Article

Facial averageness and genetic quality: testing heritability, genetic correlation with attractiveness, and the paternal age effect

Details

Citation

Lee AJ, Mitchem DG, Wright MJ, Martin NG, Keller MC & Zietsch BP (2016) Facial averageness and genetic quality: testing heritability, genetic correlation with attractiveness, and the paternal age effect. Evolution and Human Behavior, 37 (1), pp. 61-66. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.evolhumbehav.2015.08.003

Abstract
Popular theory suggests that facial averageness is preferred in a partner for genetic benefits to offspring. However, whether facial averageness is associated with genetic quality is yet to be established. Here, we computed an objective measure of facial averageness for a large sample (N=. 1,823) of identical and nonidentical twins and their siblings to test two predictions from the theory that facial averageness reflects genetic quality. First, we use biometrical modelling to estimate the heritability of facial averageness, which is necessary if it reflects genetic quality. We also test for a genetic association between facial averageness and facial attractiveness. Second, we assess whether paternal age at conception (a proxy of mutation load) is associated with facial averageness and facial attractiveness. Our findings are mixed with respect to our hypotheses. While we found that facial averageness does have a genetic component, and a significant phenotypic correlation exists between facial averageness and attractiveness, we did not find a genetic correlation between facial averageness and attractiveness (therefore, we cannot say that the genes that affect facial averageness also affect facial attractiveness) and paternal age at conception was not negatively associated with facial averageness. These findings support some of the previously untested assumptions of the 'genetic benefits' account of facial averageness, but cast doubt on others.

Keywords
mate preference; physical attractiveness; good genes; mutation load; developmental stability; twins;

Journal
Evolution and Human Behavior: Volume 37, Issue 1

StatusPublished
FundersAustralian Research Council, National Health and Medical Research Council and National Institute of Mental Health
Publication date31/01/2016
Publication date online28/08/2015
Date accepted by journal24/08/2015
URLhttp://hdl.handle.net/1893/28706
PublisherElsevier BV
ISSN1090-5138

People (1)

Dr Anthony Lee

Dr Anthony Lee

Lecturer in Psychology, Psychology