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The effect of infidelity on male and female facial attractiveness

Studies of attractiveness and mate selection have received special attention within the Evolutionary Psychology perspective, showing influences from both physical and non-physical factors. In the present study, we used photographs showing faces of men and women, pre-judged as median attractive people, unknown to the participants, associated with neutral stories or stories involving infidelity behavior, to investigate the influence of information about infidelity behavior on the evaluation of attractiveness of opposite sex individuals. Results showed significant differences only when women evaluated men's photographs, attributing lower attractiveness to men associated with a story of infidelity. The sex differences found may represent adapted mechanisms to evaluate opposite sex attractiveness related to differences in reproductive costs. These results are discussed mainly under the Evolutionary Psychology perspective.

facial attractiveness; infidelity; evolutionary psychology; sex differences


Programa de Pós-graduação em Psicologia e do Programa de Pós-graduação em Psicobiologia, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte Caixa Postal 1622, 59078-970 Natal RN Brazil, Tel.: +55 84 3342-2236(5) - Natal - RN - Brazil
E-mail: revpsi@cchla.ufrn.br