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The Compatibility Quotient (CQ) is an index of similarity within established or potential couples across a variety of domains known to predict long-term relationship success. Validation data has been presented showing that established couples have substantially higher CQ scores than randomly paired couples and that couples with rewarding relationships have higher CQs than those whose relationship is less happy. Here we show that CQ scores predict desire to pursue a relationship after only a brief speed-date encounter. Nineteen young men had 3-minute social exchanges with 19 young women, providing data on 361 potential relationships. Those couplings in which both parties expressed a desire at least for friendship showed mean CQs of 107.7, compared with a mean of 102.7 for couplings in which at least one party had no desire for further contact (p < 0.001). The CQ was also predictive of immediate physical attraction. Mutually attracted couples averaged CQs of 108.0 compared with 101.2 for those not attracted to each other (p < 0.01). These effects were apparently driven by female preferences, with males being less discriminating.

The proportion of women (PW) across occupations shows considerable variation. Here we hypothesize that occupational segregation could be moderated by the effect of testosterone (T), leading individuals to gender-typical choice of occupation. To test this, we examined the relationship between PW across 22 occupations and three putative correlates of T (the 2nd to 4th digit ratio [2D:4D], a supposed correlate of prenatal T [PT]; body height, a possible correlate of adult T [AT]; and a systemizing–empathizing score [SQ–EQ], a putative behavioural correlate of PT and AT) in a large internet survey. PW varied from 17% (Engineering/R&D) to 94% (Homemaker) per occupation. Compared to participants in female-typical jobs, participants in male-typical jobs tended to have low right hand 2D:4D and low right–left hand 2D:4D [Dr-l] (higher PT, women only), were taller (higher AT, men and women), and had higher SQ–EQ scores (higher PT and AT, men and women). With regard to women, the relationships for Dr-l and SQ–EQ (but not body height) remained significant when Whites only were considered. We conclude that in women Dr-l, and SQ–EQ are related to occupational segregation, suggesting that high PT and AT are found in women who are in male-typical occupations.

Deviations from perfect symmetry in paired traits of otherwise bilateral symmetrical organisms are thought to reflect developmental quality, especially the ability to resist environmental perturbations early in ontogeny. It is well established that poor environmental conditions increase developmental instability (DI) as reflected by measurements of fluctuating asymmetry. In humans, there is evidence that DI relates to numerous fitness components, and studies have found that perceptions of facial attractiveness for example are positively correlated with measurements of facial symmetry. Here we report the data on measurements of facial symmetry of 503 Turkish senior year high school students aged 17 to 18 years, of whom 133 males and 117 females were recruited from a slum district of Şentepe in Ankara (Group 1), and 131 males and 122 females from three high schools in wealthy central urban areas (Group 2). Digital images were used to assess the degree of facial asymmetry as measured from seven paired traits and calculated as a composite score. Facial asymmetry of participants in Group 1 (slum district) was significantly higher than that of participants in Group 2 (urban areas). Moreover, males in Group 1 were found to have higher facial asymmetry than females, while no sex difference was observed in Group 2. We conclude that poor living conditions have an influence on DI in humans, which manifests itself in the form of facial asymmetry, and that this might be particularly true for males.

Research in human communication on an ethological basis is almost obsolete. The reasons for this are manifold and lie partially in methodological prob- lems connected to the observation and description of behavior, as well as the nature of human behavior itself. In this chapter, we present a new, non-intru- sive, technical approach to the analysis of human non-verbal behavior, which could help to solve the problem of categorization that plagues the traditional approaches. We utilize evolutionary theory to propose a new theory-driven methodological approach to the ‘multi-unit multi-channel modulation’ prob- lem of human nonverbal communication. Within this concept, communication is seen as context-dependent (the meaning of a signal is adapted to the situ- ation), as a multi-channel and a multi-unit process (a string of many events interrelated in ‘communicative’ space and time), and as related to the func- tion it serves. Such an approach can be utilized to successfully bridge the gap between evolutionary psychological research, which focuses on social cognition adaptations, and human ethology, which describes every day behavior in an objective, systematic way.

Thornhill and Grammer (1999) have argued that certain facial and bodily features in women serve as ‘honest’ signals of their reproductive quality and that these features comprise a single condition-dependent ornament. Here we test whether the hypothesis that male faces and bodies also comprise such a sexual ornament. Photographs of faces and bodies (front and back views) of 43 males subjects were rated independently by a total of 78 female volunteers in terms of ‘attractiveness’, ‘masculinity’, and ‘dominance’. Ratings of male faces correlated significantly positively with the same ratings of their bodies. Thus, if a face was rated as being attractive, dominant and masculine, then the body was rated in the equivalent manner. Males who possess attractive, masculine, and dominant looking faces also possess attractive, masculine, and dominant looking bodies, probably because of similar patterns of underlying proximate mechanisms that affect their development.

