Men’s Facial Hair Preferences Reflect Facial Hair Impression Management Functions Across Contexts and Men Know It

Dados Bibliográficos

ID8356293
AutoresŁukasz Jach (0000-0002-8215-0795, University of Silesia in Katowice, autor correspondente), Marina Morón (0000-0002-7265-077X, University of Silesia in Katowice), P K Jonason (0000-0002-8833-048X, University of Padua)
Ano2023
Volume52
Fascículo6
Páginas2465-2473
Data de publicação2023-08-01
Peer ReviewedSim
Open AccessSim
TipoARTICLE
PeriódicoArchives of Sexual Behavior (JOURNAL)
Identificadores do periódicoISSN: 0004-0002 • E-ISSN: 1573-2800
EditoraSpringer Science and Business Media LLC (PUBLISHER)
DOI10.1007/s10508-023-02595-6
PMID37067629
OpenAlexW4366082891
IdiomaEN
Citações recebidas3
Referências citadas59

Men with distinct facial hair are perceived as more aggressive, dominant, older, and more formidable, mostly by other men. However, despite considerable interest in the social perception of beardedness, only a few studies have explored men’s preferences toward facial hair. We investigated men’s preferences toward facial hair and whether their judgments of facial hair appropriateness in social situations depended on their actual beardedness and the type of social interaction ( N = 509; age: M = 29.35, SD = 7.24). Men preferred having more facial hair, particularly when they have a heavy stubble or a full beard. Men preferred more facial hair for themselves compared to other men, suggesting that men’s preferences for facial hair could be based on the frequency-dependent value of a display, namely more value assigned to rarer attributes. Men’s judgments of the appropriateness of facial hair were sensitive to social situations for displaying facial hair as well. More facial hair was considered more appropriate for informal situations, especially with another man. Social norms associated with formal interaction could, therefore, limit the impression management functions of beards in intrasexual competition

Developmental psychology · Face perception · Facial expression · Perception · Social perception · Value (mathematics) · Animal Behavior and Reproduction · Communication · Consumer Behavior in Brand Consumption and Identification · Evolutionary Psychology and Human Behavior · Psychology · Social Psychology