• No results found

Individual differences in preferences for cues to intelligence in the face

N/A
N/A
Protected

Academic year: 2020

Share "Individual differences in preferences for cues to intelligence in the face"

Copied!
23
0
0

Loading.... (view fulltext now)

Full text

(1)

Individual differences in preferences for cues to intelligence in the face

1

2

MOORE, F. R.a, LAW SMITH, M. J.b & PERRETT, D. I.c

3

4

a School of Psychology, University of Dundee, UK

5

6

bDepartment of Psychology, University of Limerick, Ireland.

7

8

cSchool of Psychology, University of St Andrews, UK.

9

10

11

12

13

14

15

16

17

18

19

20

21

22

23

24

25

26

27

28

aAuthor for correspondence: School of Psychology, Scrymgeour Building, Park Place, University of

29

Dundee, Dundee, DD1 1HG, UK. [email protected]. +44 1382 386 754

(2)

Abstract

31

We tested for individual differences in women’s preferences for cues to intelligence in male faces in

32

accordance with hormonal status (i.e. menstrual cycle phase and use of hormonal contraceptives),

33

relationship status and context, and self-rated intelligence. There were no effects of hormonal or

34

relationship status (Studies 1 and 2) on preferences. There was, however, a positive relationship

35

between self-rated intelligence and preferences for cues to intelligence in the face in the context of a

36

long-term relationship, suggesting context-specific assortment (Study 3). In Study 4, self-rated partner

37

intelligence correlated with preferences for facial cues to intelligence. We discuss these results in the

38

context of intelligence as a fitness indicator and suggest that future research must control for

39

assortative mating for cognitive traits in order to better understand intelligence in mate choice.

40

41

42

43

44

45

46

47

48

49

50

51

52

53

54

55

56

57

Keywords: fitness-indicator; intelligence; face; attractiveness; individual-differences

58

Introduction

(3)

Intelligence is an important consideration in human mate choice decisions (e.g. Buss,

60

1989; Lee & Zeitch, 2011; Li et al., 2001; Moore et al., 2011; Prokosch et al., 2009; Zebrowitz et al.,

61

2002). Miller (2000a,b) argues that the high heritability of general intelligence (g) (Plomin & Spinath,

62

2004) implicates evolution through sexual (rather than natural) selection, and points to close

63

associations between scores on g-loaded tests and various proxies of fitness such as health and

64

developmental stability (e.g. Arden et al., 2008, 2009; Banks et al., 2010; Furlow et al., 1997;

65

Gottfredson & Deary, 2004; Miller & Penke, 2007; Prokosch et al. 2005). That intelligence is the

66

product of variation across the genome (e.g. Plomin and Kovas, 2005), and is inversely related to

67

mutation load (e.g. Yeo et al. 2011), lends strong support to a role of intelligence in signaling fitness to

68

potential partners (Miller, 2003). Such ‘fitness indicator’ traits signal mutation load and maintain

69

additive genetic variance in sexually selected traits via condition-dependent expression (Houle, 2000;

70

Houle & Kondrashov, 2002; Rowe & Houle, 1996; Tomkins et al., 2004). Mate preferences that result

71

in avoidance of mates with a high mutation load confers a selective advantage in terms of securing

72

superior genetic material for offspring. Since there doesn’t appear to be a sex difference in preferences

73

for intelligent partners, it is possible that sexual selection has shaped human intelligence via mutual

74

mate choice (Hooper and Miller, 2008).

75

76

Recently, researchers have attempted to identify context dependency in women’s

77

preferences for intelligence in a partner. Women’s mate choice decisions are complex, involving

78

context- and condition-dependent tradeoffs between, for example, cues to the willingness and ability to

79

commit to a relationship versus cues to indirect heritable benefits (e.g. Debruine et al., 2010a). In

80

particular, women express preferences for a committed partner in the context of long-term

81

relationships, but switch to preferences for cues to alternative heritable qualities in the context of

short-82

term relationships (Little et al., 2002; Little et al., 2007) or during times of high fertility (Little et al.,

83

2002; Penton Voak et al., 1999; Penton Voak & Perrett, 2000; but see Peters et al., 2009). Identifying

84

when preferences for intelligence are strongest, then, can inform as to the qualities it may bestow.

85

86

While there is evidence that women’s preferences for cues to men’s creativity - a trait related to

87

intelligence - increase during the fertile phase of the menstrual cycle (Haselton & Miller, 2006) and

88

that male creative output is positively related to mating success (Nettle & Clegg, 2006), previous

(4)

studies have failed to find effects of menstrual cycle phase on preferences for cues to general

90

intelligence (e.g. Gangestad et al., 2007; 2010). Recently, for example, Prokosch and colleagues (2009)

91

analysed women’s preferences for men’s verbal intelligence and subjective ratings of the men’s

92

intelligence and creativity based on video footage in long- and short-term relationship contexts.

93

Subjective creativity and intelligence, and verbal intelligence scores each explained independent -

94

albeit small - proportions of the variance in men’s appeal for both long- and short-term relationships.

