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Cited by 404

The DOI matches its Crossref record; 2 of the 2 references it cites were found in a registry or an index.

Does sexual dimorphism in human faces signal health?

Open access
Rhodes, Gillian, Chan, Janelle, Zebrowitz, Leslie A., Simmons, Leigh W.·2003·Proceedings of the Royal Society of London. Series B: Biological Sciences

Abstract

Evolutionary psychologists suggest that a preference for sexually dimorphic traits in human faces is an adaptation for mate choice, because such traits reflect health during development. For male faces, this claim rests on the immunocompetence-handicap hypothesis, which states that the increased testosterone levels needed to develop large masculine traits stress the immune system. We examined whether masculine traits in adolescent male faces are associated with health during development, and also whether feminine traits in adolescent female faces signal health. Feminine traits are attractive, but it is less clear whether they should signal health. Rated masculinity in adolescent male faces correlated modestly with actual health, and was perceived as healthy, but not as attractive. Rated femininity in adolescent female faces did not correlate with actual health, although it was perceived as healthy and attractive. These results support the immunocompetence-handicap hypothesis for male faces in that masculine traits signalled health during adolescence. However, they suggest that any health-related evolutionary benefits obtained from preferences for attractive facial traits may be weak.

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Metadata

Authors
Rhodes, G., Chan, J., Zebrowitz, L. A., & Simmons, L. W.
Venue
Proceedings of the Royal Society of London. Series B: Biological Sciences
Published
2003-08-07
Volume
270
Issue
suppl_1
Pages
S93-5
ISSN
  • 0080-4649 (ISSN-L)
  • 0962-8452
  • 1471-2954
OpenAlex
W2135125687
Cited by
404
References
2
FWCI
12.04
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
green

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CoChat. (2026). Citation check: Does sexual dimorphism in human faces signal health? https://app.cochat.ai/papers/10.1098/rsbl.2003.0023
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Rhodes, G., Chan, J., Zebrowitz, L. A., & Simmons, L. W. (2003). Does sexual dimorphism in human faces signal health? Proceedings of the Royal Society of London. Series B: Biological Sciences. https://doi.org/10.1098/rsbl.2003.0023

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