The intake of nicotine (mainly through smoking) and alcohol has public health consequences. However, it is unclear whether all factors that affect individual and national rates of consumption are known. Prenatal testosterone (PT) may influence smoking and alcohol choices through effects on personality. Thus, morphological markers of PT may correlate with smoking and/or alcohol intake choices. Here we examine the relationship between individual values and national means of 2D:4D, a putative negative correlate of PT, and intake of nicotine and alcohol in a large sample of men and women, i.e. the BBC Internet Study. High intake of nicotine was related to high 2D:4D and high intake of alcohol with low 2D:4D. These findings were independent of sex, age, height, education, and individual choices regarding nicotine or alcohol intake. National means of 2D:4D were positively correlated with number of cigarettes consumed per nation after the removal of the effects of gross domestic product (GDP), average height and consumption of alcohol. Alcohol consumption correlated negatively with national 2D:4D after the influence of GDP, average height and consumption of cigarettes per nation were removed. We conclude that PT may have organising effects on smoking and alcohol intake choices.

Sensation seeking denotes the tendency to seek novel, varied, complex, and intense sensations and experiences, and describes the willingness to take risks for the sake of such experiences. Some studies have demonstrated correlates of both circulating and prenatal testosterone with sensation seeking. Hand-grip strength (as a measure of overall muscular strength) is also known to show associations with measures of circulating testosterone, and certain physical and behavioural characteristics, particularly in men. This study examines the possible relationship between hand-grip strength and sensation seeking, assessed via the Sensation Seeking Scale Form V (SSS-V) in 117 males aged 18–30 years. A positive and significant correlation was found between hand-grip strength and SSS-V total score and thrill and adventure seeking (TAS) after controlling for weight, height, and engagement with sporting activities. We discuss our findings with reference to other studies reporting associations between biological and personality characteristics.

The degree of instrumentality and expressiveness displayed by males and females is known to correlate with a wide range of behaviors. A number of studies have investigated the impact of these personality traits on sexual strategy selection, in particular partner preference. Here we report associations between the lifetime number of sexual partners and the age at first sexual intercourse in relation to personality (as measured by the Bem Sex Role Inventory; BSRI) in a sample of 232 German males and females aged 16–63 years. Significant sex differences were found for BSRI measures such that males scored higher on instrumentality, while females scored higher on expressiveness. Significant positive associations between BSRI instrumentality scores and the reported lifetime number of sexual partners were found in both males and females. In addition, reported age of first sexual intercourse was negatively correlated with BSRI instrumentality scores in males. Finally, females scoring higher on BSRI instrumentality reported to have more lifetime number of sexual partners, even when actual biological age was controlled for. These findings suggest that there are significant within-sex differences in sexual behaviors due to the possession of instrumental personality traits.

Women engage in intra-sexual competition to attract or to retain a mate. Given men’s preferences for certain female physical characteristics, women may be attuned to potential rivals who display such traits. We examined how variation in facial femininity, breast size, and waist-to-hip ratio (WHR) affects perceived competition and attractiveness judgments in a sample of German female undergraduates. Thirty-five women ranked five images of each stimulus type according to perceived competition and rated these images for attractiveness and femininity. Women with more feminine faces, larger breasts, and lower WHRs received higher attractiveness and femininity ratings and were ranked highest on perceived competition. The results indicate the occurrence of human female intra-sexual competition with respect to physical traits desired by potential mates.

Evolutionspsychologen haben wiederholt Beweise dafür geliefert, dass es physische Merkmale gibt, die bei der Attraktivitätseinschätzung besondere Bedeutung haben und unsere Partnerpräferenzen beeinflussen. Merkmale schöner Gesichter sind nach wissenschaftlichen Erkenntnissen deshalb attraktiv, weil sie letztendlich Rückschlüsse auf die Qualität eines potenziellen Geschlechtspartners zulassen. Die Tatsache, dass der Menstruationszyklus die Partnerpräferenzen von Frauen beeinflusst, wird als Ausdruck differenzieller Partnerwahlkriterien im Hinblick auf den Reproduktionserfolg erklärt. Maskuline Gesichter signalisieren ein höheres Potenzial an Fortpflanzungswahrscheinlichkeit, werden von Frauen an den Tagen erhöhter Empfängniswahrscheinlichkeit bevorzugt, erhalten jedoch weniger positive Persönlichkeitsattribute. Feminine Männergesichter kennzeichnen einen „guten Vater“, erhalten den Vorzug während der nichtfruchtbaren Tage und werden hinsichtlich ihrer Persönlichkeit positiver eingestuft. Dieser Artikel erklärt den „adaptiven Kompromiss“, den Frauen bei der Wahl eines Mannes eingehen, aus verhaltensbiologischer Perspektive und beschreibt das Phänomen der zyklusabhängigen Partnerwahl anhand einiger aktueller Arbeiten.

