TY - JOUR

T1 - Evidence that makeup is a false signal of sociosexuality

AU - Batres, Carlota

AU - Russell, Richard

AU - Simpson, Jeffry A.

AU - Campbell, Lorne

AU - Hansen, Alison M.

AU - Cronk, Lee

PY - 2018/2/1

Y1 - 2018/2/1

N2 - While the positive effect of makeup on attractiveness is well established, there has been less exploration into other possible functions of makeup use. Here we investigated whether one function of makeup is to signal sociosexuality. Using a large, well-controlled set of photographs, we found that faces with makeup were perceived to have more unrestricted sociosexuality than the same faces without makeup. Similarly, women wearing more makeup were perceived to have more unrestricted sociosexuality. The target women who were photographed also completed questionnaires about their makeup habits and the Sociosexual Orientation Inventory. Targets’ self-reported sociosexuality was not associated with their makeup habits, with observer ratings of the amount of makeup they wore, or with observer ratings of their sociosexuality when attractiveness was controlled. Thus our study shows that people use makeup as a cue for perceiving sociosexuality but that it is an invalid cue.

AB - While the positive effect of makeup on attractiveness is well established, there has been less exploration into other possible functions of makeup use. Here we investigated whether one function of makeup is to signal sociosexuality. Using a large, well-controlled set of photographs, we found that faces with makeup were perceived to have more unrestricted sociosexuality than the same faces without makeup. Similarly, women wearing more makeup were perceived to have more unrestricted sociosexuality. The target women who were photographed also completed questionnaires about their makeup habits and the Sociosexual Orientation Inventory. Targets’ self-reported sociosexuality was not associated with their makeup habits, with observer ratings of the amount of makeup they wore, or with observer ratings of their sociosexuality when attractiveness was controlled. Thus our study shows that people use makeup as a cue for perceiving sociosexuality but that it is an invalid cue.

KW - Attractiveness

KW - Faces

KW - Makeup

KW - Perception

KW - Sociosexuality

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85042153388&partnerID=8YFLogxK

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=85042153388&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1016/j.paid.2017.10.023

DO - 10.1016/j.paid.2017.10.023

M3 - Article

AN - SCOPUS:85042153388

VL - 122

SP - 148

EP - 154

JO - Personality and Individual Differences

JF - Personality and Individual Differences

SN - 0191-8869

ER -