No compelling evidence that more physically attractive young adult women have higher estradiol or progesterone

Many researchers have hypothesized that human attractiveness judgments are psychological adaptations for identifying high-quality mates (Grammer et al., 2003; Little et al., 2011; Thornhill and Gangestad, 1999). Researchers have also hypothesized that fertility, as indexed by high levels of estradiol and/or progesterone, is a particularly important aspect of women's mate quality (Grammer et al., 2003; Little et al., 2011; Thornhill and Gangestad, 1999). Although this proposal has become very influential in the human attractiveness and mate choice literatures, evidence that more physically attractive women have higher estradiol or progesterone is equivocal (Grillot et al., 2014; Jasienska et al., 2004; Law Smith et al., 2006; Puts et al., 2013).

Source: Psychoneuroendocrinology - July 26, 2018 Category: Psychiatry Authors: Benedict C. Jones, Amanda C. Hahn, Claire I. Fisher, Hongyi Wang, Michal Kandrik, Junpeng Lao, Chengyang Han, Anthony J. Lee, Iris J. Holzleitner, Lisa M. DeBruine Source Type: research