The DOI matches its Crossref record; 9 of the 9 references it cites were found in a registry or an index.
THE EVOLUTION OF HUMAN PHYSICAL ATTRACTIVENESS
Abstract
Everywhere the issue has been examined, people make discriminations about others’ physical attractiveness. Can human standards of physical attractiveness be understood through the lens of evolutionary biology? In the past decade, this question has guided much theoretical and empirical work. In this paper, we (a) outline the basic adaptationist approach that has guided the bulk of this work, (b) describe evolutionary models of signaling that have been applied to understand human physical attractiveness, and (c) discuss and evaluate specific lines of empirical research attempting to address the selective history of human standards of physical attractiveness. We also discuss ways evolutionary scientists have attempted to understand variability in standards of attractiveness across cultures as well as the ways current literature speaks to body modification in modern Western cultures. Though much work has been done, many fundamental questions remain unanswered.
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Citations
Cites
The genetical theory of natural selection
Fisher, R. A. (1930) · doi:10.5962/bhl.title.27468 · Cited by 17,617
The spandrels of San Marco and the Panglossian paradigm: a critique of the adaptationist programme
Gould, S. J., & Lewontin, R. C. (1979) · Proceedings of the Royal Society of London. Series B. Biological Sciences · doi:10.1098/rspb.1979.0086 · Cited by 7,770 · cited 1×
“Byproducts (or spandrels; Gould & Lewontin 1979) evolved merely because they were linked with other traits that had beneficial effects and hence were carried along with selection for adaptations.”
BackgroundMate selection—A selection for a handicap
Zahavi, A. (1975) · Journal of Theoretical Biology · doi:10.1016/0022-5193(75)90111-3 · Cited by 5,251
Exaptation—a missing term in the science of form
Gould, S. J., & Vrba, E. S. (1982) · Paleobiology · doi:10.1017/s0094837300004310 · Cited by 5,136
Sex differences in human mate preferences: Evolutionary hypotheses tested in 37 cultures
Buss, D. M. (1989) · Behavioral and Brain Sciences · doi:10.1017/s0140525x00023992 · Cited by 4,484
Sexual strategies theory: an evolutionary perspective on human mating
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Maxims or myths of beauty? A meta-analytic and theoretical review
Langlois, J. H., Kalakanis, L., Rubenstein, A. J., Larson, A., Hallam, M., & Smoot, M. (2000) · Psychological Bulletin · doi:10.1037/0033-2909.126.3.390 · Cited by 2,429 · cited 3×
“Indeed, a recent meta-analysis concluded that people in different cultures generally agree on who is attractive (Langlois et al. 2000).”
BackgroundGrammer, K., & Thornhill, R. (1994) · Journal of Comparative Psychology · doi:10.1037/0735-7036.108.3.233 · Cited by 1,110
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Cited by
Putting Your Best Face Forward: The Accuracy of Online Dating Photographs
Hancock, J. T., & Toma, C. L. (2009) · Journal of Communication · doi:10.1111/j.1460-2466.2009.01420.x · Cited by 294
Hayes, S. C., Hofmann, S. G., & Ciarrochi, J. (2020) · Clinical Psychology Review · doi:10.1016/j.cpr.2020.101908 · Cited by 227
Wagner, J., Becker, M., Lüdtke, O., & Trautwein, U. (2015) · Social Psychological and Personality Science · doi:10.1177/1948550614566092 · Cited by 85
The Value of Integrating Evolutionary and Sociocultural Perspectives on Body Image
Frederick, D. A., & Reynolds, T. A. (2022) · Archives of Sexual Behavior · doi:10.1007/s10508-021-01947-4 · Cited by 54
Cue-based estimates of reproductive value explain women's body attractiveness
Andrews, T. M., Lukaszewski, A. W., Simmons, Z. L., & Bleske-Rechek, A. (2017) · Evolution and Human Behavior · doi:10.1016/j.evolhumbehav.2017.04.002 · Cited by 52
Metadata
- Authors
- Gangestad, S. W., & Scheyd, G. J.
- Venue
- Annual Review of Anthropology
- Publisher
- Annual Reviews
- Published
- 2005-10-01
- Volume
- 34
- Issue
- 1
- Pages
- 523-548
- ISSN
- 0084-6570 (ISSN-L)
- 1545-4290
- OpenAlex
- W2150496981
- Cited by
- 359
- References
- 9
- FWCI
- 1.93
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
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