Fancy that
Economic Booms and Risky Sexual Behavior: Evidence from Zambian Copper Mining Cities
Nicholas Wilson
Journal of Health Economics, forthcoming
Abstract:
Existing studies suggest that individual and household level economic shocks affect the demand for and supply of risky sex. However, little evidence exists on the effects of an aggregate shock on equilibrium risky sexual behavior. This paper examines the effects of the early twenty-first century copper boom on risky sexual behavior in Zambian copper mining cities. The results suggest that the copper boom substantially reduced rates of transactional sex and multiple partnerships in copper mining cities. These effects were partly concentrated among young adults and copper boom induced in-migration to mining cities appears to have contributed to these reductions.
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Red enhances women's attractiveness to men: First evidence suggesting universality
Andrew Elliot et al.
Journal of Experimental Social Psychology, forthcoming
Abstract:
Recent research in the U.S. and Europe indicates that viewing red enhances men's attraction to women. This red effect may reflect a basic predisposition shared across cultures, and may thus represent a functional human universal - that is, a psychological process that carries the same meaning in all human societies (Norenzayan & Heine, 2005). We conducted a first test of this universality hypothesis by examining the influence of red on attraction among men living in an isolated traditional small-scale society in Burkina Faso where red carries explicitly negative associations. The results indicated that the red effect is present in Burkina, and that it emerges in culturally appropriate expressions of attraction. These findings represent first evidence suggesting that red may operate as something of a linga franca in the human mating game.
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The Impact of Psychological Stress on Men's Judgments of Female Body Size
Viren Swami & Martin Tovée
PLoS ONE, August 2012
Background: Previous work has suggested that the experience of psychological stress may influence physical attractiveness ideals, but most evidence in favour of this hypothesis remains archival. The objective of this study was to experimentally investigate the impact of stress on men's judgments of female body size.
Methods: Men were randomly assigned to either an experimental group, in which they took part in a task that heightened stress (experimental group, n = 41) or in which they did not take part in such a task (control group, n = 40). Both groups rated the attractiveness of female bodies varying in size from emaciated to obese, completed a measure of appetite sensation, and had their body mass indices (BMIs) measured.
Results: Between-groups analyses showed that the experimental group was matched with the control group in terms of mean age, BMI, and appetite sensation. Further analyses showed that men in the experimental group rated a significantly heavier female body size as maximally attractive than the control group. Men in the experimental group also rated heavier female bodies as more attractive and idealised a wider range of female figures than did the control group.
Conclusion: This study found that the experience of stress was associated with a preference among men for heavier female body sizes. These results indicate that human attractiveness judgements are sensitive to variations in local ecologies and reflect adaptive strategies for dealing with changing environmental conditions.
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Claudia Haase et al.
European Psychologist, Summer 2012, Pages 199-212
Abstract:
The present article challenges the assumption that later timing of sexual experiences is unequivocally associated with higher psychosocial adjustment. Data from two representative cross-sectional German studies conducted in 1996 and 2005 were analyzed to examine the psychosocial adjustment of young adults (age 20-29) who had their first sexual experiences early (before age 16), at an average age (between age 16 and 18), or late (later than age 18 or not yet). Early timing of sexual experiences was associated with lower educational attainment. Late timing of sexual experiences was associated with poorer social relations. Early and late timing of sexual experiences were associated with lower subjective well-being. Results were replicated across the two studies and controlled for sociodemographic characteristics and (in Study 1) early adversities, parental involvement, and pubertal timing. These findings show that not only early but also late timing of first sexual experiences can be associated with lower psychosocial adjustment in selected domains in young adulthood. Further research is needed to understand maladaptive correlates of late sexual timing.
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A Content Analysis of the Prevalence and Portrayal of Sexual Activity in Adolescent Literature
Mark Callister et al.
Journal of Sex Research, September/October 2012, Pages 477-486
Abstract:
Most research on sexual content in the media has focused on visual images such as those in TV, film, advertisements, and magazines. However, researchers have largely overlooked sexual content in novels. The popularity of novels and the potential for such literature to educate teens on sexual behaviors merits a closer examination into the sexual messages contained in popular adolescent literature. This study content analyzes the top 40 novels targeting adolescents. Results show that adolescent novels are replete with sex-related information, especially in novels targeted to girls. These sexual behaviors range from passionate kissing and romantic ideation to sexual intercourse. Over one third of the instances focus on references to sex, suggestive innuendos, or sexual descriptions; and an additional one third of sexual behavior involved sexual affection in the form of passionate kissing, intimate touching, and playful sexual behavior. Across the 40 books, there were 56 instances of sexual intercourse, most of which involved unmarried couples (94%); and many were in non-committal relationships. Moreover, sexual material rarely dealt with issues of abstinence, safe sex practices, and the health risks associated with sex.
