Attraction-Menstrual Cycle Linked
By ALEX DOMINGUEZ - AP
BALTIMORE (AP) - The kind of man's face a woman finds attractive varies
with her menstrual cycle, according to a study that underscores the hold biology still has
on us, no matter how highly evolved we like to think we are.
When a woman is ovulating, or ready to conceive, she is likely to prefer
men with more masculine features. When she is menstruating, or least likely to get
pregnant, she is apt to prefer softer, more feminine looks.
That's according to a study conducted by Scottish and Japanese
researchers and published in Thursday's issue of the journal Nature.
The researchers believe this is not a matter of fashion or a 20th
century standard of beauty, but something that is inborn, or instilled by evolution for
sound biological reasons: In the animal kingdom, masculine looks denote virility, and thus
the ability to produce healthy offspring.
``Literature from the animal kingdom suggests exaggerated male features
such as peacock feathers and deer antler and other masculine features display a good
immune system, and that's what should be attractive for females,'' said David Perrett of
the University of St. Andrews in Scotland, one of the study's authors. ``And to some
extent we are finding that's what's true for humans.''
The findings build on work by the researchers last year that suggests
women overall prefer male faces that are slightly feminized, perhaps because they signal a
more cooperative mate for long-term child-rearing.
Researchers note, of course, that biology is not the only thing that
governs our choice of a mate. Social and cultural factors do, too: earning power, common
interests and similar backgrounds, for example.
The findings suggest at least one piece of practical dating advice: A
man who gets rejected by a woman might have more success if he asks her out again in a
week or two.
``They should at least try for four weeks on the run,'' Perrett said.
``It does imply some persistence is a good strategy for males.''
In the study, women in Japan and Scotland were shown computer-generated
male faces that had been altered in their level of masculinity - including the size of the
jaw, eyebrow ridge, and overall size.
All of these masculine features are caused by testosterone, the male
hormone. Similarly, in women, estrogen causes breasts, fuller hips, a smaller chin and
full lips - all features that denote fertility and are generally considered most appealing
to men. The 39 Japanese women were questioned about their menstrual cycles and later
were shown five white and five Japanese faces on two occasions, when they were most likely
and least likely to become pregnant.
For Japanese and white faces, the women preferred faces that were on
average about 20 percent and 15 percent feminized, respectively, when they were least
likely to become pregnant. When they were most likely to become pregnant, the women
preferred faces that were only about 8 percent feminized for both groups of images.
In the second experiment, 65 British women were asked over a three- to
four-week period to choose the most attractive face for long-term and short-term sexual
relationships. The women used a computer that allowed them to make a composite face more
or less feminine.
For short-term relationships, the preferred faces were about 15 percent
feminized during low-conception risk periods, vs. about 8 percent during high-conception
risk periods. For long-term relationships, the preferred faces were about 10 percent
feminized throughout the month.
Women on the pill, which controls the monthly hormonal cycle, were
excluded from the Japanese study. But in the British experiment, these women picked a
certain kind of face without varying their preferences.
This raises troubling questions about the effect of the pill on
evolution, said Victor Johnston, a professor of psychology at New Mexico State University
who runs a Web site that allows people to register their preferences for
computer-generated faces.
``By manipulating steroid levels,'' he asked, ``are we changing our
preference for the opposite sex? And how is that affecting the population?''
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