bims-chumac 2022-08-28 papers

bims-chumac

Biomed News

on Context effects on human mate choice

Issue of 2022–08–28
seven papers selected by
Thomas Krichel, Open Library Society

Femme/Butch/Androgyne Identity and Preferences for Femininity Across Face, Voice, and Personality Traits in Chinese Lesbian and Bisexual Women.
Image variability and face matching.
I've been thinkin' bout you: socially distant relationship pursuit during COVID-19.
Hormonal Underpinnings of the Variation in Sexual Desire, Arousal and Activity Throughout the Menstrual Cycle - A Multifaceted Approach.
Dominants, Submissives, and Bottom-up Text Analysis: Exploring BDSM Roles Through Romantic and Erotic Narratives.
Sniffing of Body Odors and Individual Significance of Olfaction Are Associated with Sexual Desire: A Cross-Cultural Study in China, India, and the USA.
The Asian Eye: Anthropometric Eye Measurements of Attractiveness in Young East Asian Women.

Arch Sex Behav. 2022 Aug 26.

Femme/Butch/Androgyne Identity and Preferences for Femininity Across Face, Voice, and Personality Traits in Chinese Lesbian and Bisexual Women.

Jing Zhang.

  Studies indicate that individuals preferring masculinity/femininity in one domain also prefer it in other domains. Heterosexual men and women and gay men have reported consistent preferences for masculinity/femininity across the faces and voices of their preferred sex. This study explored the femininity preferences of 417 Chinese lesbian and bisexual women in terms of face, voice pitch, vocal tract length, and personality traits and explored the effect of sexual self-labels (femme, butch, and androgyne) on these preferences. We found that lesbian and bisexual women showed a stronger preference for feminized faces, voice pitch, vocal tract length, and personality traits than masculinized versions, and these preferences were highly consistent across the four domains. Moreover, femininity preference was moderated by sexual self-labels, with butches preferring more feminine voice pitch, vocal tract length, and personality traits than femmes and androgynes. However, no significant difference was found for facial femininity preferences among different sexual self-labels. These findings present evidence of consistent femininity preference across visual, auditory, and personality traits and suggest that, regardless of sexual orientation, multiple cues may be used together when determining the attractiveness of individuals. Furthermore, these results support the hypothesis that the partner preference of lesbian and bisexual women mirrors that of heterosexual men.

Keywords:  Attractiveness; Femininity; Lesbian and bisexual woman; Partner preference; Sexual orientation; Sexual self-label

DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1007/s10508-022-02334-3
Perception. 2022 Aug 22. 3010066221119088

Image variability and face matching.

Taylor Gogan, Jennifer Beaudry, Julian Oldmeadow.

  This study investigates whether variability in perceived trait judgements disrupts our ability to match unfamiliar faces. In this preregistered study, 174 participants completed a face matching task where they were asked to indicate whether two ambient face images belonged to the same person or different people (17,748 total data points). Participants completed 51 match trials consisting of images of the same person that differed substantially on one trait (either trustworthiness, dominance or attractiveness) with minimal differences in the alternate traits. Participants also completed 51 mismatch trials which contained two photos of similar-looking individuals. We hypothesised that participants would make more errors on match trials when images differed in terms of attractiveness ratings than when they differed on trustworthiness or dominance. Contrary to expectations, images that differed in terms of attractiveness were matched most accurately, and there was no relationship between the extent of differences in attractiveness ratings and accuracy. There was some evidence that differences in perceived dominance and, to a lesser extent, trustworthiness were associated with lower face matching performance. However, these relationships were not significant when alternate traits were accounted for. The findings of our study suggest that face matching performance is largely robust against variation in trait judgements.

Keywords:  face matching; face perception; first impressions; trait judgements; unfamiliar faces

DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1177/03010066221119088
Curr Psychol. 2022 Aug 13. 1-18

I've been thinkin' bout you: socially distant relationship pursuit during COVID-19.

Timothy J Valshtein, Elizabeth R Mutter, Peter M Gollwitzer, Gabriele Oettingen.

  The COVID-19 pandemic has radically altered everyday interactions, potentially disrupting the process of romantic relationship formation. Prior research suggests that threats to the basic psychological need for relatedness, along with negative mental imagery, can lead to an obsessive preoccupation with a romantic interest. The present research examines how the relatedness-threatening nature of the pandemic may similarly facilitate problematic relationship behaviors. Two studies-a small-scale natural experiment with measurements before and during the pandemic (Study 1) and a daily diary study (Study 2)-investigated how relatedness frustration and negative fantasies predict presumptuous romantic intentions. In Study 1 these threats unexpectedly corresponded to reduced presumptuous romantic intentions, though no such main effect was present in Study 2. Replicating prior experimental work, in both studies, more negative fantasies about a romantic target predicted greater presumptuous romantic intentions. Study 2 also revealed that at the between-person level the combinatory effect of relatedness frustration and negative fantasies led to greater intentions. At the within-person level, this combinatory effect led unexpectedly to reduced intentions. Finally, there was substantial heterogeneity in the within-person effect of COVID-induced relatedness frustration: although frustration stoked intentions for some individuals, for others it reduced intentions. This work suggests that for many, the early social ramifications of COVID-19 reduced motivation to presumptuously pursue romantic relationships. Yet, certain individuals, particularly those with more negative fantasies, are more prone to pursue presumptuously amidst the pandemic.

Keywords:  COVID-19; Negative fantasies; Presumptuous romantic intentions; Relatedness needs; Relationship pursuit

DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1007/s12144-022-03555-4
J Sex Res. 2022 Aug 26. 1-7

Hormonal Underpinnings of the Variation in Sexual Desire, Arousal and Activity Throughout the Menstrual Cycle - A Multifaceted Approach.

