Transcript Poster - Indiana University Bloomington

Effects of sex and gender role identification on male face evaluation
Kathryn R. Macapagal,
1,2
M.Ed. ,
Department of Psychological and Brain
Heather A. Rupp,
2
Ph.D. ,
& Julia R. Heiman,
1,2
Ph.D.
1
Sciences
& The Kinsey Institute for Research in Sex, Gender, and
Indiana University; Bloomington, Indiana
2
Reproduction
Correspondence: Kathryn R. Macapagal ([email protected])
 Participants
 41 heterosexual males and females between age 18-27
(mean age=19.51±1.7).
 Self-report measures
 Hypermasculinity Inventory1: Assesses male
identification with traditionally masculine, or ‘macho’
attitudes and behaviors regarding sex, violence, and
danger. Possible scores range from 0-30.
 Hyperfemininity Scale3: Assesses female identification
with traditionally feminine attitudes regarding women’s
roles in a relationship and using sexuality to maintain and
acquire relationships. Possible scores range from 0-26.
 Photo rating task
 Stimuli (Figure 1): 60 black and white photos of male
faces4; included 20 originals (Org), which were 30%
masculinized (M30) and 30% feminized (F30)5.
 Photo task (Figure 2): Participants rated how attractive,
aggressive, masculine, and trustworthy each face
appeared to them on a 7-point Likert scale (1=not at all;
7=extremely).
 Trait ratings and photos counterbalanced for order.
 Participants told to rate photos as quickly as possible
within a 5-s window.
 Participants were not informed of photo manipulations.
 Data analysis
 Median split divided Hypermasculinity Scale (mdn=8.0)
and Hyperfemininity Index (mdn=9.0) into low and high
groups for analysis.
 4 (Trait) x 3 (Face Masculinization) x 2 (Sex/Gender Role)
repeated measures MANOVA with trait ratings as
dependent variables.
M30
3.54
3.53
Aggressive
1234567
Attractive
1234567
Masculine
1234567
3.47
Women rated photos as MORE
MASCULINE and MORE
TRUSTWORTHY than did men
4.60
*
4.40
4.00
3.56
M
F
3.60
3.00
Attractive
Aggressive
Masculine
Trustworthy
Participants rated masculinized
faces LESS TRUSTWORTHY than
original or feminized faces
4.02
4.00
3.98
3.96
3.94
3.92
3.90
3.88
3.86
M30
Org
F30
Photo type
Figure 4. M30 vs Org p<.01, M30 vs F30 p=.001
Acknowledgments
The authors would like to thank Erick Janssen for the photos used
in this study and for his helpful comments during study
development and data analysis, and David Perrett for the use of
Psychomorph software.
3.54
3.52
4.04
3.90
3.55
3.53
Trait
Figure 3. †F1,39=3.512, p<.07; *F1,39=5.471, p<.05
4.10
3.58
3.57
3.20
4.15
3.59
4.20
3.80
F30
NO DIFFERENCE in participants’
ATTRACTIVE ratings across photo types
†
3.40
4.20
3.95
Org
Photo type
Figure 6. F30 vs Org p=.33 (ns), F30 vs M30 p=.01
Aggressive
1234567
Trustworthy
1234567
Participants rated masculinized
faces MORE MASCULINE than original
or feminized faces
4.00
3.50
3.48
Trustworthy
1234567
Results
4.05
3.51
M30
F30
 Self-report measures
 Hypermasculinity Inventory mean score=8.7,
SD=4.4.
 Hyperfemininity Scale mean score=8.8, SD=2.8.
 Photo rating task
 Figure 3. Sex differences in mean trait ratings.
(F1,39=2.923, p=.095)
 Figures 4-7. Interaction effect of male face
masculinization and feminization on trait
ratings. (F6,234=3.576, p<.01)
 No effect of face manipulation on Attractive
ratings.
 No effect of gender role identification on trait
ratings.
3.52
3.49
Rating
Org
Rating
Masculine
1234567
Attractive
1234567
Rating
Methods
Participants rated feminized faces LESS
AGGRESSIVE than masculinized but not
original faces
3.55
Figure 2. Photo task example
Rating
 First impressions from nonverbal cues are important in
shaping subsequent social interactions. Men and women use
facial cues to evaluate potential competitors and mates.
 Face perception studies demonstrate that ratings of male
faces are dependent on observer (e.g., facial masculinity)
and target characteristics (e.g., personality).
 Observer adherence to traditional or stereotypic gender roles
may be another factor influencing male face perception.
 Traditionally masculine men demonstrate competitive and
aggressive behaviors and personality1. Traditionally feminine
women demonstrate preferences for descriptions of more
masculine men and view them more positively2.
 These gender roles may bias men’s ratings of competition
(masculine, aggressive) and women’s ratings of social
affiliation (attractive, trustworthy) when viewing photos of
men varying in facial masculinization and feminization.
 Hypotheses
 Men will give higher ratings of competitive traits to the
photos than women.
 Women will give higher ratings of affiliative traits to the
photos than men.
 These sex differences will be more pronounced in
individuals with strong gender role identification and
when rating more masculinized and feminized photos.
Figure 1. Photo manipulation
Rating
Introduction
M30
Org
Photo type
Figure 5. M30 vs Org p<.05, M30 vs F30 p<.10
F30
References
1Mosher, D.L., & Sirkin, M. (1984). J. Rsch. Pers., 18, 154-160; 2Maybach, K.L., &
Gold, S.R. (1994). J. Sex. Res., 31, 91-98; 3Murnen, S.K., & Byrne, D. (1991). J.
Sex Res., 18, 479-489; 4Janssen, E., Hahn, S., Rullo, J., & Sheya, A. (2007).
Manuscript in prep.; 5Rowland, D.A, & Perrett, D.I. (1995). IEEE Comp Graphics
& App., 15, 70-76.
M30
Org
Photo type
F30
Figure 6. F30 vs M30 p=.70, F30 vs Org p=.20, M30 vs Org p=.56 (ns)
Discussion & Conclusions
 Women gave higher ratings of Masculine and
Trustworthy to the photos than did men.
 We did not find support for gender role differences in
male face ratings.
 Small sample size and use of a 7-point rating scale
instead of a forced-choice response format may have
contributed to null results.
 Consistent with previous research, masculinized faces
were viewed as more aggressive, more masculine, and
less trustworthy than feminized faces, and attractive
ratings were not dependent on facial manipulation.
 These results suggest that men and women interpret
subtle masculine and feminine male facial cues
similarly, but may use this information to achieve
different, sex-specific goals in male intrasexual
competition and female mate choice.
 Men's and women's successful use of social and sexual
strategies necessitate accurate evaluation of potential
mates and competitors. However, perceptual biases in
physical and personality judgments resulting from sex
or socialized gender roles may lead to ineffective or
risky social and sexual decision-making.