Lecture 11 Integrating different cues in attraction

Overview: Cue integration 1.Integrating diverse cues (gaze, expression, sex, physical attractiveness) in face preferences 2. Social transmission of face preferences

1. Adaptations for efficient allocation of social/mating effort Social/mating effort is a finite resource that should be allocated judiciously May lead to evolution of mechanisms for efficient allocation of effort

Attractiveness and smiling size of attractiveness effect O’Doherty et al Neuropsychologia neutral happy

Attractiveness and gaze Direct gaze increases the reward value of attractive faces Direct gaze decreases the reward value of unattractive faces Kampe et al Nature ventral striatum

Gaze influences emotion perception Expressions can change ‘meaning’ depending on gaze Adams & Kleck 2003 Psychological Science

Preference for physical attractiveness greatest when target is smiling at you Integrating social signals and attractiveness N=252 Jones et al Psychological Science

Context-sensitive opposite-sex bias in gaze preference Conway et al Proc Roy Soc B

Integrating social signals and attractiveness Adaptation for efficient allocation of mating effort

Modulating preferences: for physical attractiveness in light of cues of social interest for gaze direction in light of sex and expression will promote efficient allocation fo social/mating effort

2. Social transmission of face preferences

Social learning and mate choice Social learning influences female mate choice in many non-human species Brown & Fawcett (2005) Current BiologyGalef & Laland (2005) BioScience mf

Social learning and attraction Initial pre-observation phase test to assess baseline preference for 8 pairs of men Observation phase manipulating cues to unfamiliar women’s attitudes to these men Post-observation phase test for change in preference for 8 pairs of men Jones et al. (2007) Proc Roy Soc B

Pre-observation phase test

Observation phase

looked at man smiled at man

Post-observation phase test

Social learning and attraction Female subjects Increased attraction to men smiled at by unfamiliar women (i.e. ‘copying’ preferences of other women) Jones et al. (2007) Proc Roy Soc B Male subjects Decreased attraction to men smiled at by unfamiliar women (i.e. within-sex competition effect)

Results Change in attractiveness of looked-at males (post- minus pre-observation phase)

Social learning influences face preferences in humans Women ‘copy’ other women Men derogate men who are the target of positive attention from women

We integrate different facial cues in very complex ways Integration helps read others’ attitudes / intentions, allocate social effort efficiently and learn via observation Studying cue integration is essential to understand face perception Key issues

Next week Revision lecture