The Evolutionary Significance and Social Perception of Male Pattern Baldness and Facial Hair
Mail hair has always been a topic of interest to ordinary people, doctors, hairdressers and fashion designers. It has been mentioned in the Bible and in literature and has always had a symbolic meaning. Today, the topics that are related to hair and most talked about are hair loss and the looks of bold or bearded men with lots of hair.
Both male facial hair and male pattern baldness are genetically based, suggesting that they contributed to fitness. The multiple fitness model provides an evolutionary interpretation of the social perception of male pattern baldness and beardedness in terms of the multidimensional meaning of physical maturational stages. Male facial beardedness is associated with the sexual maturation stage and is hypothesized to signal aggressive dominance. Male pattern baldness, by contrast, is associated with the next stage of physical maturation, termed senescence. Pattern baldness may signal social maturity, a non-threatening form of dominance associated with wisdom and nurturance. We tested these hypotheses on social perceptions using manipulated male facial stimuli. We presented faces with three levels of cranial hair, including full, receding, and bald, and two levels of facial hair, beard with moustache and clean shaven. Consistent with the model, a decrease in the amount of cranial hair was associated with increased perceptions of social maturity, appeasement, and age, and decreased perceptions of attractiveness and aggressiveness. Targets with facial hair were perceived as more aggressive, less appeasing, less attractive, older, and lower on social maturity than clean shaven faces. [1]
The aim of this study was to examine the effects of systematic alterations in male facial hair on female perceptions. A within-subjects design employed one condition (facial hair) incorporating five levels (clean-shaven, light stubble, heavy stubble, light beard and full beard). All levels were applied to three different facial designs, constructed using FACES software. The resulting 15 male faces were rated by 60 females on various attributes. Male faces displaying a full beard were considered the most masculine, aggressive, socially mature, and older. Males with a light beard were considered the most dominant. Males with light stubble were considered to be the most attractive, light stubble was also preferred for both short- and long-term relationships. These findings are discussed in terms of age preferences and good-genes models. [2]
This paper argues that after women got the right to vote facial hair became a political liability for men. Facial hair makes men appear overly masculine, having strong support for use ofviolence and little support for compassion issues. This makes men with facial hair less attractive candidates – particularly for women and feminists. Using a unique data set the research finds modest support for the theory. Men with facial hair are seen as more supportive of use of violence and women and feminists are less likely to vote for them. The other aspects ofthe theory were not supported. Also examination of MCs roll call voting records and interest group ratings indicate that men with facial hair do not differ from other men in their ideology, support for use of violence or compassion issues.[3]
It was predicted that men would emphasize sexually-selected traits, including mustaches, beards, and sideburns, when they have difficulty obtaining spouses. Using annual data on British beard fashions extending from 1842–1971, it was found that mustaches, and facial hair in general, are more frequent when there is a good supply of single men of marriageable age. Facial hair fashions, particularly mustaches and beards, were reduced when illegitimacy ratios were high. Regression analyses showed that the relationship between mustache fashion and the marriage market and illegitimacy, respectively, is independent of linear time trend. Results suggest that facial hair is worn to enhance a man’s marriage prospects by increasing physical attractiveness and perception of social status. Men shave their mustaches (see http://www.dollarshaveclub.com/), possibly to convey an impression of trustworthiness, when the marriage market is weak and women might fear sexual exploitation and desertion. [4]
Both male facial hair and male pattern baldness are genetically based, suggesting that they contributed to fitness. The multiple fitness model provides an evolutionary interpretation of the social perception of male pattern baldness and beardedness in terms of the multidimensional meaning of physical maturational stages. Male facial beardedness is associated with the sexual maturation stage and is hypothesized to signal aggressive dominance. Male pattern baldness, by contrast, is associated with the next stage of physical maturation, termed senescence. Pattern baldness may signal social maturity, a non-threatening form of dominance associated with wisdom and nurturance. We tested these hypotheses on social perceptions using manipulated male facial stimuli. We presented faces with three levels of cranial hair, including full, receding, and bald, and two levels of facial hair, beard with moustache and clean shaven. Consistent with the model, a decrease in the amount of cranial hair was associated with increased perceptions of social maturity, appeasement, and age, and decreased perceptions of attractiveness and aggressiveness. Targets with facial hair were perceived as more aggressive, less appeasing, less attractive, older, and lower on social maturity than clean shaven faces. [5]
One debatable theory, advanced by Muscarella and Cunningham, suggests baldness came about in males through sexual selection as an enhanced signal of aging and social maturity, whereby aggression and risk-taking decrease and nurturing behaviours increase. This may have conveyed a male with enhanced social status but reduced physical threat, which could enhance ability to secure reproductive partners and raise offspring to adulthood.
In a study by Muscarella and Cunnhingham[20], males and females viewed six male models with different levels of facial hair (beard and mustache or none) and cranial hair (full head of hair, receding and bald). Participants rated each combination on 32 adjectives related to social perceptions. Males with facial hair and those with bald or receding hair were rated as being older than those who were clean shaven or had a full head of hair. Beards and a full head of hair were seen as being more aggressive and less socially mature, and baldness was associated with more social maturity. A review of social perceptions of male pattern baldness has been provided by Henss (2001). [6]
Examined the effects of systematically manipulated male pattern baldness and facial hair on the perceptions of the ethologically relevant dimensions of age, aggressiveness, appeasement, attractiveness, and social maturity. 204 college students were assigned to view photographs of faces with 3 levels of cranial hair (full, receding, bald) and 2 levels of facial hair (beard with moustache, clean-shaven), and to rate each picture on an adjective checklist. Consistent with the multiple fitness model (M. R. Cunningham et al, 1995), a decrease in the amount of cranial hair was associated with increased perceptions of social maturity, appeasement, and age, and decreased perceptions of attractiveness and aggressiveness. Targets with facial hair were perceived as more aggressive, less appeasing, less attractive, older, and lower on social maturity than clean-shaven faces. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved). [7]
Conclusion:
Even though strong thick hair has always been seen as something strong and masculine, the times have changed and baldness is not a taboo topic any more the same as mustache and beard are not the only signs of masculinity. New scientific discoveries have shown that baldness can sometimes have positive effects on man’s health and from aesthetic side it is not frowned upon as much as it was in the past.
References:
[1] “The evolutionary significance and social perception of male pattern baldness and facial hair” by:Frank Muscarella, Michael R. Cunningham
[2] “The effects of facial hair manipulation on female perceptions of attractiveness, masculinity, and dominance in male faces” by Nick Neave and Kerry Shields
[3] http://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=1643020
[4] Mustache Fashion Covaries with a Good Marriage Market for Women
by: Nigel Barber
[5] http://ask.metafilter.com/69507/How-does-natural-selection-account-for-male-pattern-balding
[6] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Androgenic_alopecia
[7] http://psycnet.apa.org/psycinfo/1996-03987-001
