BIOL 304 Lecture Notes - Lecture 14: Estratetraenol, Androstenol, Andrena
Document Summary
Sexual selection in humans components of attractiveness. Evolution and biology vs. culture and individual preferences. Waist to hip ratio (whr) in women and men: male preference. Both males and females judge computer generated (cid:498)averaged(cid:499) faces as more computer-generated face with average dimensions/proportions. Mathematical averaging of facial measurements from many individuals produce beautiful than real faces: masculine/feminine proportions. Both genders find symmetry and averageness attractive. Exaggerated whr (cid:498)feminine(cid:499) characters in females (cid:498)masculine(cid:499) characters in males. Only (cid:498)normal(cid:499) masculinity in faces & whr. Preference mediated by hormonal cycles: dislike exaggerated masculine features. Both genders attracted to body odors of people dissimilar mhc genes (major histocompatibility complex) Ovulating = odors of men with different mhc genes. Pregnant = odors from men with similar mhc genes. In one study, women preferred body odors from men with more symmetrical faces (subjects did not see faces) Body odors may reflect poor health/genes: human pheromones.
