Male Faces Research Articles

Re-evaluating the Role of Partnership-Related Perceptions in Women's Preferences for Men with Masculine Face Shapes.

Many researchers have proposed that women perceive men with masculine face shapes to be less suitable as parents and long-term partners than men with feminine face shapes, causing women to find masculine men more attractive for short-term than long-term relationships. However, recent work shows that results obtained using the type of experimentally manipulated stimuli that were employed in studies presenting evidence for these claims are not necessarily observed when natural (i.e., unmanipulated) face stimuli were used to suggest that the evidence for these claims may need to be revaluated. Consequently, we tested for possible relationships between ratings of natural male faces for parenting- and relationship-related traits and shape masculinity (Study 1) and also tested whether women's preferences for shape masculinity were stronger when natural male faces were rated for short-term relationships than when natural male faces were rated for long-term relationships (Studies 2 and 3). We saw no evidence for either of these predictions, instead finding that men with more attractive faces were perceived to be better parents and better long-term partners. Thus, our findings do not support the widely held view that masculine men are more attractive for short-term relationships because they are perceived to be unlikely to invest time and effort in their romantic partners and offspring.

Medication-Seeking Behaviors and Correlated Characteristics of Zolpidem Users in Taiwan-A Shared Patient Network Analysis.

Increasing insomnia signals a public health problem, alongside rising zolpidem use. This study investigates the factors behind the disproportionate rise in zolpidem prescriptions in Taiwan. It aims to identify the determinants of high-dose zolpidem users in Taiwan's Yilan County and employ an innovative approach to outline their medication-seeking patterns, using Taiwan's healthcare database. The associations between sociodemographic and clinical factors and low-dose and high-dose users were analyzed using multiple logistic regression. Social network analysis was employed to explore medication-seeking behavior among these user groups across different healthcare institutions. Of our 5290 participants, 22.82% are high-dose users. This study found that males face a 1.33-fold higher risk and that having chronic diseases is a major risk factor, contributing to a more than four-times higher risk (adjusted OR = 4.27, 95% CI 1.55-11.70) of being a high-dose user of zolpidem. A social network analysis showed a higher density (0.52) for high-dose users, revealing their frequent visits, for zolpidem, to different healthcare institutions. Psychiatrists have a central role in both low-dose and high-dose user networks, with a greater influence on low-dose users (64.4) than high-dose users (32.2). In sum, patients seeking high doses of zolpidem are driven by personal factors. Future efforts should include regulated dispensing, public health education, and specialized training for healthcare professionals on drug addiction.

Cross-cultural perception of strength, attractiveness, aggressiveness and helpfulness of Maasai male faces calibrated to handgrip strength

Previous research has demonstrated that Maasai and Europeans tend to align in their ratings of the physical strength and aggressiveness of Maasai male faces, calibrated to hand grip strength (HGS). However, perceptions of attractiveness of these faces differed among populations. In this study, three morphs of young Maasai men created by means of geometric morphometrics, and depicting the average sample and two extrema (± 4 SD of HGS), were assessed by men and women from Tanzania, Czech Republic, Russia, Pakistan, China, and Mexico (total sample = 1540). The aim of this study was to test cross-cultural differences in the perception of young Maasai men’s composites calibrated to HGS, focusing on four traits: physical strength, attractiveness, aggressiveness, and helpfulness. Individuals from all six cultures were able to distinguish between low, medium, and high HGS portraits. Across all study populations, portrait of Maasai men with lower HGS was perceived as less attractive, more aggressive, and less helpful. This suggests that people from diverse populations share similar perceptions of physical strength based on facial shape, as well as attribute similar social qualities like aggressiveness and helpfulness to these facial images. Participants from all samples rated the composite image of weak Maasai men as the least attractive.

