Sunday, November 16, 2014

WILL YOUR DANCE MOVES AFFECT YOUR ABILITY TO FIND A MATE?






Researchers at Northumbria University and the University of Gottingen examined the science of dancing in order to determine what draws a women to a male dancing partner. Dancing ability, specifically of men, may serve as a factor in mate quality. The researchers conducted an experiment in which they recruited 30 men to dance to a drum for 30 seconds while their movements were recorded via a motion-capture system. The dance of each participant was computed into a “featureless, gender-neutral” avatar. 37 women were then asked to rate each performance based on a seven-point scale.

FINDINGS: The women favored men who showed larger and more variable movements of the head, neck and torso. In addition, there was a positive response to quick leg movements that displayed coordination. The study suggests that although more research is needed, men’s dance moves could carry “honest signals of traits such as health, fitness, genetic quality and developmental history.”

Genetics and the Influences on Dance

Sex steroids including testosterone are responsible for sex differentiation during the development of a male body. A reference provided in the original study found that prenatal levels of testosterone may not only play a role in male facial development but also male dance movement.
Past research on selections in human mating acknowledge many cues that utilize phenotypes to evaluate men. For example, studies show that males with prominent facial features are associated with higher testosterone levels and are, therefore, perceived to be more masculine and dominant. Preferences for a more masculine face may reflect the chance of selecting for heritable immunity to infectious disease, since testosterone is noted to have immunosuppressant effects. Overall, evolutionary theory suggests that the prevalence of T-related secondary traits reflect a man’s reproductive viability.

I found this article to be very interesting. Although you would not normally associate something such as dance moves in the quality of a partner this study shows its actual significance. Further, in reviewing other articles referenced in the study it is apparent that several heuristic studies have been conducted that examine mate selection. More research still needs to be done in order to strengthen the findings, however, this information provided is in intriguing topic that links genetics to mate selection in today’s society.


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