Sexual Receptivity Signal of Lordosis Posture and Intra-Sexual Competition in Women

Farid Pazhoohi,Ray Garza,Alan Kingstone

doi:10.3390/sexes3010005

Farid Pazhoohi, Ray Garza + Show 1 more

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https://doi.org/10.3390/sexes3010005

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Abstract

Previous research has shown that women may use self-enhancement strategies to compete with one other. Lumbar curvature in women is considered to enhance a woman′s attractiveness, potentially due to its role in bipedal fetal load and sexual receptiveness. The current study investigated the role of lumbar curvature on women’s perceptions of sexual receptiveness as well as its role in women’s intrasexual competitiveness. Study 1 (N = 138) tested and confirmed that women’s intrasexual competition influences their perception of sexual receptivity of women as a function of lordosis posture depicted in a standing posture. Study 2 (N = 69) replicated these results and extended them to other postures, namely, the quadruped and supine positions. Study 3 (N = 106), using a two-alternative forced-choice task, revealed that other women perceive relatively larger arched-back postures as more threatening to their relationship and frequently as being more attractive. Collectively, this work suggests that women consider a lordotic posture in other women as a signal of sexual receptivity and perceive it as a threat to their relationship. This research provides robust support for the sexually receptivity hypothesis of lumbar curvature, questioning the alternative morphological vertebral wedging hypothesis.

Highlights

Intrasexual competition in women is influenced by traits that are important in intersexual selection in men, such as desirable physical traits [1], attractive features [2], and sexual receptiveness [3]
According to the receptivity signaling hypothesis of lordosis posture proposed by Pazhoohi and colleagues [3], such cues of sexIt is uncertain, whether women would perceive postures ual receptivity and intrasexual competitiveness should becurvature perceivedin forother non-standing as a cue ofTo increased competitiveness
Women perceived an increase in lumbar curvature as more sexually receptive, which was influenced positively by their intrasexual competitiveness, indicating that women are more wary of more receptive women in a standing posture, and in other postures

Summary

Introduction

Intrasexual competition in women is influenced by traits that are important in intersexual selection in men, such as desirable physical traits [1], attractive features [2], and sexual receptiveness [3]. Women are aware of other women’s attractiveness and enhancement strategies [7] and are likely to utilize retention strategies to keep their current partners [2,8]. Research on women’s intrasexual competition has shown that women attend to attractive features that are perceived to be important to men, such as breast size, femininity, and waist-to-hip ratio [10]. For instance, that women are less likely to introduce other women to their current romantic partner if they possess breasts that are perceived to be attractive and signal fertility, i.e., large, firm breasts [1]. Prokop [11] showed that women rated women wearing high-heel shoes versus flat-soled shoes as more interested in sex and that they were less likely to let their partners spend

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