(229) Late Life Male Virgins: Exploring the Psycho-Social-Sexual Consequences of Sexual Inexperience in Cisgender American Males Seeking Sex Therapy

Abstract Introduction Reports on past studies about male sexuality, as it compares to women’s, indicate that men have higher sex drives, more positive attitudes toward casual or uncommitted sexual encounters, being more eager to engage in a variety of sexual activities, having more positive emotional responses to intercourse and having higher value regarding sexual experience and activity than women. Although the literature and cultural norms have perpetuated the myth of the sexual male, there is a dearth of literature regarding male virginity, specifically, late life male virginity, and its impacts on psycho-social-sexual health. Objective To investigate the experiences of later in life male virgins and the effects of their sexual status on their psycho-social-sexual health. To provide new insight into late life male virgins' assumptions, feelings, and gender role expectations and their perceptions on how those impact their attainability of sexual interactions and romantic relationships. To increase awareness among clinicians regarding the need for targeted interventions for late life male virgins in clinical practice. Methods This exploratory qualitative research was based on the case studies of five cisgender heterosexual men in the United States of America, who were late life virgins at the time of the study (defined as men 45 years and older, with no previous sexual experiences or interactions with the opposite sex) who sought Sex Therapy and Surrogate Partner Therapy to assist in their objective to acquire social and sexual skills with the goal of having their sexual debut. Results The common themes that stemmed from the case studies revealed that: 1) although the men in the study were able to achieve academic and professional status, they felt flawed and out of the norm due to their virginity status; 2) all the men hid their sexual inexperience from peers and family due to shame and fear of negative consequences to their reputation and even professional loss; and 3) made evident the challenges these men face while navigating social and sexual experiences later in life; 4) underscored the damaging effects of myths, stereotypes and societal expectations around male sexuality; and 5) highlighted the lack of information, education and therapeutic tools that could help guide late life male virgins in their pursuit to exercise their sexuality. Conclusions The study provides a greater understanding of the challenges and issues late life male virgins face in their quest to reach their sexual debut and live satisfactory sex lives that meet their particular needs. The themes offer guidance for the development and implementation of sex therapy interventions that will help this specific cohort, as well as directions for future research. Disclosure No.

Trait inferences from the “big two” produce gendered expectations of facial features

Prescriptive stereotypes based on, respectively, agency and communality reflect how people expect men and women to behave. Deviating from such prescriptions limits opportunities for men and women in ways that reinforce traditional gender roles. In the current work, we examine whether people have expectations of gendered facial features based on agentic and communal descriptions of targets and if these expectations extend to who people think is best suited for workplace tasks. Across five experiments, people expected more facial masculinity for targets paired with agentic relative to communal traits (Experiments 1, 2a-b) and workplace behaviors (Experiments 3a-b). This expectation effect emerged when gendered facial features (e.g., more masculinized and feminized versions of face identities) were manipulated across (Experiment 1) and within (Experiments 2a-b, 3a-b) gender, regardless of whether traits were explicitly stated (Experiments 1, 2a-b, 3a) or inferred (Experiment 3b), and regardless of trait valence. When people made decisions about two same-gender faces, the gender of those faces accentuated trait effects. More masculine male (relative to female) faces were consistently expected more for agentic traits and workplace tasks, but consistently expected less for communal traits and workplace tasks (Experiments 2a, 3a-b). We then conceptually replicated expectation effects by showing that mental representations of agentic and communal faces appear correspondingly gendered (Experiment 4). Finally, we provide exploratory analyses showing that expectation effects may differentially vary by perceiver gender across contexts. These findings illustrate a non-verbal route by which people make decisions based on gender stereotypes that have wide-ranging implications for workplace behavior.

