Abstract
The strength of sexual selection on secondary sexual traits varies depending on prevailing economic and ecological conditions. In humans, cross-cultural evidence suggests women’s preferences for men’s testosterone dependent masculine facial traits are stronger under conditions where health is compromised, male mortality rates are higher and economic development is higher. Here we use a sample of 4483 exclusively heterosexual women from 34 countries and employ mixed effects modelling to test how social, ecological and economic variables predict women’s facial masculinity preferences. We report women’s preferences for more masculine looking men are stronger in countries with higher sociosexuality and where national health indices and human development indices are higher, while no associations were found between preferences and indices of intra-sexual competition. Our results show that women’s preferences for masculine faces are stronger under conditions where offspring survival is higher and economic conditions are more favorable.
Highlights
Sexual selection has shaped the evolution of male secondary sexual characteristics that communicate viability in many species[1], including humans[2]
There was no significant association between the Inequality factor and facial masculinity preference
We found that women’s facial masculinity preferences varied cross-culturally in association with national health and developmental indices
Summary
Sexual selection has shaped the evolution of male secondary sexual characteristics that communicate viability in many species[1], including humans[2]. These findings are bolstered by experimental studies reporting that exposure to cues of pathogens result in higher preferences for facial masculinity (36, but see 37) This suggests that any social costs of selecting masculine partners may be circumvented under conditions where potential indirect benefits may be realised. Recent research has found support for this hypothesis, as women’s preferences for masculine facial traits are stronger in larger cities with greater income disparity[40] and in cultures with high human developmental indices[41] This could indicate that under conditions where individuals assess the value of potential mates and rivals from among many anonymous conspecifics, masculine facial features become important as cues of distinctiveness[41]. Whether women’s mate preferences for masculine characters are stronger when indirect or direct benefits may be prioritized, or whether economic development best explains variation, remains to be determined
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