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© 1997 International Society for Behavioral Ecology

research-article

Facial dominance in Homo sapiens as honest signaling of male quality

Ulrich Mullera and Allan Mazurb

aInstitute of Medical Sociology, Medical School, University of Marburg 35033 Marburg, Germany bPublic Affairs Program, The Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs, Syracuse University Syracuse, NY 13244, USA

ABSTRACT

For a cohort of military officers, graduates of the class of 1950 of the United States Military Academy at West Point, dominant feudal appearance was a consistent and important predictor of rank attainment at the academy and, for those who graduated from staff college, a predictor of high final rank. For men performing below the average, however, dominant facial appearance was a handicap for promotion. High rank came with high fitness. Thus, facial dominance can be an evolutionarily stable honest signal of dominant behavior, a crucial dimension of the potential for high status in a male dominance hierarchy. These findings may also apply to civilian populations.

Key words: facial dominance, Homo sapiens, honest signaling, rank, reproductive success, status.


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