Exploring Gender Based Listening Anxieties in Computer Based IELTS Tests: An In-depth Investigation

The current study investigates diverse listening anxieties experienced by both genders during the computer-based IELTS listening test. Three key anxieties are examined: cognitive and physical stress, pronunciation and accent challenges, and language and vocabulary knowledge issues. A notable difference in responses between genders is observed, with females exhibiting increased anxiety levels when listening and typing simultaneously. In contrast, males face challenges comprehending different accents within the same audio. Both genders express significant apprehension regarding encountering unknown words. Employing a quantitative approach, the study analyses data from 88 participants who have recently appeared in the Computer-Based IELTS exam. Descriptive statistics serve as the primary analytical tool. Results indicate that the transition to screen-based IELTS introduces a few challenges for students accustomed to paper-based testing, exacerbating existing anxieties. The study advocates for integrating realistic practice tests into classroom curricula to alleviate screen related fears and prepare students for the exam environment. This research sheds light on the nuanced dynamics of listening anxieties in screen-based testing contexts, providing insights for educators and test administrators to enhance student preparation and performance.

(307) Prevalence of Sexual Dysfunction and Pursuit of Sexual Medicine Evaluation Among Male Physicians

Abstract Introduction While the epidemiology of male sexual dysfunction in the general population is well studied, little is known regarding the prevalence of sexual dysfunction in male physicians and their likelihood of seeking treatment. Objective To characterize the prevalence of sexual dysfunction, evaluation patterns, and barriers to treatment among male physicians. Methods Between June 2022 and October 2022, male physicians were invited to complete a questionnaire regarding sexual function. Surveys were disseminated electronically via social media and professional medical societies using Qualtrics (Provo, UT). Results 235 responses were included in the final analysis. The mean age of respondents was 36.3 ± 7.4 years. 27 (11.5%) reported having seen a doctor for sexual health. Of these 27,11 (40.7%) saw a physician for erectile dysfunction, 8 (29.6%) for low libido, 6 (22.2%) for premature ejaculation, 2 (7.4%) for delayed ejaculation, and 9 (33.3%) for some other concern. An additional 29 (13.9%) respondents considered establishing care for sexual issues but didn’t, mostly due to being too busy (N=18, 62.1%). Of the 56 respondents who had either seen or thought about seeing a physician for sexual health issues, the mean IIEF score was 24.4 ± 8.7 with 18 (32.1%) qualifying as having at least mild ED and 7 (12.5%) having severe ED (Table 2). 46 (19.6%) respondents reported having taken medication to improve erectile function. Only 12 (5.1%) respondents reported having ever been diagnosed with low testosterone. Among the 56 respondents who had either seen or thought about seeing a physician for sexual health issues, those who worked more hours (>60 hours per week) were least likely to see a physician (7.2%) compared to those working the fewest hours (33.3%), p=0.02. Conclusions In a cohort of young male physicians, 25.4% had seen or considered seeing a doctor for sexual health concerns, and nearly 1 in 5 had taken medication for erectile dysfunction. Given the highly demanding work schedules, occupational stress, and a variety of other factors associated the medical profession, male physicians appear to be at higher risk for sexual dysfunction than the general population. Moreover, male physicians face significant and unique barriers in access to care for sexual dysfunction. Disclosure No.

Healthcare Professional's Attitudes Toward Male Nurses Working in the Context of Pediatric Care.

To examine the attitudes of healthcare professionals (HCPs) toward male nurses working in the context of pediatric care. This cross-sectional quantitative using purposeful sampling of 135 participants. The questionnaire gathered socio-demographic data, including age, gender, marital status, nationality, and education. It also examined cultural influences and beliefs as barriers. The opinions about male nurses were evaluated using the attitude of people toward men in the nursing profession (AMnQ) scale. The relationship between attitudes toward men in nursing and cultural/organizational factors had no statistical differences (P > .05). However, age groups, encouraging male family members to pursue nursing, and working with male nurses in pediatric units showed statistically different attitude levels (P = .029, .008, .001). HCPs' positive attitude toward male nurses can eliminate gender bias. Male nurses serve as role models, supervising and monitoring work. Nursing education programs must address this challenge and promote gender balance to attract more men to the profession. The nursing field is evolving, with more male pediatric nurses joining the workforce. However, male pediatric nurses face challenges in leadership and management roles due to gender bias, lack of career advancement opportunities, and inadequate support from colleagues. They also struggle to build relationships with patients and families due to societal norms and gender stereotypes. Nursing leadership must address these issues to create a more inclusive environment for male pediatric nurses, ultimately enhancing the quality of healthcare services for pediatric patients.