95

These effects were not moderated by menstrual cycle phase, and results suggest that intelligence is

96

equally valued in women’s mate choice decisions regardless of hormonal status and relationship

97

context.

98

99

Here we conducted a series of studies designed to test for individual differences in preferences

100

for cues to intelligence in the face on the basis of wider measures of hormonal status (i.e. menstrual

101

cycle phase and use of hormonal contraceptives) in a more representative sample of women than the

102

University students used in previous studies. Furthermore, since sexual selection for intelligence in

103

humans is likely to have evolved via mutual mate choice, resulting in positive assortment (or ‘fitness

104

matching’; Miller, 2000; Hooper and Miller, 2008) we also controlled for the strong tendency for

105

individuals to mate assortatively on the basis of intelligence (Watson et al., 2004). We used a set of

106

facial stimuli parametrically controlled and manipulated to differ in cues to intelligence but that were

107

matched for cues to sexual dimorphism, health and age. In Study 1 we tested the effects of menstrual

108

cycle phase and relationship status on preferences for the facial stimuli in a sample of undergraduate

109

female students. In Study 2 we tested for these effects, as well as effects of hormonal contraceptive use,

110

in a sample of women from a broader age, education and socioeconomic profile. In Study 3 we tested

111

the effects of relationship context on preferences for cues to intelligence in the face while controlling

112

for positive assortative mating on the basis of intelligence. In Study 4 we assessed the validity of our

113

measure of preference for cues to intelligence by comparing it with women’s partner intelligence.

114

115

Study 1

116

117

The aim of Study 1 was to test the effects of menstrual cycle phase and relationship status on

118

preferences for cues to intelligence in the face, using facial stimuli parametrically manipulated to differ

(5)

in cues to perceived intelligence whilst controlling for sexual dimorphism, health and age.

120

121

Methods

122

123

Participants

124

125

Participants were a sub-sample (n = 34) of those described in Law Smith et al (2006) who

126

completed a series of face preference tests. All were Caucasian female students recruited from the

127

University of St Andrews (UK) who reported a heterosexual orientation, and were not pregnant or

128

using hormonal contraceptives (age: 19.67 (1.35)). Ten participants were single during the period of

129

testing. See table 1.

130

131

Table 1 about here.

132

133

Materials

134

135

a. Stimuli creation

136

137

Stimuli were a pair of male facial composites that differed in perceived intelligence but were

138

matched for attractiveness, age and sexual dimorphism described in Moore et al. (2011). Briefly, 166

139

male faces were rated by 19 participants (male: n = 8) for intelligence, health, attractiveness and sexual

140

dimorphism (i.e. “How intelligent/healthy/attractive/masculine is this face?”, with intelligence defined

141

as “knowledgeable, analytic and rational, adaptable, independent in opinion and solves problems”).

142

Residuals extracted from a multiple linear regression model (dependent variable: intelligence ratings;

143

predictor variables: age, and ratings of attractiveness and sexual dimorphism) were used to identify the

144

5 faces that received higher ratings of intelligence than predicted by the model, and the 5 faces that

145

received intelligence ratings lower than predicted by the model. These faces were blended together and

146

symmetrized using Psychomorph software (Tiddeman et al., 2001) to provide a pair of faces that were

147

matched for components of attractiveness (i.e. sexual dimorphism, health and age) but that differed in

148

perceived intelligence (although it is important to note that the high perceived intelligence composite

(6)

was rated as more attractive than the low perceived intelligence composite, despite these controls). See

150

Fig 1. Perceived intelligence of the face has been shown to be associated with various measures of

151

actual intelligence (see Zebrowitz et al. (2002) for a review of meta-analyses).

152

153

[Figure 1 about here]

154

155

b. Menstrual cycle phase & relationship status

156

157

Menstrual cycle phase was estimated from self-report data (number of days in a typical cycle

158

and number of days since onset of last period of menses) using the countback method in which

159

ovulation was estimated to occur 14 days after the onset of the most recent period of menses. All

160

women reported regular menstrual cycles. The follicular phase (i.e. the period during which women’s

161

hormonal profile is consistent with high fertility) was estimated to occur during the week prior to

162

ovulation, with the luteal (i.e. non-fertile) phase between ovulation (e.g. starting on day 15) and the

163

onset of the next period of menses.

164

To assess effects of relationship context, we asked participants to report whether they were

165

currently in a committed relationship (e.g. Penton Voak et al., 1999).

166

167

c. Face preference tests

168

169

Participants rated the composite faces, presented individually, for attractiveness on 1 – 7

170

scales (“How attractive is this face?”; 1 = not at all attractive, 7 = extremely attractive). Faces were

171

presented in random order, distributed among the stimuli of an unrelated study.

172

173

Procedure

174

175

Participants attended between 4 and 6 weekly testing sessions, to ensure they rated the faces

176

during late follicular and luteal cycle phases. At each session participants reported their menstrual

177

cycle status and rated the facial stimuli for attractiveness.

