How an Adversary’s Body Build Elicits Jealousy in Men and Women
Talya Kuun
Evolutionists and sociologists have continually discussed the impact of a person’s physical attractiveness on the likelihood of procuring a mate, and thus improving one’s evolutionary fitness. However, Dutch researchers Bram Buunk and Pieternel Dijkstra established that physical characteristics assist in defining not only the relationships with the opposite sex, but also defines the relationships with one’s same sex peers.
In a study involving 70 men and 69 women four illustrations were provided of people of the same gender as themselves. The illustrations were simplistic and were identical other than certain body-build ratios. Specifically, the experimenters manipulated the size of the waist-hip ratios (WHR) and the shoulder-hip ratios (SHR). Each participant’s illustration set contained an image of a person with a low WHR, a high WHR, a low SHR, and finally a high SHR.
The participants were asked to provide a rating between 0 and 9 to demonstrate how jealous they would feel if the illustrated person was to show romantic interest in their partner.
Results showed that in men, the figure depicting both a low WHR and SHR elicited the highest jealousy responses.
On the other hand, in women, the figure depicting a low WHR and high SHR elicited the most jealousy.
In order to better visualize these results we can say that women were more jealous of other women with “the typical V-type body build” as described by the researchers. Men, however, were most jealous of a male who were “linear and slender” in body shape, according to the researchers. One may be likely to believe that men would be more threatened by a larger, more solid and powerful body build, however, it is likely due to the substantiated link between a slender body type and positions of superiority and distinction.
The men and women participating in the study were also asked to identify the physical characteristics in the images that they had focused on the most.
Results showed that even at a conscious level, the women were more likely to fixate on the waist and hips, whereas men paid more attention to shoulders and posture.
When perceptions of attractiveness were measured on a rating scale, the same proportions that motivated jealousy were also linked to the perception of attractiveness.
This indicates that we see those who are attractive to be a threat to us.
From an evolutionary standpoint this makes a lot of sense – those who hold genetically desirable traits are most likely to find a mate and pass on those genes.
The end result, in terms of evolution, is that action is prompted such that we would get ‘rid’ of the perceived threat.
In other words, in men jealousy serves an evolutionary function because sexual infidelity causes uncertainty in establishing the paternity of their mate’s offspring, thus jealousy motivates men to protect him from infidelity concerns.
Since it is the woman who bears the offspring, the maternal identity is not a concern. Nevertheless, women maintain jealous behaviors in order to ensure that their male partner is fully committed and is contributing sufficient energy, time, protection, and resources in order to promote the successful development of her offspring.
Physical attributes and attractiveness are often principally discussed in terms of their effects on the opposite sex, but it would appear that they motivate an equally important response in those of the same sex, which is, in essence, the root origin of our competitive nature.
Image Credit: dollen
Image Credit: Philipp
Talya Kuun is an undergraduate student at the University of Guelph currently studying psychology and neuroscience.
References
Buunk, B. P., & Dijkstra, P. K. (2005). A narrow waist versus broad shoulders: Sex and age differences in the jealousy-evoking characteristics of a rival’s body build. Personality and Individual Differences, 29, 379-389.
doi: 10.1016/j.paid.2005.01.020
Denisiuk, J. Evolutionary Versus Social Structural Explanations for Sex Differences in Mate Preferences, Jealousy, and Aggression. Rochester Institute of Technology. http://www.personalityresearch.org/papers/denisiuk.html