Perception of age and health is critical in the judgement of attractiveness. The few studies conducted on the significance of apparent skin condition on human physical appearance have studied faces alone or isolated fields of images facial skin. Little is known about whether perception of the face matches that of other body parts or if body skin affects overall age and attractiveness perception when presented in combination with facial skin. We hypothesized that independent presentation of female faces, chests and arms (including hands) – cropped from a full face and upper body image – would result in significant differences in perception of age and attractiveness compared to the corresponding composite. Furthermore, we sought to investigate whether relatively young and attractive looking skin on selected, individual parts of the body affects overall perception. Digital photographs of 52 women aged 45–65 years were collected and processed to yield four derivative sets of images: One set showed the composite of all features, i.e. the face, the chest and the arms, whereas the other three were cropped carefully to show each part of the upper body described above independently. A total of 240 participants judged these faces for perceived age and attractiveness. Our results showed significant differences in perception with the chest and the arms being judged significantly younger than the face or composite image of the same women. Moreover, arms and chest images were perceived as more attractive than face and composite images. Finally, regression analysis indicated that differences between the perceived and chronological values of overall age perception could be predicted by age perception of the face and arms. These results continue to support the significance of facial age perception in assessment of a woman’s age, but highlight that body skin also plays a role in overall age impression.

Background  Skin color distribution and skin surface topography are the predominant drivers of the variation in visible skin condition, and this variation affects one’s perception of age and health. Recent research, however, has shown that the strength of the impact of these features on perception differs such that skin surface topography is a stronger indicator of age, while skin color distribution is more strongly linked to health perception. Objectives  To examine further the relative contribution and interaction effects of skin color distribution and surface topography cues on perception by considering small changes of these features. Methods  Two sets of images were created by gradually smoothing uneven skin color distribution and removing skin surface topography cues (both in 25% increments) in the digital image of the face of a 61-year-old British woman. Omnibus pairwise combinations of modified images were presented to a panel of 160 German men and women (aged 19–49 years). With each pair, they were asked to select the face they considered both younger-looking and healthier. Results  Female facial age perception was more strongly affected by the removal of skin surface topography cues than by changes in skin color distribution, particularly so for topography removal of 50% and more. In contrast, the smoothing of uneven skin color distribution had a stronger effect on the perception of female facial health, particularly for changes of 25% and greater. Conclusions  These results support previous reports on the differential effects of visible skin color distribution and surface topography cues on the perception of female facial age and health and show that only relatively small changes are necessary to drive this differential perception.

Facial, olfactory, and vocal cues may advertise women's fertility. However, most of the evidence for this proposal has come from studies of changes in young adult women's attractiveness over the menstrual cycle. By contrast with this emphasis on changes in attractiveness over the menstrual cycle, possible changes in women's attractiveness over their lifespan have received little attention. The present study investigated men's ratings of young girls' (11–15 years old), adult women's (19–30 years old) and circum-menopausal women's (50–65 years old) facial, body odor, and vocal attractiveness and femininity. Faces and voices, but not body odors, of young girls and adult women were perceived to be significantly more attractive and feminine than those of circum-menopausal women. These data suggest that facial and vocal cues may be cues to women's reproductive value, but that body odor cues do not necessarily advertise this information.

Roberts et al. (2004) showed that perceived facial attractiveness of women is higher in the fertile phase of the menstrual cycle than in the luteal phase, suggesting the existence of visible cues of ovulation. However, the nature of such cues remains speculative. Here, in an initial pilot study, we test the hypothesis that changes in female facial skin coloration across the menstrual cycle could be one of the signals that men have adapted to in order to assess female fertility. Spectrophotometric measurements of the facial skin color of normally ovulating Caucasian women (aged 24–29 years) were collected in the late follicular and midluteal phase of their menstrual cycle. Facial images were also taken in both sessions and judged for attractiveness and health by a panel of German men (aged 16–37 years). In line with Roberts et al. (2004), our results show that men perceive women in the late follicular phase to be significantly more attractive and healthier than those in the midluteal phase. However, we did not detect any significant differences in objective measurements of skin color between the two phases. We conclude that the increase in male perception of female facial attractiveness and health in the fertile phase of the menstrual cycle is not caused by a change in overall skin color and/or lightness.