178

(7)

Preference for the high perceived intelligence composite over the low perceived intelligence

180

composite was calculated by subtracting ratings of the latter from those of the former (high-low). A

181

positive score represented a preference for the high perceived intelligence face, and a negative score a

182

preference for the low perceived intelligence face. A score of 0 equated to no preference in either

183

direction.

184

185

Results

186

187

In ANOVA, with menstrual cycle phase as a within-subjects factor (2 levels: late follicular

188

and luteal) and relationship status as a between subjects factor (2 levels: single and in a relationship),

189

there were no significant effects of cycle phase or relationship status and no interaction between the

190

two (all p > 0.5). Women preferred the high intelligence face in both phases of their cycle (late

191

follicular: mean = 0.27; luteal: mean = 0.21)), and regardless of their relationship status (single: mean =

192

0.23; in a relationship: mean = 0.24). For full descriptive statistics, see Table 1.

193

194

Discussion

195

196

The women in Study 1 preferred facial cues to intelligence across relationship and fertility

197

contexts. Cyclic shifts in women’s preferences for cues to creativity in a potential short-term partner

198

(Haselton & Miller, 2006), then, may be independent of preferences for intelligence (see Prokosch et

199

al., 2009). Our findings using careful controlled facial stimuli are consistent with those showing that

200

intelligence is treated as an “essential” rather than a “luxury” in mate choice decisions (Li et al., 2002),

201

and that verbal- and perceived-intelligence predict desirability regardless of relationship context or

202

menstrual cycle phase (Prokosch et al., 2009). Taken together, results suggest that, unlike traits such as

203

masculinity, intelligence is not traded-off with other desirable characteristics in mate choice decisions.

204

The work to date, however, has been largely limited to samples of undergraduate students who are

205

unlikely to provide a representative intelligence profile, which may obscure any such tradeoffs. In

206

Study 2, then, we tested relationship-context and menstrual cycle phase effects on preferences for facial

207

cues to intelligence in a broader, larger, sample.

208

(8)

Study 2

210

211

To address the limitations of previous work, we tested for effects of relationship status and

212

menstrual cycle phase in a larger sample with a broad age, education and socioeconomic profile. As

213

use of hormonal contraception has been shown to influence face preferences (e.g. Jones et al., 2005),

214

we also tested effects on preferences for perceived intelligence.

215

216

Methods

217

218

Participants

219

220

Five hundred and twenty eight heterosexual female participants who were not pregnant and

221

were aged 16 - 45 (mean: 24.58 (7.37)) completed an online questionnaire and face preference test

222

hosted on a face research website (www.perceptionlab.com). Thirty percent reported use of hormonal

223

contraceptives, and 43% were in a relationship. Eighty seven percent were European residents. Eighty

224

six percent reported being Caucasian, 2% being Afro-Caribbean, 1% being Asian, and the remainder

225

reporting their ethnicity as “other”. Twenty one percent reported having postgraduate level of

226

education, 62% having attended college or University, and the remainder having graduated from high

227

school. See Table 1.

228

229

Materials

230

231

a. Facial Stimuli

232

233

The composite perceived intelligence faces described in Study 1 were used as the end points

234

of a continuum along which 9 base faces (created as the average of 5 – 6 male faces selected at random

235

from 3 different image sets) were transformed (25% towards the high perceived intelligence transform,

236

and 25% towards the low perceived intelligence transform). This was achieved using Psychomorph

237

software, which adds 25% of the shape, colour and texture difference between the base face and the

238

composite high or low perceived intelligence face, to the base face (Tiddeman et al., 2001). This

(9)

resulted in 9 pairs of faces, with the same identity within each pair transformed to look more or less

240

intelligent. These were rated by a sample of 244 male and 210 female students via on online survey

241

hosted at perceptionlab.com (mean age: 30.87 (11.59)) for perceived intelligence (“How intelligent

242

does this face look?”; 1 = not at all intelligent, 7 = extremely intelligence). The high intelligence

243

transforms were perceived as significantly more intelligent than the low intelligence transforms (high

244

intelligence: 3.61 (0.75); low intelligence: 2.61 (0.91); t(453) = 25.78, p < 0.001). See Figure 2.

245

246

[Figure 2 about here.]

247

248

b. Questionnaires

249

250

Participants answered identical questions regarding their menstrual cycle as in Study 1, and

251

also reported whether they are currently using – or stopped using in the preceding 3 months – hormonal

252

contraception. They indicated their age, sexual orientation, country of residence, ethnicity, relationship

253

status and maximum level of education.

254

255

Procedure

256

257

Participants completed the questionnaire followed by the face preference tests. Face pairs

258

were displayed and rated on 1 to 7 likert scales (“Which face do you prefer?”; 1 = strongly prefer left, 2

259

= prefer left, 3 = slightly prefer left, 4 = no preference, 5 = slightly prefer right, 6 = prefer right, 7 =

260

strongly prefer right). The side on which the high- and low-perceived intelligence composites were

261

displayed and the order of pairs were fully randomized. Menstrual cycle phase was calculated as

262

described for Study 1, with the exception that days falling between menstrual cycle day 0 and ovulation

263

were treated as the fertile period (i.e. the entire follicular phase).

