Voice and handgrip strength predict reproductive success in a group of indigenous African females.

ABSTRACT: Evolutionary accounts of human traits are often based on proxies for genetic fitness (e.g., number of sex partners, facial attractiveness). Instead of using proxies, actual differences in reproductive success is a more direct measure of darwinian fitness. Certain voice acoustics such as fundamental frequency and measures of health such as handgrip strength correlate with proxies of fitness, yet there are few studies showing the relation of these traits to reproduction. Here, we explore whether the fundamental frequency of the voice and handgrip strength account for differences in actual reproduction among a population of natural fertility humans. Our results show that both fundamental frequency and handgrip strength predict several measures of reproductive success among a group of indigeno

SUBMITTER: Atkinson J 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3411669 | biostudies-literature | 2012

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature