lecture 11 integrating different cues in attraction
TRANSCRIPT
Lecture 11
Integrating different cues in attraction
Overview: Cue integration
1. Integrating diverse cues (gaze, expression, sex, physical
attractiveness) in face preferences
2. Social transmission of face preferences
1. Adaptations for efficient allocation of social/mating effort
Social/mating effort is a finite resource that should be allocated judiciously
May lead to evolution of mechanisms for efficient allocation of effort
Attractiveness and smiling
-3-3
Medial orbito-frontal cortex
size of attractiveness effect
O’Doherty et al. 2003 Neuropsychologia
neutral
happy
Attractiveness and gaze
Direct gaze increases the reward value of attractive facesDirect gaze decreases the reward value of unattractive faces
Kampe et al. 2002 Nature
ventral striatum
Gaze influences emotion perception
Expressions can change ‘meaning’ depending on gaze
Adams & Kleck 2003 Psychological Science
Preference for physical attractiveness greatest when target is smiling at you
Integrating social signals and attractiveness
N=252
Jones et al. 2006 Psychological Science
Context-sensitive opposite-sex bias in gaze preferenceConway et al. 2008 Proc Roy Soc B
Integrating social signals and attractiveness
Adaptation for efficient allocation of mating effort
Modulating preferences:
for physical attractiveness in light of cues of social interest
for gaze direction in light of sex and expression
will promote efficient allocation fo social/mating effort
2. Social transmission of face preferences
Social learning and mate choice
Social learning influences female mate choice in many non-human species
Brown & Fawcett (2005) Current Biology Galef & Laland (2005) BioScience
m f
Social learning and attraction
Initial pre-observation phase test to assess baseline preference for 8 pairs of men
Observation phase manipulating cues to unfamiliar women’s attitudes to these men
Post-observation phase test for change in preference for 8 pairs of men
Jones et al. (2007) Proc Roy Soc B
Pre-observation phase test
Observation phase
Observation phaselooked at man
smile
d at
man
Post-observation phase test
Social learning and attraction
Female subjects Increased attraction to men smiled at by unfamiliar women (i.e. ‘copying’ preferences of other women)
Jones et al. (2007) Proc Roy Soc B
Male subjects Decreased attraction to men smiled at by unfamiliar
women (i.e. within-sex competition effect)
ResultsC
hang
e in
attr
activ
enes
s of
look
ed-a
t mal
es
(pos
t- m
inus
pre
-obs
erva
tion
phas
e)
Social learning influences face preferences in humans
Women ‘copy’ other women
Men derogate men who are the target of positive attention from women
We integrate different facial cues in very complex ways
Integration helps read others’ attitudes / intentions, allocate social effort
efficiently and learn via observation
Studying cue integration is essential to understand face perception
Key issues
Next week
Revision lecture