Studies of Human Physique and Sexual Attractiveness: Sexual Preferences of Men and Women in China
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AMERICAN JOURNAL OF HUMAN BIOLOGY 19:88–95 (2007) Original Research Article Studies of Human Physique and Sexual Attractiveness: Sexual Preferences of Men and Women in China 1 2 3 1 BARNABY J. DIXSON, ALAN F. DIXSON, * BAOGUO LI, AND M.J. ANDERSON 1Department of Conservation and Research for Endangered Species, Zoological Society of San Diego, San Diego, California 2School of Biological Sciences, Victoria University of Wellington, Wellington, New Zealand 3College of Life Sciences, and Key Laboratory Resource Biology and Biotechnology in Western China, Ministry of Education, Northwest University, Xi’an, China ABSTRACT Men and women at Northwest University (n ¼ 631), Xi’an, China, were asked to rate the attractiveness of male or female figures manipulated to vary somatotype, waist-to- hip ratio (WHR), secondary sexual traits, and other features. In study 1, women rated the aver- age masculine somatotype as most attractive, followed by the mesomorphic (muscular), ecto- morphic (slim), and endomorphic (heavily built) somatotypes, in descending order of preference. In study 2, the amount and distribution of masculine trunk (chest and abdominal) hair were altered progressively in a series of front-posed figures. Women rated figures with no or little trunk hair as most attractive. Study 3 assessed the attractiveness of front-posed male figures which varied only in length of their nonerect penis. Numerical ratings for this trait were low, but moderate lengthening of the penis (22% or 33% above average) resulted in a significant increase in scores for attractiveness. In study 4, Chinese men rated the attractiveness of back- posed female images varying in waist-to-hip ratio (WHR from 0.5–1.0). The 0.6 WHR figure was most preferred, followed by 0.7, while figures with higher ratios (0.9 or 1.0) were significantly less attractive. Study 5 rated the attractiveness of female skin color: men expressed a marked preference for images which were lighter in color, as compared to images of average or darker skin colors. These results, the first of their kind reported for a Chinese population, support the view that sexual selection has influenced the evolution of human physique and sexual attrac- tiveness in men and women. Am. J. Hum. Biol. 19:88–95, 2007. ' 2006 Wiley-Liss, Inc. There is increasing evidence that sexual with higher levels of 17-b-estradiol and selection has influenced the evolution of greater reproductive potential in women human morphology, especially via sexual pref- (Jasien´ ska et al., 2004). Women with higher erences for features which signal female re- follicular-phase levels of estrogen are also productive potential or masculine strength judged to be facially more attractive by men and fitness. In women, for example, the waist- (Law-Smith et al., 2006). Measurements of the to-hip ratio (WHR) may provide an honest sig- body mass index (BMI) of women are also cor- nal of fat distribution in relation to repro- related with female attractiveness; the rela- ductive health (Singh, 1993, 2002; Singh and tive importance of BMI and WHR in this Young, 1995). A low female WHR (0.7) is respect was debated by various authors (e.g., judged as most attractive by men in some cul- Tove´e et al., 1999; Streeter and McBurney, tures (e.g., North America: Singh and Young, 2003; Schu¨ tzwohl, 2006). 1995), but not in all human populations (e.g., Skin color is another trait which may be the Matsigenka of Peru: Yu and Shepard, related to female attractiveness. Darwin (1871) 1998; the Hadza of Tanzania: Wetsman and noted that women in various parts of the world Marlowe, 1998). Recent work on the Hadza confirmed the importance of a low WHR in *Correspondence to: Alan F. Dixson, School of Biological female attractiveness, provided that side- Sciences, Victoria University of Wellington, PO Box 600, posed images are used which allow men to Wellington, New Zealand. E-mail: [email protected] Received 17 January 2006; Revision received 5 August include judgments of the shape and size of the 2006; Accepted 8 August 2006 female buttocks (Marlowe et al., 2005). Nar- Published online in Wiley InterScience (www.interscience. row waists and large breasts are correlated wiley.com). DOI 10.1002/ajhb.20584 VC 2006 Wiley-Liss, Inc. SEXUAL PREFERENCES IN CHINA 89 tend to have lighter skin than men. He quoted significant role in visual display either within, Schweinfurth, for example, concerning the or between, the sexes (Short, 1980; Diamond, Monbuttoos of Africa: ‘‘Like all her race she 1997; Potts and Short, 1999). It may play some had a skin several shades lighter than her hus- role in female sexual preference, although band’s, being something of the colour of half- with some exceptions (Stulhofer, 2006), the roasted coffee.’’ Some evidence to support evidence for this remains largely anecdotal. effects of sexual selection on female skin color The current study was undertaken in order has been obtained (van den Berghe and Frost, to obtain information on the sexual preferences 1986; Frost, 1988; Symons, 1995). Female skin of young men and women in a Chinese popula- color changes with age and reproductive condi- tion. Questionnaires were used to measure tion (e.g., in pregnant and multiparous female preferences for images which varied in women), so that it might provide men with vis- masculine physique (somatotype), distribution ual cues of female age and reproductive condi- of chest and abdominal hair, and penile size, as tion (Symons, 1995). However, few cross-cul- well as men’s preferences for female waist-to- tural data have been collected to assess men’s hip ratio and skin color. The results, which are preferences for female skin color. the first of their kind obtained for a Chinese Where masculine physique is concerned, population, are discussed in relation to studies there is evidence that taller men achieve conducted in other parts of the world. greater reproductive success (Pawlowski et al., 2000), and that a broad chest, narrow waist, METHODS and muscular torso are rated as attractive by women (Mealey, 1997; Lynch and Zellner, 1999; Subjects Maisey et al., 1999). These traits may have This study was conducted at Northwest played an important role in human evolution, University, in the city of Xi’an, Shaanxi Prov- given the requirement for men to compete with ince, China. Students were asked to partici- one another, to provide protection for female pate by filling out a questionnaire and rating partners, and to assure competence in hunting various images (see below) for sexual attrac- and other physically demanding survival skills tiveness. A total of 631 subjects participated (Buss, 2003; Bramble and Lieberman, 2004). in the study (311 men and 320 women). Men are more hirsute than women, and in a va- riety of nonhuman primate species, reproduc- Questionnaires tively mature males exhibit androgen-depend- ent capes of hair (Dixson, 1998). Sexual dimor- Each questionnaire had a cover sheet phism in the distribution of trunk (chest and (written in Mandarin Chinese) for demographic abdominal) hair in human beings might play data, including the respondent’s sex, age, and some role in masculine sexual attractiveness. marital status. Participation was voluntary, Human beings are unique among primates in and at no time were respondents asked to give being bipedal, so that features on the chest and their names. Women were asked to rate images abdomen are displayed more prominently to of males, varying in somatotype, distribution of conspecifics. Masculine trunk hair was rated as body hair, and size of genitalia. To produce highly sexually attractive by women in studies these images, photographs of back-posed and conducted in the UK (Dixson et al., 2003). front-posed men were scanned from Sheldon Women also rated more hirsute male images as et al. (1954). Men were asked to rate the attrac- being older than those lacking chest hair. Cross- tiveness of images of women, varying in WHR cultural studies consistently show that women and skin color. Each image was manipulated prefer to marry men who are older than them- using Photoshop version 7.0 in order to stand- selves (Buss, 2003). However, there are very few ardize images for height, posture, and skin cross-cultural data on the potential attractive- color. Skin color was matched to that of a Chi- ness of masculine trunk hair, and this trait may nese sample by scanning photographs into the vary considerably between human populations. computer and using these as the basis for color- The assumption of an upright gait also ing images. Where front-posed images were means that human genitalia are displayed in used, the faces were blocked out, as our studies a different way, and perhaps more promi- did not concern facial stimuli. nently, than in typically quadrupedal mam- mals. A number of authors commented on the relatively large size of the human penis, for Study 1. Study 1 assessed the preferences of example, and the possibility that it plays some women for four back-posed male figures of American Journal of Human Biology DOI 10.1002/ajhb 90 B.J. DIXSON ET AL. varying somatotype (ectomorphic, endomor- and 15 units of contrast) to produce two phic, mesomorphic, and average). images which were darker than the standard image, and two that were lighter in color. Data analysis and statistics Study 2. Study 2 assessed women’s preferen- ces for front-posed images of males differing In studies 1–3, a repeated-measures analy- in levels of hirsuteness of the trunk (chest and sis of variance (ANOVA) was applied to deter- abdomen). Five images were presented, which mine whether attractiveness ratings for the varied only in degree of trunk hair (from none various stimuli exhibited significant differen- to pronounced hirsuteness).