Robust face recognition using quaternion interval type II fuzzy logic-based feature extraction on colour images.

In this paper, we propose a new robust and fast learning technique by investigating the effect of integration of quaternion and interval type II fuzzy logic along with non-iterative, parameter free deterministic learning machine (DLM) pertaining to face recognition problem. The traditional learning techniques did not account colour information and degree of pixel wise association of individual pixel of a colour face image in their network. Therefore, this paper presents a new technique named quaternion interval type II based deterministic learning machine (QIntTyII-DLM), which considers the interrelationship between three colour channels viz. red, green, and blue (RGB) by representing each colour pixel of a colour image in quaternion number sequence. Here, quaternion vector representation of a colour face image is fuzzified using interval type II fuzzy logic. This reduces the redundancy between pixels of different colour channels and also transforms colour channels of the image to orthogonal colour space. Thereafter, classification is performed using DLM. Experiments performed (on four standard datasets AR, Georgia Tech, Indian, face (female) and faces 94 (male) face datasets) and comparison done with other existing techniques proves that the proposed technique gives better results in terms of percentage error rate (reduces approximately 10-12%) and computational speed.

Increased risk of new‐onset cardiovascular disease after COVID‐19: A systematic review and meta‐analysis of 14 cohorts

AbstractCardiovascular diseases (CVD) are common in long COVID, yet the associated risk remains uncertain. We aimed to quantify the risk of new‐onset cardiovascular diseases after COVID‐19. We searched PubMed, Embase, and Web of Science from inception up to October 2022. Cohort studies that provided information on the number, proportion, or relative risks (RR) of cardiovascular diseases after COVID‐19 were included. Paired reviewers independently screened studies, extracted data, and assessed the risk of bias. We performed random‐effects models meta‐analyses to calculate RR and corresponding 95% confidence interval (95%CI), and conducted subgroup analyses and meta‐regression to explore the potential risk factors. Absolute effects were calculated to facilitate interpretation. The Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development and Evaluation approach was used to assess the certainty of evidence. Outcomes of interest were any CVD, major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE), arrhythmias, heart failure, myocarditis, and thrombotic events. Fourteen cohort studies with over 25.37 million participants were included. The results showed a 2.42 times higher risk of any CVD (RR = 2.42, 95% CI: 1.24–4.71; 51 more per 1000), a 95% higher risk of MACE (RR = 1.95, 95% CI: 1.59–2.40; 4 more per 1000), a 61% higher risk of arrhythmias (RR = 1.61, 95% CI: 1.42–1.83; 12 more per 1000), a 71% higher risk of heart failure (RR = 1.71, 95% CI: 1.33–2.21; 2 more per 1000), a 5 times higher risk of myocarditis (RR = 5.06, 95% CI: 3.78–6.77; 4 more per 1000), and a 2.49 times higher risk of thrombotic events (RR = 2.49, 95% CI: 1.22–5.06; 6 more per 1000) associated with COVID‐19. Besides, for thrombotic events, a statistically significant subgroup effect was observed in male participants compared to females (Pinteraction = 0.008). The certainty of evidence was high for myocarditis, but low or very low for other outcomes. The results clearly showed varying degrees of elevated new‐onset CVD risk in post‐COVID‐19 individuals. Additionally, our findings suggest that male patients face a higher risk of thrombotic events. However, the differences in pooled results between studies, and the over‐precision due to the large sample size of the included studies resulted in high heterogeneity of exceeding 90% in most outcomes, which led to low certainty of evidence.

