TY - JOUR
T1 - Gaze properties of women judging the attractiveness of masculine and feminine male faces
AU - Burriss, Robert
AU - Marcinkowska, Urszula
AU - Lyons, Minna
N1 - More information at www.robertburriss.com
PY - 2014/1
Y1 - 2014/1
N2 - Most studies of female facial masculinity preference have relied upon self-reported preference, with participants selecting or rating the attractiveness of faces that differ in masculinity. However, researchers have not established a consensus as to whether women’s general preference is for male faces that are masculine or feminine, and several studies have indicated that women prefer neither. We investigated women’s preferences for male facial masculinity using standard two-alternative forced choice (2AFC) preference trials paired with eye tracking measures, to determine whether conscious and non-conscious measures of preference yield similar results. We found that women expressed a preference for, gazed longer at, and fixated more frequently on feminized male faces. We also found effects of relationship status, relationship context (whether faced are judged for attractiveness as a long- or short-term partner), and hormonal contraceptive use. These results support previous findings that women express a preference for feminized over masculinized male faces, demonstrate that non-conscious measures of preference for this trait echo consciously expressed preferences, and suggest that certain aspects of the preference decision-making process may be better captured by eye tracking than by 2AFC preference trials.
AB - Most studies of female facial masculinity preference have relied upon self-reported preference, with participants selecting or rating the attractiveness of faces that differ in masculinity. However, researchers have not established a consensus as to whether women’s general preference is for male faces that are masculine or feminine, and several studies have indicated that women prefer neither. We investigated women’s preferences for male facial masculinity using standard two-alternative forced choice (2AFC) preference trials paired with eye tracking measures, to determine whether conscious and non-conscious measures of preference yield similar results. We found that women expressed a preference for, gazed longer at, and fixated more frequently on feminized male faces. We also found effects of relationship status, relationship context (whether faced are judged for attractiveness as a long- or short-term partner), and hormonal contraceptive use. These results support previous findings that women express a preference for feminized over masculinized male faces, demonstrate that non-conscious measures of preference for this trait echo consciously expressed preferences, and suggest that certain aspects of the preference decision-making process may be better captured by eye tracking than by 2AFC preference trials.
KW - attractiveness
KW - eye-tracking
KW - face
KW - gaze
KW - masculinity
KW - relationship context
UR - http://www.robertburriss.com
M3 - Article
SN - 1474-7049
VL - 12
SP - 19
EP - 35
JO - Evolutionary Psychology
JF - Evolutionary Psychology
IS - 1
ER -