title: Is preference for ovulatory female's faces associated with men's testosterone levels?
abstract: Women's ovulation is perceivable with different senses. Already subtle face shape differences are enough to trigger men's preference for the ovulatory female. The aim of the present study is to investigate if men's testosterone level can be linked to their preference for the ovulatory female. Thirty-nine heterosexual participants were shown face pairs of which one of them was transformed to the shape of a prototype face of a woman in her luteal cycle phase and the other was transformed to the shape of a prototype face of an ovulatory woman. Participants were asked to choose the face which they perceived as being more attractive (attractiveness task), or the woman with whom they would have better chances to get a date (dating task). In both tasks, the ovulatory female was chosen more often. Testosterone was not predictive for the chosen face; regardless of testosterone level men preferred the ovulatory woman. However testosterone predicted how confident the men were with their choice. Men with lower testosterone levels were more confident with their choice than men with higher testosterone levels.
authors: Institute of Psychology, University of Bern, Fabrikstrasse 8, 3012 Bern, Switzerland; Center for Cognition, Learning, and Memory, University of Bern, Fabrikstrasse 8, 3012 Bern, Switzerland. Electronic address: cora.bobst@psy.unibe.ch.
authors: Cora
authors: C
authors: Bobst
authors: Institute of Psychology, University of Bern, Fabrikstrasse 8, 3012 Bern, Switzerland; Center for Cognition, Learning, and Memory, University of Bern, Fabrikstrasse 8, 3012 Bern, Switzerland. Electronic address: janek.lobmaier@psy.unibe.ch.
authors: Janek S
authors: JS
authors: Lobmaier
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002755:Choice Behavior / Q000502:physiology*; D005145:Face / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D020010:Heterosexuality / Q000502:physiology / Q000523:psychology; D006801:Humans; D007398:Interpersonal Relations; D008183:Luteal Phase / Q000502:physiology / Q000523:psychology; D008297:Male; D010060:Ovulation / Q000502:physiology* / Q000523:psychology; D010465:Perception / Q000502:physiology*; D010812:Physical Stimulation; D012928:Social Desirability; D013739:Testosterone / Q000097:blood*; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D013739:Testosterone
keywords: Female faces; Menstrual cycle; Ovulation; Testosterone