A Rites of Passage Counseling Group: Black Panther as a Metaphor of Strength and Resiliency for Young Black Males

Comic book characters (CBCs) provide an escapism from reality while still confronting real issues. However, for Black, Indigenous, and people of color (BIPOC) there is a lack of characters that look, talk, and think like them. Black Panther is an example of a character more inclusive of BIPOC populations, especially Black males. What differentiates Black Panther is the CBC can be a metaphor for issues Black males face, such as racism/discrimination. The superhero has several positive attributes, such as a strong sense of self, dignity, and strength/resiliency. Furthermore, one of the more appealing cultural aspects of Black Panther is he must undergo several rites of passages to claim his inheritance. Rites of passages are gaining recognition as a culturally responsive group method to use with Black males in school settings. Thus, a rites of passages counseling group centered on the attributes of Black Panther can offer a contemporary, school-based counseling intervention.

Cranio-Facial Characteristics in Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Scoping Review

Autism spectrum disorders (ASD) consist of a complex group of neurodevelopmental disorders characterised by qualitative impairments of social interactions, communication abilities, and a limited, stereotyped, and repetitive selection of interests and activities. In light of the imperative to identify a possible biomarker for ASD, it has been determined that craniofacial anomalies serve as significant risk factors for neurodevelopmental disorders. The aim of this scoping review is to deepen the knowledge of the scientific literature related to cranio-facial characteristics in individuals with ASD, with a particular focus on recent research advancements. The review was performed by employing the search strings ((“Autism Spectrum Disorder” OR autism OR ASD OR “Autism Spectrum”) AND (“facial morphology” OR “facial phenotype”)) on the databases PubMed/MEDLINE, Scopus, and ERIC as of March 9, 2023. The review comprised seven studies whose findings were obtained through quantitative analysis of Euclidean distances between anatomical landmarks. The examination of facial abnormalities represents a possible reliable diagnostic biomarker that could aid in the timely identification of ASD. Phenotypic characteristics that may serve as predictive indicators of the severity of autistic symptoms can be observed in certain individuals with ASD by applying anthropometric and instrumental measurements. The presence of a phenotype characterised by an increased intercanthal distance and a reduced facial midline height appears to be associated with a higher degree of severity in autistic symptoms. In addition, it is worth noting that facial asymmetry and facial masculinity can be considered reliable indicators for predicting a more severe manifestation of symptoms.

Analysis of Sexual Dimorphic Features of the Jawline and Chin in White Celebrity Faces.

The jawline greatly influences facial shape and contributes to facial dimorphism. Analysis of lower facial shape and sexual dimorphic differences in contemporary attractive white faces can advance the goals of lower facial aesthetics and facial gender-affirming surgery (FGAS). Full-face, front-view photos of 47 white female and 21 white male celebrities were included from a list generated using GQ magazine's Highest Paid Models issue, People Magazine's Beautiful issue (1991-2022), and celebrities featured on lifestyle websites. Facial landmarks were detected through a facial analysis program using Vision framework and MATLAB. After converting pixel distances to absolute distances, lower face measurements were compared between males and females. The mean lower facial height was 6.08cm in females and 7.00cm in males (P value<0.001). The mean bigonial width was 11.21cm in females and 12.30cm in males (P value<0.001). The ratio of facial height to lower facial height was 2.98 in females and 2.76 in males (P value<0.001), signifying that symmetry in facial thirds is more prevalent in attractive female faces, while a longer lower face is more common in attractive male faces. The greatest differences in female and male facial contours were at gonial angles and chin. Analysis of contemporary white celebrity faces demonstrated significantly wider and longer lower facial measurements in males. The overall contour of the female lower face was more tapered at the gonial angles and chin compared to males. These results are important when planning lower facial rejuvenation or FGAS, as lower face size and proportions influence perceived gender and attractiveness.

Influence of the human body odor compound HMHA on face perception.