264

265

Mean preferences for perceived intelligence were computed (i.e. a score > 4 represents a

266

preference for high perceived intelligence, a score < 4 represents a preference for low perceived

267

intelligence, and a score of 4 represents no preference in either direction).

268

(10)

Effects of menstrual cycle phase, use of hormonal contraceptives and relationship status were

270

assessed using ANOVA (Model 1: between subjects factors were cycle phase (follicular or luteal), and

271

relationship status (single or in a relationship); Model 2: between subjects factors were use of hormonal

272

contraceptives (yes or no), and relationship status (single or in a relationship)). Participants who

273

reported use of hormonal contraceptives were excluded from Model 1.

274

275

Results

276

277

The results of Models 1 and 2 revealed no significant effects of cycle phase, use of hormonal

278

contraceptives, or relationship status, and no significant interactions (all p > 0.2).

279

280

Discussion

281

282

Consistent with Study 1, and with Prokosch et al. (2009), we did not find effects of menstrual

283

cycle phase or relationship context on preferences for facial cues to intelligence, despite our attempts to

284

reach a more representative sample of women than has been achieved by previous research. While this

285

suggests that failure to detect such effects is not simply an artifact of testing University students, our

286

sample was still limited to women with access to the internet, with sufficient interest in psychology to

287

participate, and to a relatively highly educated profile. Future work which accesses a truly

288

representative sample both in terms of the participants who contribute to the facial stimuli, and those

289

who rate them, may yield different results. To date, however, there is a consistent lack of support for

290

context-dependent intelligence preferences.

291

292

A limitation of previous research, including Studies 1 and 2, is failure to control for the strong

293

tendency for individuals to mate assortatively on the basis of traits including intelligence (Jensen,

294

1998; Watson et al., 2004). Any effect of relationship context or cycle phase may be secondary to

295

positive assortment effects. In Study 3, then, we asked participants to rate their own intelligence and

296

controlled for this in analyses. A further limitation of Studies 1 and 2 was our reliance on participant’s

297

relationship status as a method of assessing effects of relationship context on preferences. In Study 3

298

we sought to test preferences for our perceived intelligence stimuli under long-term and short-term

(11)

contexts.

300

301

Study 3

302

303

Here we tested preferences for cues to intelligence under long- and short-term relationship

304

contexts and controlled for self-rated intelligence.

305

306

Methods

307

308

Participants

309

310

Seventy eight heterosexual female participants aged 16 to 45 (age: 26.97 (8.06)) were

311

recruited to an online experiment hosted on a face research website (www.perceptionlab.com). Eighty

312

four percent were in a relationship at the time of testing. Data regarding country of origin and ethnicity

313

was not collected.

314

315

Materials

316

317

a. Facial stimuli

318

319

Stimuli were those described in Study 2.

320

321

b. Questionnaire

322

323

Participants reported their age, sexual orientation and relationship status and rated themselves

324

for intelligence (“How intelligent do you consider yourself to be?”; 1 = not at all intelligent, 7 =

325

extremely intelligent).

326

327

Procedure

328

(12)

Participants completed the short questionnaire followed by the face preference test. Face pairs

330

were displayed in random order in a forced choice paradigm, in which participants had to choose which

331

face they found more attractive from each of the 9 pairs and to express the strength of their preference

332

from a scale presented below the faces (“Which face do you prefer?”; 1 = strongly prefer left, 2 =

333

prefer left, 3 = slightly prefer left, 4 = no preference, 5 = slightly prefer right, 6 = prefer right, 7 =

334

strongly prefer right). Faces were rated for desirability for both a short-term and a long-term

335

relationship (“Which face would you prefer for a short/long-term relationship?). Order of presentation

336

of pairs, relationship context and the side on which each face was displayed were fully randomized.

337

Responses were coded as for Study 2, and mean preferences across all 9 pairs for each relationship

338

context were computed.

339

340

Results

341

342

In ANOVA with 1 within-subjects factor (relationship context: short-term and long-term) and

343

self-rated intelligence (mean: 5.73 (1)) as a covariate, there were no main effects of relationship

344

context (F(1, 76) = 3.58, p = 0.062) or self-rated intelligence (F(1,76) = 5.19, p = 0.063) and no interaction

345

between relationship context and self-rated intelligence (F(1,76)= 3.29, p = 0.074). As, however, results

346

approached significance, bivariate correlations were explored and demonstrated significant

347

relationships between self-rated intelligence and preferences for cues to intelligence in the face for

348

long-term (rs(78) = 0.29, p = 0.01), but not short-term relationships (rs(78) = 0.18, p = 0.116).

