Menstrual Cycle and Facial Preferences Reconsidered

@article{Harris2011MenstrualCA,
  title={Menstrual Cycle and Facial Preferences Reconsidered},
  author={Christine R. Harris},
  journal={Sex Roles},
  year={2011},
  volume={64},
  pages={669 - 681}
}
  • C. Harris
  • Published 11 April 2010
  • Psychology
  • Sex Roles
Two previous articles reported that women prefer less feminized male faces during the fertile phase of their menstrual cycle, supposedly reflecting an evolved mating strategy whereby women choose mates of maximum genetic quality when conception is likely. The current article contends this theory rests on several questionable assumptions about human ancestral mating systems. A new empirical test also was conducted: 853 adults, primarily from North America, evaluated facial attractiveness of… 
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88 Citations
Highly Influential Citations
11
Background Citations
46
Methods Citations
10
Results Citations
12

88 Citations

Changes in preference for male faces during the menstrual cycle in a Spanish population
TLDR
It is found that women using hormonal contraceptives tend to prefer men with less masculine faces, and some of the evidences supporting the oestrus hypothesis in humans must be reviewed, incorporating data from different socio-cultural and ethnic populations.
Variation in facial masculinity and symmetry preferences across the menstrual cycle is moderated by relationship context
Fertile women evaluate male bodies as more attractive, regardless of masculinity
The role of mating context and fecundability in women’s preferences for men’s facial masculinity and beardedness
Shifts in Masculinity Preferences Across the Menstrual Cycle: Still Not There
Harris (2011) failed to find support for the popular hypothesis that women are attracted to masculine-faced men when conception is likely but attracted to feminine-faced men during other menstrual…
Meta-Analysis of Menstrual Cycle Effects on Women’s Mate Preferences
In evolutionary psychology predictions, women’s mate preferences shift between fertile and nonfertile times of the month to reflect ancestral fitness benefits. Our meta-analytic test involving 58…
Do women's preferences for masculine voices shift across the ovulatory cycle?
Women’s Preferences for Male Facial Features
Due to human biparental care, we might expect few differences in the characteristics that men and women find attractive in opposite-sex faces. Indeed, evidence shows that both men and women prefer…
Facial attractiveness: evolutionary based research
TLDR
The research relating to these issues highlights flexible, sophisticated systems that support and promote adaptive responses to faces that appear to function to maximize the benefits of both the authors' mate choices and more general decisions about other types of social partners.
Lack of support for relation between woman's masculinity preference, estradiol level and mating context
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References

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TLDR
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TLDR
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  • Psychology
    Behavioral and Brain Sciences
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Abstract Contemporary mate preferences can provide important clues to human reproductive history. Little is known about which characteristics people value in potential mates. Five predictions were…
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