Body odors convey information about the individuals, but the mechanisms are not fully understood yet. As far as human reproduction is concerned, molecules that are produced in sexually dimorphic amounts could be possible chemosignals. 3-hydroxy-3-methylhexanoic acid (HMHA) is one of them-more typical of men. Here, we investigated the possibility that the perception of gender and attractiveness in human faces could be implicitly influenced by this compound. Clearly feminine, ambiguous and clearly masculine faces were primed with an odor of HMHA, a control odor or air. Based on 100-ms face presentation, 40 raters had to identify the face's gender as quickly as possible and provide attractiveness evaluations. 3-hydroxy-3-methylhexanoic acid tended to be perceived as less pleasant and induced lower sniff duration in women compared with men. As to the effects of HMHA on face perception (vs. control conditions), we found that gender identification and the associated response time were unaffected by HMHA. Attractiveness of the faces, however, increased in presence of HMHA, but not in a sex-specific manner and only for unattractive faces with ambiguous gender. In sum, this study found no evidence in favor of a possible role of this sexually dimorphic compound in intrasexual competition nor in intersexual attraction.

When being unattractive is an advantage: effects of face perception on intuitive culpability judgments

This experiment explored the influence of facial attractiveness and trustworthiness on guilty judgments. We recruited 128 participants, randomly assigned to high and low time pressure conditions to act as judges in a simulated blind-date swindle case. Participants judged nine male faces from the Chicago Face Database with three attractiveness levels (unattractive, neutral and attractive), featuring a 2 × 3 mixed factorial design, with consistent standardized average levels of face trustworthiness. We also assessed participants’ self-reported processing styles (rational vs. experiential) using the Rational Experiential Inventory. Notably, participants predominantly judged unattractive faces as innocent, indicating an ugly leniency effect. Our results suggest the primacy of perceived face trustworthiness over attractiveness in guilt judgments for cases where the accused’s physical appearance might facilitate the crime’s success. This highlights the importance of examining the contribution of perceived trustworthiness to guilt judgment biases, and adds to growing evidence exploring extrajudicial factors in criminal verdicts.

Integrated Management with Ayurveda, Yoga and Counselling in Gender Dysphoria with Conduct Disorder

Sex is assigned at birth on the basis of external genitalia while gender is sense of being male, female or an alternative. It may or may not correspond to sex assigned at birth. In transgender, gender identity and gender expression do not match with sex assigned at birth. global prevalence of transgender is 0.3% to 0.5%. In DSM-5, gender dysphoria is the term used to refer the distress due to gender incongruence between sex assigned at birth and gender experienced. In Charakasamhita, Vyamisra linga is used to denote third gender. Even though there are few contexts to mentioning about diversities in attitude, feeling and behaviours connected with sex, no observations in Ayurveda on gender dysphoria. A 16 year old patient of assigned female gender admitted through the reference from children home authorities in the IPD of Government Ayurveda Research Institute for Mental Health and Hygiene (GARIM), Kottakkal, with disturbed sleep, increased fear, decreased food intake, increased anger, telling lies, stealing, reduced mingling with others, tendency of drawing male faces and smoking. Dress and hair style of the patient was like males. History of child abuse, running away from home and truancy were also reported. Patient was diagnosed with gender dysphoria and conduct disorder as per DSM-5 criteria which resemble Vatika Unmada with Pithanubandha. Sodhana and Samana modalities of treatments along with Yoga and counselling were given. Assessments done before and after treatments at GARIM and follow up after one month revealed remarkable relief from the symptoms presented. The Ayurvedic protocol was found effective and it highlights the scope of Ayurveda in managing gender dysphoria and associated conditions.

Male facial cues to physical strength in Europe: Medium-strength preference and higher aggressiveness attribution to the weakest.

