1. Open Access Kent State
  2. Sociosexuality and Face Perception: Unrestricted Sexual Orientation Facilitates Sensitivity to Female Facial Cues
Author(s)
Abstract

Across two studies, sexually unrestricted men and women showed heightened sensitivity to female facial symmetry (a signal of genetic fitness) and female sexual receptivity (happy facial expressions). In Study 1, individuals assessed the attractiveness of male and female targets of varying facial symmetry. Sexually unrestricted men and women, compared to their sexually restricted counterparts, showed a stronger symmetry advantage in attractiveness ratings for female targets, an indication of greater sensitivity to facial symmetry. Study 2 asked participants to discriminate between genuine (Duchenne) and deceptive smiles on both male and female faces. Results indicated that sexually unrestricted men and women, compared to sexually restricted individuals, were better able to discriminate between these actual and deceptive signals of receptivity for female targets. Neither study found any relationship between sociosexual orientation and the perception of male targets. These results suggest that sexually unrestricted individuals are attuned to reproductively-relevant cues in female faces.
Format
Article
Identifier(s)
10.1016/J.PAID.2009.06.021
Publication Date
2009-11-01
Publication Title
Personality and Individual Differences
Volume
47
Issue
7
First Page
777
Last Page
782
Keywords
Subject
Rights
http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/
Community
Department of Psychological Sciences
Permalink https://oaks.kent.edu/psycpubs/106
Sacco, D., Hugenberg, K., & Sefcek, J. (2009). Sociosexuality and Face Perception: Unrestricted Sexual Orientation Facilitates Sensitivity to Female Facial Cues (1–). Personality and Individual Differences. https://doi.org/10.1016/J.PAID.2009.06.021
Sacco, Donald, Kurt Hugenberg, and Jon Sefcek. 2009. “Sociosexuality and Face Perception: Unrestricted Sexual Orientation Facilitates Sensitivity to Female Facial Cues”. Personality and Individual Differences. https://doi.org/10.1016/J.PAID.2009.06.021.
Sacco, Donald, et al. Sociosexuality and Face Perception: Unrestricted Sexual Orientation Facilitates Sensitivity to Female Facial Cues. Personality and Individual Differences, 1 Nov. 2009, https://doi.org/10.1016/J.PAID.2009.06.021.