Reactions to children's faces

Platek, Steven M.; Raines, Danielle M.; Gallup, Gordon G.; Mohamed, Feroze B.; Thomson, Jaime W.; Myers, Thomas E.; Panyavin, Ivan; Levin, Sarah L.; Davis, Jennifer; Fonteyn, Ludivine C.M.; Arigo, Danielle

doi:10.1016/j.evolhumbehav.2004.08.007

Cited by 109 publications

(13 citation statements)

References 33 publications

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“…In similar studies, in contrast to our findings, females showed attraction to same-sex composite faces warped by 50% with their own characters (DeBruine 2004(DeBruine , 2005. This possible controversy in experimental results leaves the question open as to whether preference for similarity was selected for in favor of kin-recognition and kin-support during pregnancy (as proposed by DeBruine, 2005), enhanced parenting behavior towards genetically related children (Platek, Burch, Panyavin, Wasserman, & Gallup, 2002;Platek et al, 2004) or because it served better mate choice decisions. The most probable scenario is that in the evolutionary past multiple selective forces acted simultaneously on similarity-based recognition mechanisms.…”

Section: Discussioncontrasting

confidence: 83%

Preference for Facial Self-Resemblance and Attractiveness in Human Mate Choice

et al. 2011

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Empirical studies present considerably consistent data about human mate choice, from which we may infer that it tends to be homogamous for various traits. However, different experiments on facial resemblance led to contradictory results. To obtain additional data about the preference for self-resembling potential mates, male and female composite faces were modified in a manner to resemble subjects. Volunteers were asked to choose a potential partner from three images in different situations: self-resembling faces, non-resembling faces (both with the same degree of other-rated attractiveness), and images which were rated by others as more attractive than the self-resembling faces. Women did not show any preference for similarity; they preferred the most attractive male and female faces. In contrast, men preferred the most attractive images of the opposite sex to self-resembling faces and the self-resembling to non-resembling faces. The self-resemblance of same-sex faces was preferred by neither men nor women. Our results support the hypothesis that both facial similarity (i.e., cues of shared genes) and observer-independent features of attractiveness (i.e., honest signals of genetic quality) play an important role in males' mate choice. The lack of choice for self-resemblance on the female side in this particular study might reflect their more complex decision-making rules that are probably based on other cues beside visual stimuli.

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Section: Discussioncontrasting

confidence: 83%

Preference for Facial Self-Resemblance and Attractiveness in Human Mate Choice

et al. 2011

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“…This was based on previous indications that facial resemblance, as a cue for kinship, is associated with willingness to invest in a child (e.g. DeBruine, 2004; Platek et al ., 2004). Given the topic (reactions to infant-threatening situations) and the pre-natal and early post-natal period of interest, this seemed the most valid way to design our task.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Studies that have examined paternal responses to infant cues have outlined brain regions previously implicated in reflexive caregiving, emotion regulation, executive function and empathy (Swain et al ., 2014; Swain, 2017). Differences in activation patterns have been found when fathers perceive their own vs someone else’s infant or vs adults, although research in this area is still in an early stage (Platek et al ., 2004; Atzil et al ., 2012; Kuo et al ., 2012; Wittfoth-Schardt et al ., 2012; Mascaro et al ., 2013). Differences in the perception of infant faces modified to display more or less kinship cues are often explained by selection pressure for fathers to recognize and invest in their own kin (for a review, see DeBruine et al ., 2016).…”

Section: Exploring the Neural Basis For Paternal Protectionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Exploring the neural basis for paternal protection: an investigation of the neural response to infants in danger

Veer

Thijssen

Witteman

et al. 2019

Social Cognitive and Affective Neuroscience

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Perceiving potential threat to an infant and responding to it is crucial for offspring survival and parent–child bonding. Using a combination of functional magnetic resonance imaging and multi-informant reports, this longitudinal study explores the neural basis for paternal responses to threat to infants pre-natally ( N = 21) and early post-natally ( n = 17). Participants viewed videos showing an infant in danger and matched control videos, while instructed to imagine that the infant was their own or someone else’s. Effects were found for infant-threatening vs neutral situations in the amygdala (region-of-interest analyses) and in clusters spanning cortical and subcortical areas (whole-brain analyses). An interaction effect revealed increased activation for own ( vs unknown) infants in threatening ( vs neutral) situations in bilateral motor areas, possibly indicating preparation for action. Post-natal activation patterns were similar; however, in part of the superior frontal gyrus the distinction between threat to own and unknown infant faded. Fathers showing more protective behavior in daily life recruited part of the frontal pole more when confronted with threat to their own vs an unknown infant. This exploratory study is the first to describe neural mechanisms involved in paternal protection and provides a basis for future work on fathers’ protective parenting.

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“…Both men and women prefer children with faces that really are [PLATEK et al 2002[PLATEK et al , 2003[PLATEK et al , 2004DEBRUINE 2004b;BRESSAN et al 2008] or seem to be QUINSEY 2002, 2007] similar to they own faces. Men are frequently uncertain of their paternity, so they "evolved" a mechanism of estimation of paternity probability on the basis of physical similarity, and of acting in accordance with that probability.…”

Section: Physical Similaritymentioning

confidence: 99%

Facial attractiveness: Variation, adaptiveness and consequences of facial preferences

Kościński

2008

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Facial attractiveness: Variation, adaptiveness and consequences of facial preferencesThis review embraces the following topics: intra- and inter-populational variation of facial preferences, relationship between facial attractiveness and mate value, biological and social effects of the perception of facial attractiveness, credibility of the adaptive perspective on facial preferences, and the phylogeny of facial attractiveness. Its main conclusions are as follows: (1) Many sources of inter-individual variation in assessments of facial attractiveness have been identified, e.g., the age, sex, biological quality, physiological state, personality, and living situation of the judge, as well as previously observed faces, physical similarity of the focal face to the judge's face, and acquaintance with and knowledge of the face owner. (2) Inter-populational consistency in perception of facial attractiveness is substantial and possesses both a biological and a cultural basis. (3) Facial attractiveness is a reliable cue to biological quality of the face owner, e.g., better parasite resistance, physical fitness, reproductive fitness, longevity, less mutational load, higher intelligence and better mental health. (4) Facially attractive people have more sexual partners, marry at a younger age, and remain single less frequently. Thereby, they have higher reproductive success than unattractive individuals. (5) As a whole, research supports the thesis that facial preferences are adaptive, that is, they evolved during the course of biological evolution because they assisted an individual in choosing a mate with good genes or a good personality.

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Reactions to children's faces

Cited by 109 publications

References 33 publications

Preference for Facial Self-Resemblance and Attractiveness in Human Mate Choice

Preference for Facial Self-Resemblance and Attractiveness in Human Mate Choice

Exploring the neural basis for paternal protection: an investigation of the neural response to infants in danger

Facial attractiveness: Variation, adaptiveness and consequences of facial preferences

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