Spring Break
Facial structure can predict promiscuity
Issue date: 4/17/08
An often unspoken fact among dating-aged men and women is the notion that men are naturally more inclined towards one-night-stands and short-term sexual relationships while women prefer a long-term relationship.
Results from a psychology study led by Lynda Boothroyd of University of St. Andrews in Scotland presents new evidence for this social stereotype.
Believe it or not, a person's face tells much about his or her sociosexual orientation, or which type of relationships (long or short) they prefer.
This tendency of a person to engage in a short-term sexual relationship can be assessed by the Sociosexual Orientation Inventory.
A high SOI score indicates that the person is more unrestricted, or open to short-term relationships, while a low score represents a restricted sociosexuality, or a tendency for long-term relationships only.
Based on SOI, researchers have found that female observers are able to categorize sociosexual orientation of a member of the opposite sex based on cues from his appearance and body language.
Boothroyd's study focuses more on visual assessment of physical appearance alone in relation to a person's sociosexual orientation.
Previous studies have indicated that greater masculinity in physical appearance often translates into a greater proclivity toward short-term relationships, while females who were less restricted rated themselves as being more physically attractive.
People with higher SOI scores also demonstrate more symmetrical facial features as compared to those with lower scores.
Based on these results, Boothroyd's team hypothesized that those who are more open to short-term relationships should be more physically attractive.
To test their hypothesis, the team used two types of tests: observer judgment and preference based on composite facial images, which are digitally constructed mixes of several photographs, and the second based on photographs of real faces.
Results from a psychology study led by Lynda Boothroyd of University of St. Andrews in Scotland presents new evidence for this social stereotype.
Believe it or not, a person's face tells much about his or her sociosexual orientation, or which type of relationships (long or short) they prefer.
This tendency of a person to engage in a short-term sexual relationship can be assessed by the Sociosexual Orientation Inventory.
A high SOI score indicates that the person is more unrestricted, or open to short-term relationships, while a low score represents a restricted sociosexuality, or a tendency for long-term relationships only.
Based on SOI, researchers have found that female observers are able to categorize sociosexual orientation of a member of the opposite sex based on cues from his appearance and body language.
Boothroyd's study focuses more on visual assessment of physical appearance alone in relation to a person's sociosexual orientation.
Previous studies have indicated that greater masculinity in physical appearance often translates into a greater proclivity toward short-term relationships, while females who were less restricted rated themselves as being more physically attractive.
People with higher SOI scores also demonstrate more symmetrical facial features as compared to those with lower scores.
Based on these results, Boothroyd's team hypothesized that those who are more open to short-term relationships should be more physically attractive.
To test their hypothesis, the team used two types of tests: observer judgment and preference based on composite facial images, which are digitally constructed mixes of several photographs, and the second based on photographs of real faces.
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