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Sex Begets Violence: Mating Motives, Social Dominance, and Physical Aggression in Men
Sarah Ainsworth & Jon Maner
Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, forthcoming
Abstract:
There are sizable gender differences in aggressive behavior, with men displaying a much higher propensity for violence than women. Evolutionary theories suggest that men's more violent nature derives in part from their historically greater need to compete over access to potential mates. The current research investigates this link between mating and male violence and provides rigorous experimental evidence that mating motives cause men to behave violently toward other men. In these studies, men and women were primed with a mating motive and then performed a noise-blast aggression task. Being primed with mating led men, but not women, to deliver more painful blasts of white noise to a same-sex partner (but not an opposite-sex partner). This effect was particularly pronounced among men with an unrestricted sociosexual orientation, for whom competition over access to new mates is an especially relevant concern. Findings also suggest that mating-induced male violence is motivated by a desire to assert one's dominance over other men: when men were given feedback that they had won a competition with their partner (and thus had achieved dominance through nonaggressive means), the effect of the mating prime on aggression was eliminated. These findings provide insight into the motivational roots of male aggression and illustrate the value of testing theories from evolutionary biology with rigorous experimental methods.
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Men's preference for the ovulating female is triggered by subtle face shape differences
Cora Bobst & Janek Lobmaier
Hormones and Behavior, forthcoming
Abstract:
Recent studies have revealed that there may be perceptible cues to ovulation in humans. This study aims at extending these findings by using female faces that were shape transformed towards a late follicular (fertile) and a luteal (non-fertile) prototype. Fertile prototypes were created by averaging 25 photographs taken of females during ovulation (as determined by ovulation tests); non-fertile prototypes were created by averaging 25 photographs of the same women during the luteal phase. Twenty different (new) female faces were then shape transformed towards the luteal prototype and towards the follicular prototype in 50% and 100% steps. The two 50% transforms and the two 100% transforms were paired, resulting in stimulus pairs of two different difficulties. Thirty-six male participants were asked to choose the more attractive (Task 1), the more caring (Task 2), and the more flirtatious face (Task 3). In a final task the participants were asked to choose the woman with which the participant would have better chances to get a date (Task 4). For all tasks we found a significant preference for the follicular face. In trials with a 100% transformation towards the shape of the prototype, the preference for the follicular stimulus was significantly stronger than in trials with a 50% transformation. We conclude that subtle shape differences in faces are sufficient to trigger men's preference for a woman in her fertile cycle phase.
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Teenage Women's Financial Reliance on Boyfriends Linked to Condom Nonuse
D. Hollander
Perspectives on Sexual and Reproductive Health, forthcoming
"In a sample of sexually active adolescent women who received a clinic-based HIV prevention intervention in 2002-2006, those whose boyfriend was their primary source of spending money had a significantly elevated risk of reporting six months and again one year later that they never used condoms (incidence rate ratios, 1.5-1.6). In addition, although intervention participants overall had a reduced likelihood of reporting no condom use at the one-year follow-up (0.5-0.6), no such association was evident among those who got most of their spending money from their boyfriend."
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The Eyes Have It: Sex and Sexual Orientation Differences in Pupil Dilation Patterns
Gerulf Rieger & Ritch Savin-Williams
PLoS ONE, August 2012
Abstract:
Recent research suggests profound sex and sexual orientation differences in sexual response. These results, however, are based on measures of genital arousal, which have potential limitations such as volunteer bias and differential measures for the sexes. The present study introduces a measure less affected by these limitations. We assessed the pupil dilation of 325 men and women of various sexual orientations to male and female erotic stimuli. Results supported hypotheses. In general, self-reported sexual orientation corresponded with pupil dilation to men and women. Among men, substantial dilation to both sexes was most common in bisexual-identified men. In contrast, among women, substantial dilation to both sexes was most common in heterosexual-identified women. Possible reasons for these differences are discussed. Because the measure of pupil dilation is less invasive than previous measures of sexual response, it allows for studying diverse age and cultural populations, usually not included in sexuality research.
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Play and Mate Preference: Testing the Signal Theory of Adult Playfulness
Garry Chick, Careen Yarnal & Andrew Purrington
American Journal of Play, Spring 2012, Pages 407-440
Abstract:
The overwhelming majority of play research concerns juveniles. However, a full understanding of the phenomenon requires knowledge of play and playfulness across the life spans of those animals, including humans, who play in adulthood. The authors investigate a theory of play based on Darwin's concept of sexual selection that may account for the existence of play among adult humans. The authors hypothesize that playfulness becomes a highly desired characteristic in potential long-term mates but also that the reasons for desiring playful mates differ for males and females. The authors suggest that for males, playfulness in females signals youth and, hence, fecundity; for females, playfulness in males signals nonaggressiveness. They test these hypotheses using mate-preference data.
