Men become
more jealous of dominant males when their female partner is near ovulation,
according to researchers at the University of Liverpool.
Previous studies have found that women’s preferences for male
physical appearance vary according to their fertility status. During
ovulation women tend to find masculine looking men more attractive
and prefer their voices and odour. During this fertile phase women
are more likely to have an affair with a masculine-looking man, as
their features are linked to high testosterone levels, demonstrating
good genetic qualities that can be passed on to offspring.
New research at the University has found that men sense this preference
shift in their female partners and find masculine men more threatening
during their partner’s most fertile phase. Rob Burriss and Dr
Anthony Little, from the University’s School of Biological Sciences,
also found that men only behave in this way if their female partner
does not use oral contraception – and is therefore more fertile.
Images of male faces that were either high or low in dominant features,
such as a strong jaw lines and thinner lips, were shown to male participants
who provided ratings of dominance for each image. A dominant person
was defined as someone who looked like they could ‘get what they
wanted’.
Participants were asked to provide information on whether or not their
female partner used oral contraception and the date of her current
or previous menses. Male participants whose partners did not use oral
contraception and were near ovulation rated masculine faces more dominant
than those participants with partners who did use oral contraception
and were not near ovulation.
Rob Burriss, from the University’s School of Biological Sciences,
explained:
“ Groups of animals, such as chimpanzees, can live
quite happily together, but when a female is ready to mate the two
dominant males within the group become rivals and fight for her attention.
Similarly in humans, rated dominance increases when the female is most
fertile. What is interesting here is that male behaviour is determined
by that of the females; men become more wary of masculine-looking men
only when the females facial preferences begin to shift prior to ovulation.
_ Face shape and structure are good
indicators of dominance. Men with large eyes, rounded chin and full
lips, are viewed as more feminine
and are chosen as long-term partners. They are not, however, seen
as dominant. During the female’s most fertile phase, she tends
to prefer faces that indicate high testosterone levels, which indicate
good genes; masculine faces reflect these qualities.”
Research findings are published in the journal of Evolution and Human
Behaviour and can be viewed at www.sciencedirect.com
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