Lack of support for relation between woman's masculinity preference, estradiol level and mating context

Area of Science:

• Evolutionary Psychology
• Human Reproductive Biology
• Behavioral Endocrinology

Background:

• Previous research suggested women's preference for masculine male faces fluctuates with conception probability and differs between short- and long-term mating contexts.
• These proposed shifts in preference are hypothesized to be linked to hormonal changes, particularly estradiol levels, throughout the menstrual cycle.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the relationship between women's preferences for male facial masculinity and their conception probability.
• To examine whether estradiol levels correlate with preferences for masculine male faces.
• To determine if preferences differ between short- and long-term mating contexts across the menstrual cycle.

Main Methods:

• Estradiol levels were measured in daily saliva samples from women throughout their menstrual cycles.
• Participants' preferences for male faces manipulated for masculinity were assessed.
• Analyses considered three definitions of the fertile window and hormonal data (daily and cycle averages).

Main Results:

• Ovulation timing varied significantly among participants.
• No significant relationship was found between estradiol levels and masculinity preferences.
• Masculinity preferences did not differ between low- and high-conception probability phases or between mating contexts.

Conclusions:

• The study's findings do not support the hypothesis that women's preferences for male facial masculinity fluctuate cyclically.
• Estradiol levels do not appear to influence preferences for facial masculinity in relation to conception probability or mating strategy.