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Sex differences in relationship regret: The role of perceived mate characteristics
Susan Coats et al.
Evolutionary Psychology, Summer 2012, Pages 422-442
Abstract:
The current set of studies examined regret involving action and inaction in the realm of romantic relationships by testing whether such regret is associated with the characteristics of one's mate. In study 1, 394 participants reported on a previous casual sexual encounter, and in study 2, 358 participants reported on a previous romantic relationship. In both, instances of actual engagement and instances of passing up opportunities were studied. Study 3 was experimental and elicited reactions to hypothetical scenarios from 201 participants. Regret reported by men in both study 1 and study 2 varied as a function of the perceived attractiveness of the participants' actual and potential mate. Regret reported by women in study 2 varied as a function of the perceived stinginess of the participant's mate and perceived wealth of the participants' potential mate. Study 3 found that sex differences in type of regret (with men regretting inaction more than women) occurred only when the mate presented in the scenario was described in ways consistent with mate preferences. Together these findings suggest that regret differs between the sexes in ways consistent with sex differences in mate preferences.
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Ariana Young, Shira Gabriel & Jordan Hollar
Journal of Experimental Social Psychology, forthcoming
Abstract:
Superheroes have a considerable presence in our society and dominate popular media for boys and men, while often representing unattainable muscular ideals. The present research is the first to examine the effects of superheroes on men's body image and the moderating role of parasocial relationship status (PSR; a one-sided psychological bond) on those effects. Men who had a PSR vs. did not have a PSR with a superhero were exposed to a muscular vs. non-muscular image of that superhero. As predicted, exposure to a muscular superhero with whom a PSR did not exist made men feel bad about their bodies (Hypothesis 1). However, having a PSR with a muscular superhero not only eliminated the negative effects of exposure on body satisfaction, but also increased men's physical strength (Hypothesis 2). This research suggests muscular superheroes change men's body image and that the direction of that change is determined by PSR status.
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Clothing Color and Tipping: Gentlemen Patrons Give More Tips to Waitresses With Red Clothes
Nicolas Guéguen & Céline Jacob
Journal of Hospitality & Tourism Research, forthcoming
Abstract:
Recent research conducted with humans demonstrated that red, relative to other achromatic or chromatic colors, led men to view women presented on a photograph as more attractive. The effect of color on behavior was tested in a tipping context. Eleven waitresses in five restaurants were instructed to wear the same tee shirt with different colors (black, white, red, blue, green, or yellow). The effect of color on tipping according to patron's gender was measured. It was found that waitresses wearing red received more tips but only with male patrons. Waitresses color had no effect on female patrons' tipping behavior. The relation between red and sexual attractiveness are used to explain the results. Managerial interests related with clothing appearance were discussed.
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Concordant preferences for actual height and facial cues to height
D.E. Re & D.I. Perrett
Personality and Individual Differences, forthcoming
Abstract:
Physical height has a well-documented effect on human mate preferences. In general, both sexes prefer opposite-sex romantic relationships in which the man is taller than the woman, while individual preferences for height are affected by a person's own height. Research in human mate choice has demonstrated that attraction to facial characteristics, such as facial adiposity, may reflect preferences for body characteristics. Here, we tested preferences for facial cues to height. In general, increasing apparent height in men's faces and slightly decreasing apparent height in women's faces maximizes perceived attractiveness. Individual preferences for facial cues to height were predicted by self-reported preferences for actual height. Furthermore, women's own height predicted opposite-sex preferences for facial cues to apparent height, though this finding did not extend to male participants. These findings validate the use of facial cues to height and demonstrate a further component of facial attractiveness that reflects preferences for body characteristics.
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Evidence to Suggest That Teeth Act as Human Ornament Displays Signalling Mate Quality
Colin Hendrie & Gayle Brewer
PLoS ONE, July 2012
Abstract:
Ornament displays seen in animals convey information about genetic quality, developmental history and current disease state to both prospective sexual partners and potential rivals. In this context, showing of teeth through smiles etc is a characteristic feature of human social interaction. Tooth development is influenced by genetic and environmental factors. Adult teeth record environmental and traumatic events, as well as the effects of disease and ageing. Teeth are therefore a rich source of information about individuals and their histories. This study examined the effects of digital manipulations of tooth colour and spacing. Results showed that deviation away from normal spacing and/or the presence of yellowed colouration had negative effects on ratings of attractiveness and that these effects were markedly stronger in female models. Whitening had no effect beyond that produced by natural colouration. This indicates that these colour induced alterations in ratings of attractiveness are mediated by increased/decreased yellowing rather than whitening per se. Teeth become yellower and darker with age. Therefore it is suggested that whilst the teeth of both sexes act as human ornament displays, the female display is more complex because it additionally signals residual reproductive value.
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Viren Swami et al.
