DISPENSARY CORNER 07 Oct 15
October 7, 2015
RESEARCHERS at the University
of Western Australia have made a
significant breakthrough in human
behaviour, by figuring out why
hipsters like to grow beards.
According to a study published
in the Evolution and Human
Behaviour journal, men are
feeling under pressure from
their peers, and are responding
by attempting to appear more
aggressive with their facial hair.
Dr Cyril Grueter and his
colleagues were investigating the
hypothesis that primates living
in large communities develop
increasingly ostentatious “badges”
in the hope of enhancing male
sexual attractiveness.
Examples include elongated
noses on proboscis monkeys,
cheek flanges in orang-utans and
beards on humans.
After looking at 154 species they
found the male adornments were
more pronounced in situations
where social and physical contact
were common and there was
limited individual recognition.
“When you live in a small group
where everyone knows everyone
because of repeated interactions,
there is no need to signal
quality and competitiveness via
ornaments,” Dr Grueter wrote.
By contrast, in large groups
where individuals are surrounded
by strangers “we need a
quick, reliable tool to evaluate
someone’s strength and quality,
and that’s where these elaborate
ornaments come in,” he added.
It may not just be hipster beards
- in the case of humans, the study
concluded, “this may also include
phenotypic extensions such as
body decoration, jewellery and
prestige items”.
Earlier this year a survey by
appliance maker Braun found
men feel 53% more attractive to
women when they have a beard.
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