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.
Highlights
Indirect and direct sexual selection has shaped the evolution of female preferences for male ornaments [1]
Craniofacial masculinity and beardedness rely on different androgenic processes during development for their expression in adulthood, so that beards and facial shape can vary independently between individuals [23,28], potentially reflecting different mechanisms of sexual selection via female mate choice influencing their expression [23]
Past research has reported largely equivocal preferences for beardedness among women [39], partly owing to the degree of facial hair presented in the stimuli whereby light facial hair or ‘stubble’ is more attractive than full beards and clean-shaven faces in some studies [23,24,25,26,109]
Summary
Indirect and direct sexual selection has shaped the evolution of female preferences for male ornaments [1]. Indirect selection occurs when females select males displaying traits that reflect underlying genetic quality (e.g. health), while direct selection reflects preferences for traits that communicate tangible benefits like resources [1]. Sexual dimorphism in craniofacial morphology (i.e. facial masculinity) and men’s facial hair are two possible targets of women’s mate choices via indirect and direct sexual selection. Facial masculinity may reflect disease resistance [8,9] and immune response [10]. Facial masculinity may communicate direct benefits, including resources and protection that enhance survival among mothers and their infants [15,16]. Facial masculinity may provide information relating to men’s underlying health and formidability that influences women’s mating preferences
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