European Psychologist, Summer 2012, Pages 213-221
Abstract:
The primary aim of the present study was to examine the influence of facial piercings on observer ratings of physical attractiveness and intelligence. A total of 440 women and men rated a set of stimuli that depicted a female and a male model, respectively, with varying numbers of facial piercings. Participants also completed measures of the Big Five personality factors and sensation seeking, and provided information of their own piercings. Results indicated that, controlling for participants' own piercings, stimuli with piercings were rated as less physically attractive and intelligent than those without piercings, with multiple piercings being accorded the most negative ratings. In addition, men with piercings were rated more negatively than women with piercings. Further results showed that participants' openness to experience and sensation seeking were associated with more positive ratings of pierced individuals, and that greater number of participant piercings was correlated with the Big Five personality factors of Emotional Stability, Extraversion, and Conscientiousness, and sensation seeking. These results are discussed in relation to the extant literature on body modifications.
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Scripts for Actual First Date and Hanging-Out Encounters Among Young Heterosexual Hispanic Adults
Asia Eaton & Suzanna Rose
Sex Roles, September 2012, Pages 285-299
Abstract:
This research presents two studies examining scripts for the actual initial romantic encounters of young heterosexual Hispanic adults in the Southeastern U.S. In Study 1, 242 Hispanic undergraduates were asked to describe their most recent first romantic encounter using a cognitive script methodology, and then to classify the encounter as being a date, hangout, hookup, one-night stand, or other type of encounter. Encounters were most frequently classified as a date, followed by hangouts; very few individuals indicated that their most recent encounter was a hookup or one-night stand. Dates were described as highly gender stereotypic, with men performing significantly more actions overall than women. The date script also included more gender-typed actions, was more structured, and was considered more ideal than a hangout. In Study 2, a checklist of 60 actions derived from Study 1 was used to assess the most recent initial romantic encounters of 217 Hispanic undergraduates. Dates were reported most frequently, followed by hangouts. Dates continued to be highly gender stereotyped with men being responsible for more actions than women, and the date script continued to include more gender-typed actions than the hangout. A date was also more structured and rated as more ideal and satisfying than a hangout. The predominance of and preference for dates, the most gender-typed way for young adults to get together romantically, was consistent with Hispanic cultural norms that support traditional gender roles.
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Heterosexual Men and Women Both Show a Hypothalamic Response to the Chemo-Signal Androstadienone
Sarah Burke et al.
PLoS ONE, July 2012
Abstract:
The odorous steroid compound 4,16-androstadien-3-one (androstadienone), found in axillary sweat, was previously reported to evoke hypothalamic activation in heterosexual women, but not in heterosexual men. However, subjects were exposed to the pure crystalline form of androstadienone, which raised the question whether the observed hypothalamic response is physiologically relevant. Therefore, in the present study, we asked whether sexually dimorphic hypothalamic responses could be measured when subjects were exposed to lower, more physiologically relevant concentrations of androstadienone. A total of 21 women and 16 men, all heterosexual, participated in our functional magnetic resonance imaging study (fMRI). Three different concentrations of androstadienone diluted in propylene glycol (10 mM "high," 0.1 mM "medium" and 0.001 mM "low") were delivered to the subjects' nostrils using a computer-controlled stimulator. When exposed to the "high" androstadienone concentration, women showed stronger hypothalamic activation than men. By contrast, men showed more hypothalamic activation when exposed to the "medium" androstadienone concentrations in comparison to women. Thus, we replicated that smelling the chemo-signal androstadienone elicits a hypothalamic activation. However, this effect does not seem to be gender-specific, because androstadienone activated the hypothalamus in both men and women, suggesting that androstadienone exerts specific effects in heterosexual individuals of both sexes.
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The roles of sociosexual orientation and relationship status in women's face preferences
Donald Sacco et al.
Personality and Individual Differences, forthcoming
Abstract:
Previous research suggests that sociosexual orientation and relationship status each predict women's preferences for masculine men. However, if partnered women's preferences primarily reflect the short-term (i.e., currently unfulfilled) aspect of a pluralistic mating strategy and unpartnered women's preferences reflect the dominant aspect of their current mating strategy, then sociosexual orientation should predict the preferences of unpartnered women better than those of partnered women. Perceptions of other women's attractiveness may show a similar pattern of individual differences, if such perceptions of other women's attractiveness are important for intra-sexual competitive behavior. Consistent with these predictions, in the current study, analyses of the relationship between women's face preferences and sociosexual orientation indicated that unpartnered women reporting greater willingness to engage in uncommitted relationships demonstrated stronger preferences for exaggerated sex-typical characteristics in men's and women's faces. For partnered women, no corresponding relationship between sociosexual orientation and face preferences was evident. Collectively, these findings suggest that individual differences in sociosexual orientation may be better predictors of face preferences among unpartnered women than among women whose long-term relationship goals are currently being met.