THE EVOLUTIONARY PSYCHOLOGY OF PHYSICAL ATTRACTIVENESS - SEXUAL SELECTION AND HUMAN MORPHOLOGY

Psychological evidence suggests that sex differences in morphology hav e been modified by sexual selection so as to attract mates (intersexua l selection) or intimidate rivals (intrasexual selection), Women compe te with each other for high quality husbands by advertising reproducti ve value in terms of the distribution of fat reserves and by exaggerat ing morphological indicators of youthfulness such as a small nose and small feet and pale, hairless skin, Men's physical appearance tends to communicate social dominance, which has the combined effects of intim idating reproductive rivals and attracting mates, In addition to their attractiveness and intimidatory effects, human secondary sexual chara cters also provide cues to hormonal status and phenotypic quality cons istent with the good genes model of sexual selection (which includes p arasite resistance), Low waist-hip ratio is sexually attractive in wom en and indicates a high estrogen/testosterone ratio (which favors repr oductive function), Facial attractiveness provides honest cues to heal th and mate value, The permanently enlarged female breast appears to h ave evolved under the influence of both the good genes and the runaway selection mechanisms. The male beard is not obviously related to phen otypic quality and may have evolved through a process of runaway inter sexual selection.