349

350

Discussion

351

352

Results demonstrate an effect of relationship context on preferences for cues to intelligence in

353

the face when self-rated intelligence is controlled for, with women expressing stronger preferences for

354

cues to intelligence in the context of a short-term relationship. Post-hoc analyses revealed assortment to

355

be present only in the context of long-term relationships. This suggests that women take their own

356

intelligence into account when judging desirability of males for long-term relationships, perhaps

357

reflecting considerations such as compatibility, but that these considerations may not be made in the

358

context of short-term relationships. Failure to control for positive assortment in the context of

(13)

term relationships may explain why previous studies have not detected an effect of relationship context

360

on preferences for intelligence (but see Regan and Joshi, 2003). It should also be noted that women

361

tend to underestimate their own intelligence (Furnham et al. 2002) and while self-ratings may correlate

362

with other-rated intelligence they are not always an accurate reflection of actual intelligence (Borkenau

363

and Liebler, 1993). Actual intelligence scores, then, would be a useful addition although we argue that

364

self-perceived intelligence is likely to be at least as important to the mating decisions of individuals as

365

actual intelligence scores.

366

367

Study 4

368

369

The aim of Study 4 was to test the validity of preferences for facial cues to intelligence by

370

comparison with self-reported partner characteristics.

371

372

Methods

373

374

Participants

375

376

One hundred and fifty-three female participants (age: 25.1 (7.24)) were recruited to an online

377

experiment via the Abertay University psychological research site. All participants were heterosexual

378

and aged 16 or over. Thirty four percent of participants reported using hormonal contraceptives, and

379

57% reported being in a relationship. Eighty-one percent were European residents, 96% were

380

Caucasian and 73% had a University education. See Table 1.

381

382

Materials

383

384

a. Facial stimuli

385

386

Facial stimuli were a subset of the 9 face pairs described in Study 3 (n = 3 pairs) transformed

387

to differ in cues to intelligence. A subset (the first 3 face pairs displayed in Figure 2), rather than the

388

full set of 9 face pairs, was used in order to reduce the duration of the test.

(14)

390

b. Questionnaires

391

392

Participants reported their age and sexual orientation, and rated intelligence of current or most

393

recent partner (“How intelligent is your current or most recent partner?”; 1 – 7; 1 = not at all intelligent,

394

7 = extremely intelligent).

395

396

Procedure

397

398

Participants completed the questionnaire followed by the face preference tests (with faces

399

displayed individually and in random order) on remote computers.

400

401

Average preferences for cues to high over low intelligence were computed by first calculating

402

the mean preference for the 3 high-perceived intelligence faces (high IQ pref) and for the 3

low-403

perceived intelligence faces (low IQ pref). Preference for cues to high over low perceived intelligence

404

was then calculated by subtracting low IQ pref from high IQ pref (high IQ pref – low IQ pref), such

405

that a positive score represented a preference for cues to high intelligence, and a negative score

406

preferences for cues to lower intelligence.

407

408

Results

409

410

In a bivariate linear regression model (Adj R2 = 0.03, F(1, 148) = 5.13, p = 0.025), partner

411

intelligence was a significant predictor of preference for facial cues to intelligence (β = 0.18, p =

412

0.025).

413

414

General Discussion

415

416

There were no effects of menstrual cycle phase on preferences for facial cues to intelligence in

417

3 samples of women, spanning undergraduate students and women from a broader range of

418

backgrounds. Neither were there effects of the use of hormonal contraceptives, suggesting that

(15)

women’s preferences for intelligence are not hormonally mediated. Women considering faces in the

420

context of a short-term relationship, however, expressed stronger preferences for cues to intelligence

421

than in the context of a long-term relationship. Importantly, this was only the case when self-rated

422

intelligence was controlled for in analyses, suggesting that assortative mating on the basis of

423

intelligence may account for the failure of previous studies to detect these effects. Post hoc tests

424

revealed positive assortment only in a long-term relationship context, suggesting that an effect of

425

relationship context on preferences may stem from the mediation of preferences in the long-term

426

context, rather than greater value placed on intelligence in a short-term context. In addition, we found

427

that preferences for perceived intelligence in the face were positively associated with self-rated partner

428

intelligence.

429

430

Women’s preferences for cues to intelligence have now been shown to be independent of

431

hormonal status across 5 studies (Studies 1 – 3; Gangestad et al., 2007; Prokosh et al., 2009). Our

432

results contribute to a growing body of results consistent with intelligence as a fitness indicator rather

433

than a trait that is traded off against other valuable aspects of fitness (Arden et al., 2008, 2009; Banks et

434

al., 2010; Furlow et al., 1997; Gottfredson & Deary, 2004; Miller & Penke, 2007; Prokosch et al.

435

2005). In other words, there may be multiple benefits associated with an intelligent partner that render

436

it an essential consideration in mate choice decisions. One potential explanation is that fitness for the

437

highly educated, high socioeconomic status women in our samples and those of the other studies

438

reported here, is more closely linked to intelligence than to health. We may find different results under

439

more diverse social and environmental conditions, suggesting great value to cross cultural work to

440

answer these questions. Alternatively, intelligence may be associated with direct fitness benefits such

441

as status and resource provision, meaning that it provides cues to traits essential to mate choice

442

decisions regardless of context (but see Lee et al. 2012).

