testosterone and women's preferences

testosterone and women's preferences


Horm Behav. 2007 Apr 24; [Epub ahead of print]
Raised salivary testosterone in women is associated with increased
attraction to masculine faces.
Welling LL, Jones BC, Debruine LM, Conway CA, Law Smith MJ, Little AC,
Feinberg DR, Sharp MA, Al-Dujaili EA.

School of Psychology, University of Aberdeen, UK.

Women's preferences for masculinity in men's faces, voices and
behavioral displays change during the menstrual cycle and are strongest
around ovulation. While previous findings suggest that change in
progesterone level is an important hormonal mechanism for such variation,
it is likely that changes in the levels of other hormones will also
contribute to cyclic variation in masculinity preferences. Here we compared
women's preferences for masculine faces at two points in the menstrual
cycle where women differed in salivary testosterone, but not in salivary
progesterone or estrogen. Preferences for masculinity were strongest when
women's testosterone levels were relatively high. Our findings complement
those from previous studies that show systematic variation in masculinity
preferences during the menstrual cycle and suggest that change in
testosterone level may play an important role in cyclic shifts in women's
preferences for masculine traits.