triad Faces Irrespective of Childhood or Current Environmental Danger. EVOLUTIONARY PSYCHOLOGICAL SCIENCE 2020. [DOI: 10.1007/s40806-020-00230-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
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Niu C, Zheng L. Androstadienone resulted in a rightward shift of women's preference for sexually dimorphic male faces across the continuum of femininity-masculinity. Horm Behav 2020; 118:104635. [PMID: 31765659 DOI: 10.1016/j.yhbeh.2019.104635] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/08/2019] [Revised: 11/06/2019] [Accepted: 11/07/2019] [Indexed: 10/25/2022]
Abstract
As a derivative of testosterone, androstadienone (AND) can influence human psychological and physiological states. To explore the influence of AND on women's preferences for male sexual dimorphic faces in a mate-choice context, we asked 52 females in the luteal phase to choose one from four sexual dimorphic male faces in a long-term and short-term context while inhaling 250 μm of AND or a placebo odor on two consecutive days. Results revealed that participants had a greater and lesser preference for the +30% masculinized and 60% feminized faces, respectively, while inhaling AND, as compared to when inhaling the placebo. The AND intervention resulted in a rightward shift of the women's preference for male sexual dimorphic faces across the continuum of femininity-masculinity. The current findings highlight that AND may influence women's preference for male sexually dimorphic faces in a mate-choice context.
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Affiliation(s)
- Caoyuan Niu
- Key Laboratory of Cognition and Personality (Ministry of Education), Southwest University, Chongqing, China; Faculty of Psychology, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
| | - Lijun Zheng
- Key Laboratory of Cognition and Personality (Ministry of Education), Southwest University, Chongqing, China; Faculty of Psychology, Southwest University, Chongqing, China.
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Clarkson TR, Sidari MJ, Sains R, Alexander M, Harrison M, Mefodeva V, Pearson S, Lee AJ, Dixson BJW. A multivariate analysis of women's mating strategies and sexual selection on men's facial morphology. ROYAL SOCIETY OPEN SCIENCE 2020; 7:191209. [PMID: 32218951 PMCID: PMC7029899 DOI: 10.1098/rsos.191209] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/16/2019] [Accepted: 11/26/2019] [Indexed: 06/01/2023]
Abstract
The strength and direction of sexual selection via female choice on masculine facial traits in men is a paradox in human mate choice research. While masculinity may communicate benefits to women and offspring directly (i.e. resources) or indirectly (i.e. health), masculine men may be costly as long-term partners owing to lower paternal investment. Mating strategy theory suggests women's preferences for masculine traits are strongest when the costs associated with masculinity are reduced. This study takes a multivariate approach to testing whether women's mate preferences are context-dependent. Women (n = 919) rated attractiveness when considering long-term and short-term relationships for male faces varying in beardedness (clean-shaven and full beards) and facial masculinity (30% and 60% feminized, unmanipulated, 30% and 60% masculinized). Participants then completed scales measuring pathogen, sexual and moral disgust, disgust towards ectoparasites, reproductive ambition, self-perceived mate value and the facial hair in partners and fathers. In contrast to past research, we found no associations between pathogen disgust, self-perceived mate value or reproductive ambition and facial masculinity preferences. However, we found a significant positive association between moral disgust and preferences for masculine faces and bearded faces. Preferences for beards were lower among women with higher ectoparasite disgust, providing evidence for ectoparasite avoidance hypothesis. However, women reporting higher pathogen disgust gave higher attractiveness ratings for bearded faces than women reporting lower pathogen disgust, providing support for parasite-stress theories of sexual selection and mate choice. Preferences for beards were also highest among single and married women with the strongest reproductive ambition. Overall, our results reflect mixed associations between individual differences in mating strategies and women's mate preferences for masculine facial traits.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tessa R. Clarkson
- School of Psychology, University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
| | - Morgan J. Sidari
- School of Psychology, University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
| | - Rosanna Sains
- School of Psychology, University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
| | - Meredith Alexander
- School of Psychology, University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
| | - Melissa Harrison
- School of Psychology, University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
| | - Valeriya Mefodeva
- School of Psychology, University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
| | - Samuel Pearson
- School of Psychology, University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
| | - Anthony J. Lee
- Division of Psychology, University of Stirling, Stirling, Scotland, UK
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