  Objectives Comparative research suggests that male courtship displays signal condition-dependent traits tofemales; these displays might also provide cues to potential male competitors. Although some associations betweenhuman movements and physical/behavioral qualities have been found, such research has typically only been conducted from a perspective of female mate choice. Here, using advanced motion capture and biomechanical analyses, we examine the extent to which male dancing provides cues about the dancer's physical qualities to both males and females. Methods Thirty men aged 19–37 were recorded using motion-capture technology as they danced to a standard rhythm. Participants also completed a vascular fitness test, assessments of upper- and lower-body strength, and biomechanical indices were extracted from their dance movements. Dance clips were converted into virtual humanoid characters (avatars) and rated by 27 women and 21 men on perceived dance quality. Results General linear mixed modeling revealed that both handgrip strength and arm movements of the dancer were statistically significant predictors of dance quality ratings; stronger males who displayed larger, more variable, and faster movements of their arms being rated as better dancers. There was no effect of the sex of the observer in predicting dance quality ratings, indicating that male and female observers rated dance quality equivalently. Physical fitness was not associated with perceived dance quality.   Conclusions Men and women are able to derive certain quality cues from observing male dance movements in the form of controlled stimuli. Thus, male dancing may form a condition-dependent ornament of certain aspects of mate quality.

The ratio between the second and fourth fingers (2D:4D) is supposed to serve as a putative indicator of prenatal testosterone (PT). Significant associations between 2D:4D, children's basic numerical ability, and the Spatial Numerical Associations of Response Codes (SNARC) effect have recently been reported. The present study explored potential relationships between 2D:4D and the basic numerical ability of subitizing (the rapid enumeration of small quantities) in 80 right-handed adult volunteers. Participants completed a short battery of computerized subitizing and color recognition control tasks with both left and right hands, independently (order counterbalanced). Findings revealed a significant interaction between sex and 2D:4D on reaction time differences for right vs. left hand responses to the subitizing task. While 2D:4D in women showed a significant negative association with a right-hand advantage for the task, a nonsignificant trend in the opposite direction was observed for men. Results are discussed with respect to the possible effect of PT on sex differences in lateralization for basic quantification.

Recent research shows that women judge men who show variability in their body movements as good dancers. Here we report data on women’s perception of dance quality in 48 men, aged 18–42 years, and relate them to men’s self-reported personality traits. Male participants completed a standardised personality inventory (the NEO-FFI) and then danced to a basic rhythm while their body movements were tracked with optical 3D motion-capture technology. Dance movements were applied to a featureless virtual humanoid character and judged on their dance quality by 53 women, aged 17–57 years, who viewed 15 s of the rendered video clips of each male dancer. Conscientiousness and social agreeableness was correlated positively and significantly with women’s perception of men’s dance quality. Extraversion showed a positive correlation and neuroticism and openness were associated negatively with women’s perception of men’s dance quality, though these correlations failed to reach significance. We suggest that male dance movements may convey aspects of their personality, though possible consequences in terms of female mate preferences and selection remain to be explored.

Several disciplines share an interest in the evolutionary selection pressures that shaped human physical functioning and appearance, psyche, and behavior. The methodologies invoked from the disciplines studying these domains are often based on different rhetorics, and hence may conflict. Progress in one field is thereby hampered from effective transfer to others. Topics at the intersection of anthropometry and psychometry, such as the impact of sexual selection on the hominin face, are a typical example. Since the underlying (evolutionary) theory explicitly places facial form in the middle of a causal chain as the mediating variable between biological causes and psychological effects, a particularly convenient conceptual and analytic scenario arises as follows. Modern morphometrics allows analysis of shape both “backwards” (by regressions on biology) and “forwards” (via predictions of psychology). The two computations are commensurate, hence the two kinds of effects can be compared and evaluated as directions in the same morphospace. We suggest translating the morphometric methodology of “Darwinian aesthetics” into this space, where psychological and other processes of interest can be coded commensurately. Such a translation permits researchers to relate the effects of biological processes on form to the perceptions of the same processes in one unified “psychomorphospace.”