Authors: S Craig Roberts Anthony C Little
Publish Date: 2008/03/08
Volume: 134, Issue: 1, Pages: 31-43
Abstract
The past decade has witnessed a rapidly growing interest in the biological basis of human mate choice Here we review recent studies that demonstrate preferences for traits which might reveal genetic quality to prospective mates with potential but still largely unknown influence on offspring fitness These include studies assessing visual olfactory and auditory preferences for potential goodgene indicator traits such as dominance or bilateral symmetry Individual differences in these robust preferences mainly arise through within and between individual variation in condition and reproductive status Another set of studies have revealed preferences for traits indicating complementary genes focussing on discrimination of dissimilarity at genes in the major histocompatibility complex MHC As in animal studies we are only just beginning to understand how preferences for specific traits vary and interrelate how consideration of good and compatible genes can lead to substantial variability in individual mate choice decisions and how preferences expressed in one sensory modality may reflect those in another Humans may be an ideal model species in which to explore these interesting complexitiesWe have benefited from discussions over recent years with a number of colleagues particularly Lisa DeBruine David Feinberg Morris Gosling Jan Havlicek Ben Jones Marie Hale Ian PentonVoak David Perrett Marion Petrie and Tamsin Saxton to all of whom we express profound gratitude ACL is currently supported by the Royal Society
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