Synonyms
Definition
Hair growth on men’s faces which is often measured by the degree of beardedness.
Introduction
Men’s facial hair, in the form of beardedness, is a conspicuous secondary sexual trait that plays a role in the perception of men. From an evolutionary perspective, it has been suggested that beards serve as honest signals of immunocompetence, due to the immunosuppressant effects of testosterone. If beards serve as putative cues to health, they may influence women’s ratings of attractiveness to men who display these characteristics. It has also been suggested that men’s beards are associated with intrasexual competitive displays, as research has shown that bearded men are often perceived to be rated higher in dominance and aggressiveness.
Beards and Mate Choice
According to the immunocompetence handicap hypothesis (Folstad & Karter,1992), only high-quality men can withstand the immunosuppressant effects of testosterone and still be able to display...
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References
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Authors and Affiliations
Texas A&M International University, Laredo, TX, USA
Ray Garza
- Ray Garza
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Correspondence toRay Garza.
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Editors and Affiliations
Department of Psychology, Oakland University, ROCHESTER, MN, USA
Todd K. Shackelford
Section Editor information
Department of Psychology, Oakland University, Rochester, MI, USA
Todd K. Shackelford
Oakland University, Rochester, MI, USA
Gavin Vance
Department of Psychology, Oakland University, Rochester Hills, MI, USA
Madeleine K. Meehan
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Garza, R. (2023). Facial Hair. In: Shackelford, T.K. (eds) Encyclopedia of Sexual Psychology and Behavior. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-08956-5_273-1
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