The relationship between men's facial masculinity and women's judgments of value as a potential romantic partner

Abstract

Research suggests that women make judgments about a man’s value as a potential romantic partner based on cues associated with facial masculinity. Such studies have often relied on electronically-manipulated facial images that may not fully capture natural stimuli. The present study used un-manipulated stimuli to examine the relationships between facial masculinity, attractiveness, and partner value and it also employed a more complex assessment of partner value than in earlier studies. Our findings indicated that women judged men with high facial masculinity to have had more previous romantic partners and to take longer to fall in love. These un-manipulated male stimuli were also rated as more desirable short-term and long-term partners compared to men with low facial masculinity. The differences between our findings and those from prior research are discussed in terms of the implications for attraction research.