The capacity to assess male physical strength from facial cues may be adaptive given health and fitness-related associations with muscular strength. Our study complements recent research on strength-related face perceptions of male Maasai by applying the protocol to male European faces and assessors. Five distinct facial morphs calibrated for handgrip strength (HGS) were manufactured with geometric morphometrics performing regressions of the Procrustes shape coordinates on HGS in a sample of 26 European men (18-32 years). Young adult men and women (n = 445) rated these morphs on physical strength, attractiveness, and aggressiveness. Facial morphs calibrated to lower HGS were rated as less strong, less attractive, and more aggressive than those calibrated to higher HGS. Medium levels of HGS were associated with the highest attractiveness ratings. The rating patterns of physical strength, attractiveness, and aggressiveness for European male facial morphs exhibit similarity to previous ratings of Maasai male faces. Therefore, the current findings corroborate the suggestion of a common mechanism for social attributions based on facial cues to physical strength, modulated by local ecology and societal context.

Intra-group differences in skin tone influence evaluative and perceptual face processing.

In an exploration of colorist biases across native Melanesian participants, we employed a multi-method approach across three studies to examine evaluative and perceptual processing of 'lighter' and 'darker' non-Melanesian facial targets controlled for attractiveness, sex, and ethnicity. In Study 1, 305 participants evaluated facial attractiveness using surveys. In Study 2, 153 participants alternately mapped lighter and darker faces with positive and neutral attributes across brief Implicit Association Tests. In Study 3, 61 participants underwent a manual sorting task followed by a 'breaking' continuous flash suppression (b-CFS) paradigm to probe 'non-conscious' perceptual biases. Across evaluative measures, male and female respondents consistently preferred lighter-skinned, highly attractive male faces. During b-CFS, lighter and attractive opposite-sex faces entered awareness ('broke suppression') faster than their darker counterparts. We speculate that skin tone may operate as a perceptually salient cue in the presence of facial configurations signaling high reproductive potential.

Men with high dark triad personality traits can accurately infer dark triad traits from other people's faces.

The literature suggests that people can accurately infer dark triad (DT) personality traits from other peoples' faces. Using a self-report scale, this study investigated the impact of participants' DT personality traits on their ability to accurately infer other peoples' DT traits from facial cues. We created composite facial photographs of Japanese people with varying Machiavellianism, psychopathy, and narcissism scores. The Japanese participants (N = 170) assessed these three DT traits in the facial photographs and completed a questionnaire that assessed their own DT traits. The results indicated that the participants could accurately infer all three DT traits from female faces but not from male faces. Male participants showed a positive correlation between accurate inferences of other men's Machiavellianism and their own DT traits. In contrast, female participants showed a negative correlation between correct inferences of men's DT traits and their own DT traits. These findings offer novel insights into human evolutionary and social adaptations.

Challenges Faced by Male Nursing Students in Obstetrics and Gynaecology Wards in Private Healthcare Settings in Malaysia

This study explored the unique challenges male nursing students face during their clinical postings in private hospitals' Obstetrics and Gynaecology (OB-GYN) wards. Although the presence of male nurses is growing globally and in Malaysia, gender dynamics within OB-GYN settings create significant barriers to their learning experiences. Using a qualitative, phenomenological research design, this study involved four focus group discussions with 30 male nursing students enrolled in the Diploma of Nursing program at a private Healthcare University. Data were collected and analysed using Braun and Clarke’s thematic content analysis to identify key themes. The findings revealed several challenges, including discrimination, cultural and religious constraints, limited hands-on practice opportunities, and emotional distress. Male students frequently encountered discrimination, with restricted access to labour rooms and maternity wards, which hindered their skill acquisition. Concerns about patient dignity and the discomfort of female patients further complicated their learning, especially in sensitive procedures. Cultural and religious norms, particularly in Malaysia, also posed challenges by limiting their participation in clinical procedures. Additionally, the lack of practical skill development left male students feeling unprepared and less confident compared to their female peers, while emotional reactions such as frustration and demotivation were common due to the perceived lack of support and limited opportunities. Addressing these challenges requires reducing gender-based discrimination, promoting cultural sensitivity, and providing male nursing students equal access to hands-on learning. This will enhance their clinical competence and emotional well-being, contributing to a more balanced healthcare workforce.