Judgments of sexual attractiveness: a study of the Yali tribe in Papua.

Archives of Sexual Behavior
Piotr Sorokowski, Agnieszka Sorokowska

Abstract

Preferences for waist-to-hip ratio (WHR), sexual dimorphism in stature (SDS), and leg-to-body ratio (LBR) have been investigated predominantly in Western cultures. The aim of the present study was to examine the preferences of a relatively isolated, indigenous population (i.e., Yali of Papua, inhabiting the mountainous terrain east of the Baliem valley). A total of 53 women and 52 men participated in the study. Study sites differed in distance from Wamena, the biggest settlement in the region, and frequency of tourists' visits. We found that the mate preferences among Yali men and women for WHR, LBR, and SDS were not exactly the same as in Western samples. Yali preferred low women's WHR and relatively high women's (but not men's) LBR. Women's and men's ratings of each SDS set were similar, which suggests that the "male-taller norm" in Yali tribe was far weaker than in Western cultures. Additionally, the observed preferences were modified by contact with different cultures, age, and accessibility of food resources (pig possession). Our results suggest that human norms of attractiveness are malleable and can change with exposure to different environments and conditions.

References

Nov 1, 1975·American Journal of Diseases of Children·R MartorellK A Western
Sep 1, 1991·Medical Anthropology·C M Cassidy
Aug 1, 1989·Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise·P R Cavanagh, R Kram
Nov 1, 1966·Journal of Personality and Social Psychology·E WalsterL Rottman
Aug 1, 1993·Journal of Personality and Social Psychology·D Singh
Dec 9, 1998·Nature·D W Yu, G H Shepard
Mar 31, 1999·Proceedings. Biological Sciences·M J TovéeP L Cornelissen
Jan 26, 2000·Nature·B PawlowskiA Lipowicz
Apr 12, 2000·Critical Reviews in Oral Biology and Medicine : an Official Publication of the American Association of Oral Biologists·R T Franceschi
May 29, 2000·Psychological Bulletin·J H LangloisM Smoot
Nov 15, 2001·Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health·G D SmithP Elwood
Oct 22, 2002·Perspectives in Biology and Medicine·Albertine S Beard, Martin J Blaser
Jan 7, 2003·Sozial- Und Präventivmedizin·Benedetta BartaliLuigi Ferrucci
Jun 25, 2004·Journal of Sex Research·Devendra Singh
Aug 13, 2004·Proceedings. Biological Sciences·Grazyna JasieńskaInger Thune
Dec 29, 2004·Biological Psychology·Malgorzata Rozmus-Wrzesinska, Boguslaw Pawlowski
Jul 20, 2006·British Journal of Psychology·Viren Swami, Martin J Tovée
Dec 1, 2006·Archives of Sexual Behavior·Barnaby J DixsonMatthew J Anderson
Dec 13, 2006·American Journal of Human Biology : the Official Journal of the Human Biology Council·Barnaby J DixsonM J Anderson
Dec 20, 2007·Body Image·Viren Swami, Martin J Tovée
Dec 20, 2007·Body Image·Viren SwamiAdrian Furnham
Nov 21, 2009·American Journal of Physical Anthropology·Barnaby J DixsonAlan F Dixson
Feb 9, 2010·PloS One·Steven M Platek, Devendra Singh
Jul 10, 2010·International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health·Barry Bogin, Maria Inês Varela-Silva
May 9, 2012·The Journal of Social Psychology·Piotr SorokowskiMara Mberira
Mar 1, 1995·Human Nature : an Interdisciplinary Biosocial Perspective·D Singh, S Luis
Sep 1, 1993·Human Nature : an Interdisciplinary Biosocial Perspective·D Jones, K Hill

❮ Previous
Next ❯

Citations

Sep 12, 2015·American Journal of Physical Anthropology·Coren L ApicellaKathleen W Miller
Oct 10, 2015·Journal of Biosocial Science·Hung-Lin Tao, Ching-Chen Yin
Oct 18, 2015·Archives of Sexual Behavior·Satoru Kiire
Jun 3, 2015·International Journal of Psychology : Journal International De Psychologie·Qingzhou SunYongfang Liu
Mar 27, 2012·Economics and Human Biology·Piotr SorokowskiDariusz P Danel
Apr 18, 2015·PloS One·Jeanne Bovet, Michel Raymond
Sep 18, 2016·American Journal of Human Biology : the Official Journal of the Human Biology Council·Gert StulpThomas V Pollet
Nov 15, 2017·Royal Society Open Science·Thomas M M Versluys, William J Skylark
Dec 4, 2019·American Journal of Human Biology : the Official Journal of the Human Biology Council·Piotr SorokowskiKatarzyna Pisanski
May 7, 2020·Frontiers in Neuroscience·Giulia D'ArgenioCosimo Urgesi

❮ Previous
Next ❯

Software Mentioned

Google Scholar

Related Concepts

Trending Feeds

COVID-19

Coronaviruses encompass a large family of viruses that cause the common cold as well as more serious diseases, such as the ongoing outbreak of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19; formally known as 2019-nCoV). Coronaviruses can spread from animals to humans; symptoms include fever, cough, shortness of breath, and breathing difficulties; in more severe cases, infection can lead to death. This feed covers recent research on COVID-19.

Blastomycosis

Blastomycosis fungal infections spread through inhaling Blastomyces dermatitidis spores. Discover the latest research on blastomycosis fungal infections here.

Nuclear Pore Complex in ALS/FTD

Alterations in nucleocytoplasmic transport, controlled by the nuclear pore complex, may be involved in the pathomechanism underlying multiple neurodegenerative diseases including Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis and Frontotemporal Dementia. Here is the latest research on the nuclear pore complex in ALS and FTD.

Applications of Molecular Barcoding

The concept of molecular barcoding is that each original DNA or RNA molecule is attached to a unique sequence barcode. Sequence reads having different barcodes represent different original molecules, while sequence reads having the same barcode are results of PCR duplication from one original molecule. Discover the latest research on molecular barcoding here.

Chronic Fatigue Syndrome

Chronic fatigue syndrome is a disease characterized by unexplained disabling fatigue; the pathology of which is incompletely understood. Discover the latest research on chronic fatigue syndrome here.

Evolution of Pluripotency

Pluripotency refers to the ability of a cell to develop into three primary germ cell layers of the embryo. This feed focuses on the mechanisms that underlie the evolution of pluripotency. Here is the latest research.

Position Effect Variegation

Position Effect Variagation occurs when a gene is inactivated due to its positioning near heterochromatic regions within a chromosome. Discover the latest research on Position Effect Variagation here.

STING Receptor Agonists

Stimulator of IFN genes (STING) are a group of transmembrane proteins that are involved in the induction of type I interferon that is important in the innate immune response. The stimulation of STING has been an active area of research in the treatment of cancer and infectious diseases. Here is the latest research on STING receptor agonists.

Microbicide

Microbicides are products that can be applied to vaginal or rectal mucosal surfaces with the goal of preventing, or at least significantly reducing, the transmission of sexually transmitted infections. Here is the latest research on microbicides.