443

444

We acknowledge that our results are limited to preferences for cues to intelligence in the face,

445

and further to one set of facial stimuli, so are prone to issues of pseudo-replication. Furthermore, our

446

stimuli were created on the basis of perceived – rather than actual – intelligence, perhaps limiting the

447

ecological validity of our findings. While we advocate replication of methods using stimuli based on

448

actual intelligence scores and which address multiple modalities, we suggest that perceived intelligence

(16)

– particularly when controlling for an attractiveness halo effect as we sought to achieve with our

450

stimuli – is both a good proxy to actual intelligence (Zebrowitz et al., 2002) and valid in terms of

451

assessing preferences. Future work, however, should attempt to identify the specific qualities that are

452

signaled in our facial stimuli and which contribute to perceived intelligence (e.g. social dominance,

453

mental altertness, self esteem).

454

455

In conclusion, our results demonstrate that women prefer facial cues to intelligence regardless

456

of their hormonal status or the relationship context. Effects of relationship context on preferences when

457

own intelligence or attractiveness are controlled for appears to be due to positive assortment for

458

intelligence in the long-term relationship context. We propose that our results are consistent with

459

intelligence as a fitness indicator, but that cross cultural research is required to identify whether all

460

traits associated with intelligence are consistently preferred across environments with different social

461

and physical demands.

462

463

References

464

465

Arden, R., Gottfredson, L. S. & Miller, G. (2008). Does a fitness factor contribute to the association

466

between intelligence and health outcomes? Evidence from medical abnormality counts among

467

3, 654 US veterans. Intelligence, 37, 581-591.

468

469

Arden, R., Gottfredson, L. S., Miller, G & Pierce, A. (2009). Intelligence and semen quality are

470

positively correlated. Intelligence, 37, 277-282.

471

472

Banks, G., Batchelor, J. H. & McDaniel, M. A. (2010). Smarter people are (a bit) more symmetrical: a

473

meta-analysis of the relationship between intelligence and fluctuating asymmetry. Intelligence,

474

38, 393-401.

475

476

Borkenau, P & Liebler, A. (1993). Convergence of stranger ratings of personality and intelligence with

477

self-ratings, partner-ratings and measured intelligence. Journal of Personality and Social

478

Psychology, 65, 546-553.

(17)

480

Buss, D. M. (1989). Sex differences in human mating preferences: evolutionary hypotheses tested in

481

37 cultures. Behavioral and Brain Sciences, 12, 1 – 49.

482

483

Debruine, L. M., Jones, B. C., Crawford, J. R., Welling, L. L. M. & Little, A. C. (2010a). The health of

484

a nation predicts their mate preferences: cross cultural variation in women’s preferences for

485

masculinized male faces. Proceedings of the Royal Society of London Series B, 277, 2405-2410.

486

487

Furnham, A., Hosoe, T. & Tang, T. L. P. (2002). Male hubris and female humility? A cross-cultural

488

study of ratings of self, parental, and sibling multiple intelligence in America, Britain and Japan.

489

Intelligence, 30, 101-115.

490

491

Furlow, F. B., Armijo-Prewitt, T., Gangestad, S. W. & Thornhill, R. (1997). Fluctuating asymmetry

492

and psychometric intelligence. Proceedings of the Royal Society of London Series B, 264,

823-493

829.

494

495

Gangestad, S. W., Garver-Apgar, C. E., Simpson, J. A. & Cousins, A. J. (2007). Changes in women’s

496

mate preferences across the ovulatory cycle. Journal of Personality & Social Psychology, 92,

497

151-163.

498

499

Gangestad, S. W., Thornhill, R. & Garver-Apgar, C. E. (2010). Men’s facial masculinity predicts

500

changes in their female partners’ sexual interests across the ovulatory cycle, whereas men’s

501

intelligence does not. Evolution & Human Behavior, 31, 412-424.

502

503

Gottfredson, L. S. & Deary, I. J. (2004). Intelligence predicts health and longevity, but why? Current

504

Directions in Psychological Science, 13, 1 – 4.

505

506

Haselton, M. & Miller, G. F. (2006). Women’s fertility across the cycle increases the short-term

507

attractiveness of creative intelligence. Human Nature, 17, 50 – 73.

508

(18)

Hooper, P. & Miller, G. F. (2008). Mutual mate choice can drive ornament evolution even under

510

perfect monogamy. Adaptive Behavior, 16, 53-70.

511

512

Houle, D. (2000). Is there a g factor for fitness? The Nature of Intelligence, Vol 233. Chichester:

513

John Wiley and Sons.

514

515

Houle, D. & Kondrashov, A. S. (2002). Coevolution of costly mate choice and condition-dependent of

516

display of good genes. Proceedings of the Royal Society of London Series B, 269, 97-104.

517

518

Jensen, A.R. (1998) The g factor: the science of mental ability. Westport, CT, Praeger.

519

520

Jones, B. C, Perrett, D. I., Little, A. C., Boothroyd, L., Cornwell, R. E., Feinberg, D. R., Tiddeman, B.

