Dolling-up under disease threats: Do pathogen threats motivate attractiveness signaling?

• Main Authors: TAN, Lynn K. L., FOLWARCZNY, Michal, GASIOROWSKA, Agata, LI, Norman P.
• Format: text
• Language: English
• Published: Institutional Knowledge at Singapore Management University 2023
• Subjects: pathogen salience; physical attractiveness; mating strategy; mate preferences; Experimental Analysis of Behavior; Social Psychology and Interaction
• Online Access: https://ink.library.smu.edu.sg/soss_research/3783
• Institution: Singapore Management University

Under high pathogen threat, it is adaptive for humans to find mates with high immunocompetence. Supporting this, research shows that pathogen cues increase humans’ preference for physical attractiveness—an indicator of a well-functioning immune system—among their potential mates. Building on this li...