bims-chumac 2023-05-14 papers

Issue of 2023–05–14
four papers selected by
Thomas Krichel, Open Library Society

Arch Sex Behav. 2023 May 11.

Neural Correlates and Perceived Attractiveness of Male and Female Shoulder-to-Hip Ratio in Men and Women: An EEG Study.

Farid Pazhoohi, Joana Arantes, Alan Kingstone, Diego Pinal.

While there are studies regarding the neural correlates of human facial attractiveness, there are few investigations considering neural responses for body form attractiveness. The most prominent physical feature defining men's attractiveness is their physical fitness and upper body strength. Shoulder-to-hip ratio (SHR), a sexually dimorphic trait in humans, is an indicator of men's attractiveness for both men and women. The current study is the first to report on the neurophysiological responses to male and female body forms varying in SHR in healthy heterosexual men and women observers. Electroencephalographic (EEG) signals were acquired while participants completed an oddball task as well as a subsequent attractiveness judgement task. Behavioral results showed larger SHRs were considered more attractive than smaller SHRs, regardless of stimuli and participants' sex. The electrophysiological results for both the oddball task and the explicit judgement of attractiveness showed that brain activity related to male SHR body stimuli differed depending on the specific ratios, both at early and late processing stages. For female avatars, SHR did not modulate neural activity. Collectively the data implicate posterior brain regions in the perception of body forms that differ in attractiveness vis-a-vis variation of SHR, and frontal brain regions when such perceptions are rated explicitly.

Keywords: Attractiveness; Body size; EEG; ERP; Shoulder-to-hip ratio (SHR)

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10508-023-02610-w

Arch Sex Behav. 2023 May 08.

Individual Differences in How Desirable People Think They Are as a Mate.

Zsófia Csajbók, Zuzana Štěrbová, Gayle Brewer, Cristina A Cândea, Charlotte J S De Backer, Ana Maria Fernández, Maryanne L Fisher, Justin R Garcia, Daniel J Kruger, Karlijn Massar, Elisabeth Oberzaucher, Katinka J P Quintelier, Renske E van Geffen, Jaroslava Varella Valentova, Marco Antonio Correa Varella, Peter K Jonason.

Mate value is an important concept in mate choice research although its operationalization and understanding are limited. Here, we reviewed and evaluated previously established conceptual and methodological approaches measuring mate value and presented original research using individual differences in how people view themselves as a face-valid proxy for mate value in long- and short-term contexts. In data from 41 nations (N = 3895, Mage = 24.71, 63% women, 47% single), we tested sex, age, and relationship status effects on self-perceived mate desirability, along with individual differences in the Dark Triad traits, life history strategies, peer-based comparison of desirability, and self-reported mating success. Both sexes indicated more short-term than long-term mate desirability; however, men reported more long-term mate desirability than women, whereas women reported more short-term mate desirability than men. Further, individuals who were in a committed relationship felt more desirable than those who were not. Concerning the cross-sectional stability of mate desirability across the lifespan, in men, short- and long-term desirability rose to the age of 40 and 50, respectively, and decreased afterward. In women, short-term desirability rose to the age of 38 and decreased afterward, whereas long-term desirability remained stable over time. Our results suggest that measuring long- and short-term self-perceived mate desirability reveals predictable correlates.

Keywords: Attractiveness; Dark Triad; Mate desirability; Mate value; Mating; Sex differences

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10508-023-02601-x

J Sex Res. 2023 May 10. 1-14

Which Came First, the Money or the Sex? Bidirectional, Indirect Associations between Financial Management Behaviors and Sexual Satisfaction among Newlywed Couples.

Matthew T Saxey, Jeffrey P Dew, Jeremy B Yorgason, Ashley B LeBaron-Black.

Scholars have established connections between how married couples navigate their finances and their sexual relationship. For example, financial management behaviors are associated with sexual satisfaction among newlywed couples. However, we know very little about the direction of the association between financial management behaviors and sexual satisfaction. Understanding which might predict the other, or if there might be a bidirectional association between the two, could provide information on where to intervene to help newlywed couples with financial or sexual obstacles in their marriage. With three waves of dyadic data (N = 1,205 U.S. newlywed couples), we used structural equation modeling to examine the bidirectional, indirect associations between husbands' and wives' financial management behaviors and their own sexual satisfaction through their own marital satisfaction. Overall, we found that financial management behaviors indirectly predicted changes in sexual satisfaction through marital satisfaction for both husbands and wives. We also found limited evidence that husbands' sexual satisfaction indirectly predicted changes in their own financial management behaviors through their own marital satisfaction. Additionally, these indirect associations differed by gender. Partner effects, however, were largely non-significant. Implications of these findings for those who help newlywed couples with their sexual relationships are discussed.

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/00224499.2023.2206818