521

P., Whiten, S., Pitman, R. M., Hillier, S. G., Burt, D. M., Stirrat, M. R., Law Smith, M. J. &

522

Moore, F. R. (2005). Menstrual cycle, pregnancy and oral contraceptive use alter attraction to

523

apparent health in faces. Proceedings of the Royal Society of London Series B, 272, 347-354.

524

525

Law Smith, M. J., Perrett, D. I., Jones, B. C., Cornwell RE, Moore FR, Feinberg DR, Boothroyd LG,

526

Durrani S, Stirrat MR, Whiten S, Pitman RM. & Hillier, S. G. (2006) Facial appearance is a cue

527

to oestrogen levels in women. Proceedings of the Royal Society B, 273, 135-140.

528

529

Lee, A. J., Dubbs, S. L., Kelly, A. J., von Hippel, W., Brooks, R. C., & Zietsch, B. P. (2012). Human

530

facial attributes, but not perceived intelligence, are used as cues to health and resource

531

provision potential. Behavioral Ecology, doi:10.1093/beheco/ars199.

532

533

Lee, A. J. & Zietsch, B. P. (2011). Experimental evidence that women’s mate preferences are directly

534

influenced by cues of pathogen prevalence and resource scarcity. Biology Letters, 7, 892-895.

535

536

Li, N. P., Bailey, J. M., Kenrick, D. T. & Linsenmeier, J. A. W. (2002). The necessities and luxuries of

537

mate preferences: testing the tradeoffs. Journal of Personality & Social Psychology, 82,

947-538

955.

(19)

540

Little, A.C., Jones, B. C., Penton-Voak, I.S., Burt, D.M. and Perrett, D.I . (2002). Partnership status

541

and the temporal context of relationships influence human female preferences for sexual

542

dimorphism in male face shape. Proceedings of the Royal Society of London Series B, 269,

543

1095-1100.

544

545

Little, A. C., Cohen, D. L., Jones, B. C. & Belsky, J. (2007). Human preferences for facial masculinity

546

change with relationship type and environmental harshness. Behavioural Ecology &

547

Sociobiology, 61, 967-973.

548

549

Miller, G. F. (2000a). The Mating Mind. New York: Doubleday.

550

551

Miller, G. F. (2000b). Sexual selection for indicators of intelligence. The Nature of Intelligence, Vol

552

233. Chichester: John Wiley and Sons.

553

554

Miller, G. F. (2003). Fear of fitness indicators: How to deal with our ideological anxieties about the

555

role of sexual selection in the origins of human culture. In Being human: Proceedings of a

556

conference sponsored by the Royal Society of New Zealand (Miscellaneous series 63) (pp.

65-557

79). Wellington, NZ: Royal Society of New Zealand.

558

559

Miller, G. F. & Penke, L. (2007). The evolution of human intelligence and the coefficient of additive

560

genetic variance in human brain size. Intelligence, 35, 97-114.

561

562

Moore, F. R., Filipou, D. & Perrett, D. I. (2011). Intelligence and attractiveness in the face: beyond the

563

attractiveness halo effect. Journal of Evolutionary Psychology, 9, 205-217.

564

565

Nettle, D. & Clegg, H. (2006). Schizotypy, creativity and mating success in humans. Proceedings of

566

the Royal Society of London Series B, 273, 611-615.

(20)

Penton-Voak, I. S., Perrett, D. I., Castles, D. L., Kobayashi, T., Burt, D. M., Murray, L. K., &

569

Minamisawa, R. (1999). Female preference for male faces changes cyclically. Nature, 399,

741-570

742.

571

572

Penton Voak, I. S. & Perrett, D. I. (2000). Female preference for male faces changes cyclically: further

573

evidence. Evolution & Human Behavior, 21, 39-48.

574

575

Peters, M., Simmons, L. W. & Rhodes, G. (2009). Preferences across the menstrual cycle for

576

masculinity and symmetry in photographs of male bodies and faces. PLoS One, 4, e4138.

577

578

Plomin, R. & Kovas, Y. (2005). Generalist genes and learning disabilities. Psychological Bulletin, 131,

579

592–617.

580

581

Plomin, R., & Spinath, F. M. (2004). Intelligence: genetics, genes, and genomics. Journal of

582

Personality and Social Psychology, 86, 112-129.

583

584

Prokosch, M., Yeo, R. & Miller, G. (2005). Intelligence tests with higher g loadings show higher

585

correlations with body symmetry: evidence for a general fitness factor mediated by

586

developmental stability. Intelligence, 33, 203 – 213.

587

588

Prokosch, M. D., Coss, R. G., Scheib, J. E. & Blozis, S. A. (2009). Intelligence and mate choice:

589

intelligence men are always appealing. Evolution & Human Behavior, 30, 11-20.

590

591

Regan, P. C., & Joshi, A. (2003). Ideal partner preferences among adolescents. Social Behavior and

592

Personality, 31, 13-20.

593

594

Rowe, L. & Houle, D. (1996). The lek paradox and the capture of genetic variance by condition

595

dependent traits. Proceedings of the Royal Society of London Series B, 263, 1415-1421.

