High levels of sex hormones may lower immunocompetence, making it difficult for a person’s body to fight off infections. Facial characteristics that reveal high levels of sex hormones might signal the presence of a robust immune system. In men, high testosterone levels are associated with prominent cheekbones, wide jaw, and long chin. In women, high estrogen levels are associated with prominent cheekbones, narrow jaw, and short chin. We examined whether facial features associated with immunocompetence positively covary with health. Participants from 2 groups of university students (67 women, 34 men, in total) completed daily measures of psychological, emotional, and physical health over a one-month period. Physiological fitness was assessed via cardiac recovery time following exercise. A facial photograph of each participant was rated along several personality dimensions, activity level, and attractiveness. Using the photographs, we measured participants’ jaw width, chin length, and cheekbone prominence. Results provide unimpressive evidence for the hypotheses that (1) women displaying an estrogenized face and (2) men displaying a testosteronized face are physiologically, psychologically, and emotionally healthier. Discussion highlights directions for future work on whether facial structural characteristics might communicate information about underlying health.
Cattelan, Leila, Steven Dayan, Shino Bay Aguilera, Bianca Viscomi & Sabrina G. Fabi
2024. A Review of Aesthetic Considerations for Treating the Transgender Patient. Dermatologic Surgery
Arnocky, Steven, Adam C. Davis & Michael Suszter
2022. Female Intersexual Selection. In The Cambridge Handbook of Evolutionary Perspectives on Sexual Psychology, ► pp. 118 ff.
Davis, Adam C. & Steven Arnocky
2022. Darwin Versus Wallace: Esthetic Evolution and Preferential Mate Choice. Frontiers in Psychology 13
Foo, Yong Zhi, Leigh W. Simmons & Gillian Rhodes
2017. The relationship between health and mating success in humans. Royal Society Open Science 4:1 ► pp. 160603 ff.
Nedelec, Joseph L. & Kevin M. Beaver
2014. Physical attractiveness as a phenotypic marker of health: an assessment using a nationally representative sample of American adults. Evolution and Human Behavior 35:6 ► pp. 456 ff.
[no author supplied]
2022. Precopulatory Adaptations. In The Cambridge Handbook of Evolutionary Perspectives on Sexual Psychology, ► pp. 1 ff.
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