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Physical signals of attractiveness in humans
Introduction
The work of Bernhard Fink and his collaborators has a clear focus on the sexual signals that are revealed via our physical bodies. Based on the assumption that what is deemed physically attractive is by and large universal, Fink’s research attempts to uncover what adaptive information these attractive physical traits are signaling to potential mates.
Facial Attractiveness, and 2D:4D Ratio
One such physical trait is our faces, and what they may signal in mate choice. In a review, Fink and Penton-Voak (2002) examined previous research in an attempt to identify what features of faces make them attractive. They conclude that the key features include symmetry, indicators of hormone levels (such as testosterone), and “averageness”. Evolutionary psychology suggests that such features act as reliable cues of an individual’s health, an important trait in mate choice, thus making them attractive...
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References
Fink, B., & Penton-Voak, I. (2002). Evolutionary psychology of facial attractiveness. Current Directions in Psychological Science, 11, 154–158.
Fink, B., Grammer, K., & Thornhill, R. (2001). Human (Homo sapiens) facial attractiveness in relation to skin texture and color. Journal of Comparative Psychology, 115, 92–99.
Fink, B., Manning, J. T., Neave, N., & Grammer, K. (2004). Second to fourth digit ratio and facial asymmetry. Evolution and Human Behavior, 25, 125–132.
Fink, B., Grammer, K., Mitteroecker, P., Gunz, P., Schaefer, K., Bookstein, F. L., & Manning, J. T. (2005). Second to fourth digit ratio and face shape. Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences, 272, 1995–2001.
Fink, B., Grammer, K., & Matts, P. J. (2006a). Visible skin color distribution plays a role in the perception of age, attractiveness, and health in female faces. Evolution and Human Behavior, 27, 433–442.
Fink, B., Neave, N., & Seydel, H. (2006b). Male facial appearance signals physical strength to women. American Journal of Human Biology, 19, 82–87.
Fink, B., Täschner, K., Neave, N., Hugill, N., & Dane, L. (2010). Male faces and bodies: Evidence of a condition-dependent ornament of quality. Personality and Individual Differences, 49, 436–440.
Fink, B., Weege, B., Flügge, J., Röder, S., Neave, N., & McCarty, K. (2012). Men’s personality and women’s perception of their dance quality. Personality and Individual Differences, 52, 232–235.
Fink, B., Weege, B., Manning, J. T., & Trivers, R. (2014). Body symmetry and physical strength in human males. American Journal of Human Biology, 26, 697–700.
Weege, B., Pham, M. N., Shackelford, T. K., & Fink, B. (2015). Physical strength and dance attractiveness: Further evidence for an association in men, but not in women. American Journal of Human Biology, 27, 728–730.
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Farrelly, D. (2016). Bernhard Fink. In: Weekes-Shackelford, V., Shackelford, T., Weekes-Shackelford, V. (eds) Encyclopedia of Evolutionary Psychological Science. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-16999-6_32-1
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-16999-6_32-1
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Publisher Name: Springer, Cham
Online ISBN: 978-3-319-16999-6
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