Concordant preferences for opposite-sex signals? Human pheromones and facial characteristics.
We have investigated whether preferences for masculine and feminine characteristics are correlated across two modalities, olfaction and vision. In study 1, subjects rated the pleasantness of putative male (4,16-androstadien-3-one; 5alpha-androst-16-en-3-one) and female (1,3,5 (10),16-estratetraen-3-ol) pheromones, and chose the most attractive face shape from a masculine-feminine continuum for a long- and a short-term relationship. Study 2 replicated study 1 and further explored the effects of relationship context on pheromone ratings. For long-term relationships, women's preferences for masculine face shapes correlated with ratings of 4,16-androstadien-3-one and men's preferences for feminine face shapes correlated with ratings of 1,3,5(10),16-estratetraen-3-ol. These studies link sex-specific preferences for putative human sex pheromones and sexually dimorphic facial characteristics. Our findings suggest that putative sex pheromones and sexually dimorphic facial characteristics convey common information about the quality of potential mates.
Cornwell
R Elisabeth
RE
School of Psychology, University of St Andrews, St Andrews KY16 9JU, UK. ec29@st-and.ac.uk
Boothroyd
Lynda
L
Burt
D Michael
DM
Feinberg
David R
DR
Jones
Ben C
BC
Little
Anthony C
AC
Pitman
Robert
R
Whiten
Susie
S
Perrett
David I
DI
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002755:Choice Behavior / Q000502:physiology*; D005145:Face / Q000033:anatomy & histology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007398:Interpersonal Relations; D008297:Male; D012724:Sex Attractants; D012727:Sex Characteristics; D012903:Smell / Q000502:physiology*
D012724:Sex Attractants