The role of behavioral immune system in perception of the attractiveness and health status of the opposite sex

Ovo istraživanje provjerava ulogu bihevioralnog imunosnog sustava u percepciji privlačnosti i zdravstvenog statusa lica suprotnog spola. Ispitana je veza između emocije gađenja uzrokovane patogenima, trenutnog zdravstvenog statusa percipirane osobe te procjena privlačnosti i zdravlja te osobe. Sudionici (N = 741) su po slučaju podijeljeni na kontrolnu i eksperimentalnu grupu koje su se razlikovale s obzirom na to je li im prije procjene lica prezentiran neutralan ili gadljiv videozapis. Svi su sudionici zatim procjenjivali zdravlje i privlačnost lica osoba suprotnog spola. Suptilnom manipulacijom, napravljene su zdrava i bolesna verzija istog lica (bolesna su lica imala izraženije podočnjake, bljeđu kožu lica i spuštene kutove usana). Sudionici su uspješno razlikovali zdrave od bolesnih pojedinaca, odnosno zdravstveni status bolesnih lica suprotnog spola uistinu je procjenjivan lošijim, a njihova privlačnost nižom, što ide u prilog hipotezi o aktivaciji bihevioralnog imunosnog sustava. Također, potvrđeno je da su žene uspješnije u razlikovanju zdravih od bolesnih lica suprotnog spola. Nalaz da su muškarci općenito manje izbirljivi, odnosno daju veće procjene privlačnosti lica suprotnog spola od žena, neovisno o zdravstvenom statusu lica, je u skladu s Triversovom hipotezom roditeljskog ulaganja. Indukcija gađenja prije izlaganja licima nije rezultirala dodatnim efektima.This study examines the role of behavioral immune system in the perception of the attractiveness and health status of the opposite sex. The relationship between pathogen disgust, the current health status of the perceived person and as well as the assessment of their attractiveness and health was examined. Participants (N = 741) were divided into control and experimental group: they were presented with either a neutral or a disgust-inducing video. Afterwards, all the participants were presented with a set of photographs of the opposite sex faces and were instructed to assess their health and attractiveness. The photographs were subtly manipulated, so that a healthy and sick version of the same face were made (sick faces had more pronounced under-eye circles, paler facial skin, and lowered corners of the lips). The sick persons of the opposite sex were indeed assessed as having poorer health status and being less attractive, in line with the notion of behavioral immune system activation. Furthermore, women were more successful in distinguishing healthy from sick individuals of the opposite sex and men generally gave higher estimates of attractiveness than women regardless of facial health status. This pattern of results (men being less choosy overall and women paying more attention to the subtle variations) is in line with Trivers’ parental investment theory. Induction of disgust prior to the stimuli presentation did not yield any additional effects