(21)

Tiddeman, B. T., Burt, D. M. & Perrett, D. I. (2001). Prototyping and transforming facial textures for

598

perception research. Computer Graphics and Applications, 21, 42 – 50.

599

600

Tomkins, J. L., Radwan, J., Kotiaho, J. S. & Tregenza, T. (2004). Genic capture and resolving the lek

601

paradox. Trends in Ecology & Evolution, 19, 323-328.

602

603

Watson, D., Klohnen, E.C., Casillas, A., Simms, E. N., Haig, J., & Berry, D. S. (2004). Match makers

604

and deal breakers: Analyses of assortative mating in newlywed couples. Journal of Personality,

605

72, 1029-1068.

606

607

Yeo, R. A., Gangestad, S. W., Liu, J., Calhou, V. D. & Hutchison, K. E. (2011). Rare copy number

608

deletions predict individual variation in intelligence. PLoS One: 10.1371/journal.pone.0016339

609

610

Zebrowitz, L.A., Hall, J. A., Murphy, N. A. & Rhodes, G. (2002). Looking smart and looking good:

611

facial cues to intelligence and their origins. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 28, 238

612

– 249.

613

614

615

616

617

618

619

620

621

622

623

624

(22)

629

630

631

632

633

[image:22.595.99.362.61.208.2]

634

Figure 1. C

omposite low (left) and high (right) perceived intelligence facial stimuli.

635

Faces constructed from groups of five faces that differed in perceived intelligence,

636

but were matched for attractiveness, age and sexual dimorphism (Moore et al. 2011).

637

638

639

640

Figure 2. Face pairs transformed to look high (upper level) and low (lower level) in perceived

641

intelligence.

642

643

644

645

646

647

648

[image:22.595.108.523.363.486.2]
(23)

Study Participant

age n Selection criteria Stimuli Preference ratings Follicular Luteal Relationship context Hormonal contraceptives No hormonal contraceptives 1 19.67

(1.35) 34 Heterosexual, not pregnant or using hormonal contracepti ves Pair of composite male faces (Fig 1)

Positive score = pref for high perceived intelligence; Negative score = pref for low perceived intelligence; 0 = no pref.

0.27 (0.23)

n = 34 0.21 (0.29) n = 34 Single In a relationship NA NA 0.23 (0.16)

n = 10 0.24 (0.24) n = 24

2 24.58 (7.37)

528 Heterosexu al, not pregnant, age >= 16 & <= 45

9 pairs of transformed faces (Fig 2)

Score > 4 = pref for high perceived intelligence; score < 4 = pref for low perceived intelligence; score of 4 = no pref.

5.24 (1.12) n = 165

5.06 (1.2) n = 126

Single In a relationship

5.24 (1.22) n = 114

5.16 (1.16) n = 291 5.21 (1.22)

n = 230 5.14 (1.11) n = 175

3 26.97

(8.06) 78 Heterosexual, age >= 16 & <= 45

9 pairs of transformed faces (Fig 2)

Score > 4 = pref for high perceived intelligence; score < 4 = pref for low perceived intelligence; score of 4 = no pref.

NA NA Short term

relationshi p

Long term

relationship NA NA

5.41 (0.99) 5.37 (0.89)

4 25.1 (7.24) 153 Heterosexu al, age >= 16 & <=45

3 pairs of transformed faces (Fig 2)

Score > 4 = pref for high perceived intelligence; score < 4 = pref for low perceived intelligence; score of 4 = no pref.

NA NA NA NA NA NA

[image:23.595.74.595.68.372.2]

651

Table 1 showing participant profile (age, sample size and selection criteria),

652

stimuli, ratings structure, and descriptive statistics (mean (1 SD)) for Studies 1 –

653

Figure

Figure 1. Composite low (left) and high (right) perceived intelligence facial stimuli
Table 1 showing participant profile (age, sample size and selection criteria), stimuli, ratings structure, and descriptive statistics (mean (1 SD)) for Studies 1 –

References

Related documents

Our semiotic analysis of musical emotion in film considers the variable meaning potentials of separate and combined music parameters in relation to other modality meanings

Lawyer with offices in Parma, professor at the University of Parma, member of the Working Group for Industrial and Intellectual Property of Confindustria, member of the Board of

Of particular interest was whether the acute dysfunction variable (taken as a measure of an extreme drinking pattern) showed an association with cardiovascular risk independent

Timeouts are thirty (30) seconds in duration. Substitutions may be made after a basket, a foul shot or any stoppage of play. The winner of the coin toss shall take first

Marielle Lesperance, Ottawa Kayleigh MacDonald, Ottawa Chantal Watt, Brampton.

The results of the optimization are given in Table 5.7 in terms of percentage differ- ence from the baseline. Fuel burn decreases across all missions, with the greatest

This guide provides a high-level overview of the past, present, and future of IEEE 802.11 wireless networking standards, concepts, hardware components, security concerns, and

We concluded that, in this study, the sutureless scleral fixation of IOLs was an alternative technique for treat- ing patients with deficient capsular support, and the technique