1. PS4029/30 Perspectives on social attributions
Lecture 8
March 2005

2. Lecture 8: Menstrual cycle and face preferences
Strategic female preferences for masculine faces [recap]
2. Menstrual cycle and masculinity preferences
Menstrual cycle and stereotype access
Menstrual cycle and attitudes to partner
Pregnancy and food preference
Pregnancy and face preference

3. 1. Strategic female preferences for masculine faces [recap]
Costs associated with choosing
masculine long-term partner:
Low investment
Risk of desertion
‘cold’
Benefit associated with choosing
masculine short-term partner:
Offspring health
Little et al. - chapter in Rhodes textbook

4. 1. Strategic female preferences for masculine faces [recap]
Costs associated with choosing
masculine long-term partner:
Low investment
Risk of desertion
‘cold’
Benefit associated with choosing
feminine long-term partner:
Investment
Paternal care
Little et al. - chapter in Rhodes textbook

5. One-night stands Affairs (EPC’s)
1. Strategic female preferences for masculine faces [recap]
One-night stands
Affairs (EPC’s)
Long-term partner
NOT AN ENDORSEMENT OF ADULTERY
Little et al. - chapter in Rhodes textbook

6. 2. Menstrual cycle and masculinity preferences
Attraction to masculine men strongest when fertile due to attraction to cues of heritable immunity to infectious disease (particularly when judging men for possible short-term relationship)

7. 2. Menstrual cycle and masculinity preferences
Attraction to feminine men strongest at other times due to attraction to cues to investment and pro-social personality traits (e.g. ‘warmth’)
Penton-Voak et al Nature

8. 3. Menstrual cycle and sex-classification
Women are quicker to correctly classify the sex of male faces (but not female faces) during ovulation (high fertility)
Macrae et al Psych Sci

9. 4. Menstrual cycle and attitudes to partner
Women are more likely to fantasize about men other than their primary partner and report being less committed to their primary partner during ovulation (high fertility) than at other times
Gangestad et al. 2002; Jones et al. in press

10. 5. Pregnancy and food preference
During pregnancy women demonstrate increased aversion to food that may be contaminated (e.g. meat)
May protect developing fetus and compensate for maternal immunosupression?

11. 5. Pregnancy and face preference
Cues associated with illness are visible in faces?
Cues such as pallor may be unattractive because of contagion avoidance

12. 5. Pregnancy and face preference
Pregnant women demonstrate stronger aversions to unhealthy male and female faces than non-pregnant women do

13. 5. Pregnancy and face preference
Pregnancy is characterized by raised progesterone
This also occurs in the luteal (low fertility) menstrual cycle phase

14. 5. Pregnancy and face preference
Attraction to healthy faces is strongest during the luteal phase than late follicular (fertile) phase and following oral contraceptive use
Pregnancy, ‘pill’ and menstrual cycle - Jones et al Proc Roy Soc London B

15. L8 Key Themes When fertile Prefer masculine Less committed to partner
Tolerant of current illness
When prog high
Prefer feminine
Very committed to partner
Aversion to current illness

16. L8 Key Themes
When fertile
When prog high