Facialmetric similarities mediate mate choice: sexual imprinting on opposite-sex parents.

ABSTRACT: Former studies have suggested that imprinting-like processes influence the shaping of human mate preferences. In this study, we provide more direct evidence for assessing facial resemblance between subjects' partner and subjects' parents. Fourteen facial proportions were measured on 312 adults belonging to 52 families, and the correlations between family members were compared with those of pairs randomly selected from the population. Spouses proved to be assortatively mated in the majority of measured facial proportions. Significant correlations have been found between the young men and their partner's father (but not his mother), especially on facial proportions belonging to the central area of the face. Women also showed resemblance to their partner's mother (but not to their father) in

SUBMITTER: Bereczkei T 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2614260 | biostudies-literature | 2009 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature