Coalitional Utility of Formidable Men as a Function of Perceived Humor Styles.

Area of Science:

• Evolutionary Psychology
• Social Cognition
• Human Behavior

Background:

• Facial width-to-height ratio (fWHR) is a physical cue influencing social perceptions.
• Previous research suggests fWHR affects judgments of men's formidability and coalitional utility.
• However, the interplay between facial cues and other social signals, like humor, in decision-making is less understood.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate how facial width-to-height ratio (fWHR) interacts with humor type (affiliative vs. aggressive) in shaping perceptions of men's suitability for different roles.
• To examine whether affiliative signals can mitigate the potential negative inferences associated with high fWHR in coalitional contexts.
• To extend previous findings on fWHR by incorporating multimodal social cues.

Main Methods:

• A large, nationally representative sample (N=1,385) evaluated hypothetical male targets with varying fWHR (high vs. low).
• Targets were described as using either aggressive or affiliative humor.
• Participants rated targets' effectiveness in roles requiring intergroup representation, intragroup enforcement, physical strength, and mental finesse.

Main Results:

• Men with high fWHR were perceived as more effective in tasks demanding physical strength.
• The negative implications of high fWHR for tasks requiring finesse were reduced when affiliative humor was employed.
• Low fWHR and the use of affiliative humor independently predicted preference for diplomatic roles.

Conclusions:

• Perceptions of men's coalitional utility are based on multimodal cues, not just facial structure.
• Affiliative humor serves as a crucial social signal that can modulate the interpretation of facial cues like fWHR.
• Understanding these complex interactions is vital for accurate social cognition and decision-making in group contexts.