New study testing the ovulatory shift hypothesis (ovulating women prefer more masculine men) in a speed dating scenario.
Important new paper on this topic. Summary thread. 🧵
Important new paper on this topic. Summary thread. 🧵
Background and brief description of what this is: the hypothesis that women prefer more masculine men when they are ovulating, as heightened facial masculinity may be a sign of "good genes."
Why would this preference increase during ovulation?
This is intertwined with the dual mating hypothesis.
The hypothesis that women want to secure the "good genes" of a man, thus have evolved a preference to select for "good genes" when they are most likely to get pregnant.
This is intertwined with the dual mating hypothesis.
The hypothesis that women want to secure the "good genes" of a man, thus have evolved a preference to select for "good genes" when they are most likely to get pregnant.
Evidence for this hypothesis has been mixed and findings have had some issues with replication recently.
This is something I have written about as well:
datepsychology.com
datepsychology.com
Moving on to the current study, this is a speed dating study - good methodology for approximating real world mate choice.
People actually get to meet and select people that they would like to date. As opposed to, for example, just looking at photos.
People actually get to meet and select people that they would like to date. As opposed to, for example, just looking at photos.
Results:
Men's masculinity predicted a greater likelihood of receiving dates and higher ratings of mate desirability.
Women's conception risk (ovulation status) also predicted a higher likelihood of giving date offers.
Men's masculinity predicted a greater likelihood of receiving dates and higher ratings of mate desirability.
Women's conception risk (ovulation status) also predicted a higher likelihood of giving date offers.
But - there was no difference for short and long term mate preferences.
Desirability for one was closely correlated with the other.
Thus no support for the dual mate hypothesis in these results.
Desirability for one was closely correlated with the other.
Thus no support for the dual mate hypothesis in these results.
The effect of the ovulatory shift produced mixed results as well. Most of the expected effects were not found:
"The expected ovulatory shift was not found for date offer for any measure of masculinity."
"The expected ovulatory shift was not found for date offer for any measure of masculinity."
The authors note that ovulation did not predict a preference for height, consistent with newer research.
Note that the only interaction found for ovulation was a preference for masculinity in long-term mates.
Basically the opposite of the dual mate hypothesis of ovulatory shifts, or that selection for masculinity is preferred in the short term.
Basically the opposite of the dual mate hypothesis of ovulatory shifts, or that selection for masculinity is preferred in the short term.
While ovulatory shifts were associated with some of the specific facial features (example in images; measurements), they didn't predict actual date offers.
Additionally, ovulating women were more likely to extend second date offers to the men they met via the speed dates.
Also a little inconsistent with the expected "short term" association in the dual mate hypothesis.
Also a little inconsistent with the expected "short term" association in the dual mate hypothesis.
Based on the newest research, I have grown increasingly skeptical of the dual mate hypothesis.
Aside from failed replications and very inconsistent evidence, it seems to be the case that women prefer the same kind of man in both the short and long-term.
Aside from failed replications and very inconsistent evidence, it seems to be the case that women prefer the same kind of man in both the short and long-term.
Here again, we see that kind of effect emerge.
Even if ovulation or masculinity influence mating behavior, they seem to just make men be perceived as more desirable in general.
As opposed to predicting a short-term mating preference.
Even if ovulation or masculinity influence mating behavior, they seem to just make men be perceived as more desirable in general.
As opposed to predicting a short-term mating preference.
This is of course related to the manosphere narrative of "alpha fucks, beta bucks." An entire ideology has been based on the dual mate hypothesis.
What actually seems to be the case is that women prefer the same type of man for both short and long-term relationships.
What actually seems to be the case is that women prefer the same type of man for both short and long-term relationships.
To me, this is much more consistent with the whole of evolutionary psychology in general and female mating strategies. We probably never should have expected a strong long-term and short-term mating strategy divide.
Human mating strategies (especially for women) all revolve around strong pair bonding, the need for co-parenting and the long extended gestation, as well as juvenile period of the human child.
In an ancestral environment, infidelity (in particular for women) was a life-threatening risk. Jealous partners kill mates and their children.
And small bands of humans living in close contact make undetected infidelity difficult.
And small bands of humans living in close contact make undetected infidelity difficult.
Perhaps why men cheat more than women do - female infidelity reduced over time by male violence.
And why women work harder to conceal infidelity.
And why women work harder to conceal infidelity.
Newer hypotheses in evolutionary psychology reflect this better (mate switching hypothesis).
It would probably be a more accurate heuristic to understand most short-term mating as the entry to long-term mating.
It would probably be a more accurate heuristic to understand most short-term mating as the entry to long-term mating.
I am cautiously skeptical at the moment as well on the specific roles that female ovulation has for mate choice and sexual behavior.
A lot of the results surrounding both ovulation as well as birth control have been very mixed.
A lot of the results surrounding both ovulation as well as birth control have been very mixed.
What does seem to be more consistent within this research is that ovulation is associated with higher interest in a mate, as well as higher libido. That would also be consistent with the findings in this paper.
Paper:
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