Facial width-to-height ratio predicts psychopathic traits in males

Abstract

Facial width-to-height ratio (fWHR), a putative marker of pubertal testosterone action, has been reliably linked with various facets of unsociable behavior in men. In order to elucidate the underlying mechanisms, a recent study by Geniole and colleagues (2014) has provided evidence for an association between male fWHR and the psychopathic personality trait fearless dominance in an undergraduate student sample, although the reported effect size was small (βstand=.17). We aimed to replicate and extend this finding by recruiting young adult prison inmates in addition to a sample of undergraduate students, thereby increasing the variance of the psychopathy scores at the high-end of the continuum. We found significant positive associations between fWHR not only with fearless dominance, as reported before, but also with the factor self-centered impulsivity, and with overall psychopathy scores. Results point to a role of testosterone in the development of psychopathic personality traits.