Urszula M Marcinkowska, Talia Shirazi, Magdalena Mijas, James R Roney.

Although prior evidence supports women's mating behaviors and preferences being related to ovarian hormonal levels, there is conflicting evidence about exactly which hormones predict sexual function best, which specific psychosexual facets are affected and how between-individual and within-individual differences relate to this question. In this study levels of estradiol and progesterone were measured (once daily for 15 days for each participant) for 97 women, who attended two testing sessions, in times of the cycle varying in conception probability (based on the luteinizing hormone (LH) test result). Women completed surveys on their sexual desire, arousal, sexual activity frequency and initiation. There was a significant difference between peri-ovulatory and luteal values for all sexual function variables. Between-subject progesterone negatively predicted sexual activity frequency only. Within-subject estradiol positively and progesterone negatively predicted sexual desire. The findings provide support for hormonal underpinnings of sexual desire and sexual activity frequency fluctuations during the menstrual cycle. The findings did not yield support for hormonal influences on sexual arousal and initiation of sexual encounters. The main findings are consistent with the excitatory and inhibitory effects of estradiol and progesterone, respectively, on measures of women's sexual motivation.

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/00224499.2022.2110558
J Sex Res. 2022 Aug 26. 1-11

Dominants, Submissives, and Bottom-up Text Analysis: Exploring BDSM Roles Through Romantic and Erotic Narratives.

Phoenix R Crane, Molly E Ireland.

Powerplay, or the consensual power exchange between "Dominant" and "submissive" (D/s) role partners, is common practice within BDSM culture. To many BDSM practitioners, their D/s role is an integral part of their sexual identity, informing not only their sexual scripts but also their non-sexual social interactions. Linguistic Inquiry and Word Count (LIWC) text analysis software was used to process 261 participants' responses to prompts asking them to write erotic and relationship-themed narratives. Using a data-driven approach to model selection, we regressed participants' engagement in BDSM and D/s powerplay role identification on standardized language frequencies. Stories from more active BDSM practitioners' narratives used more perceptual words, suggesting potentially mindful, intimate, and detailed storytelling, whereas non-practitioners used more tentativeness and death in their writings. Moreover, language reflected D/s role attributes, with Dominants exhibiting ownership, responsibility, and other-focus, and submissives referencing power dynamics and self-focus in their responses. Findings are consistent with existing literature on BDSM power relationships and relate to psychosexual well-being.

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/00224499.2022.2111400
Arch Sex Behav. 2022 Aug 23.

Sniffing of Body Odors and Individual Significance of Olfaction Are Associated with Sexual Desire: A Cross-Cultural Study in China, India, and the USA.

Zi-Lin Li, Thomas Hummel, Lai-Quan Zou.

  Olfactory sensations contribute to sexual desire and sexual behavior. However, the degree to which individual importance of olfactory function and body odors relate to sexual desire is not known. This study was conducted to preliminarily examine these relationships among Chinese college students (N = 1903) via the Importance of Olfaction Questionnaire, the Body Odor Sniffing Questionnaire, and the Sexual Desire Inventory, which were used to measure subjective significance of olfaction, frequency of sniffing self or others, and sexual desire, respectively. Individuals who assigned higher importance to olfaction or engaged more in body odor sniffing showed stronger sexual desire. We further explored these associations in different cultures to determine whether cultural consistency existed. We conducted a second study to make cross-cultural comparisons between Indian (N = 313) and US (N = 249) populations. For both countries, a higher importance placed on olfaction and a higher prevalence of body odor sniffing were consistently associated with stronger sexual desire. In conclusion, our study confirmed that people who placed more value on olfactory function or engaged more in body odor sniffing showed stronger sexual desire. These correlations were consistent for both sexes and across different cultures, further indicating the importance of olfaction in sexuality.

Keywords:  Body odor; Sexual desire; Smell; Social chemosignaling; Subjective significance

DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1007/s10508-022-02398-1
Plast Reconstr Surg. 2022 Aug 22.

The Asian Eye: Anthropometric Eye Measurements of Attractiveness in Young East Asian Women.

Anooj A Patel, Rou Wan, Stuti Garg, Peter Ullrich, Elbert E Vaca, Mohammed S Alghoul, Marco Ellis, Robert D Galiano.

BACKGROUND: Due to the high volume of Asian eyelid surgeries performed and the complexity of the Asian eye, there is a need to define exactly what anthropometric measurements determine attractiveness.
METHODS: Eye photographs of young East Asian women were collected from publicly available sources online. Photographs were evaluated on Likert scale of 1-5 for attractiveness. Thirty-seven anthropometric measurements were collected using ImageJ from the most attractive and least attractive eyes to discover which features play the most important role in attractiveness.
RESULTS: A total of 322 right eye photographs were evaluated for attractiveness. Sixty-six eyes received a median score of ≥4.0 and were included in the attractive cohort. Forty-three eyes received a score of ≤ 2.0 and were included in the unattractive cohort. The superior brow peak was more lateralized compared to the upper lid crease and upper lash line peaks in attractive eyes. A greater palpebral aperture height to upper lid show ratio was found to be more associated with attractive eyes than unattractive. At the mid-pupillary line, the ratio was on average 1.58 ± (0.32) in attractive eyes vs 1.22 ± (0.43) in unattractive, p<0.001. Eyes with convergence of the upper lid crease with the upper lash line were more likely to be deemed unattractive (p<0.001).
CONCLUSION: East Asian eyes have specific anthropometric measurements that are more associated with attractiveness. These ideal measurements are different from those in Caucasians suggesting ethnic variability in features defining attractiveness and a need to tailor surgical care appropriately.

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1097/PRS.0000000000009642