Does the facial width-to-height ratio map onto variability in men's testosterone concentrations?

Abstract

Variation in the facial width-to-height ratio (fWHR) maps onto a number of behavioral and psychological traits among men (e.g., aggression, unethical behavior, negotiation performance). Importantly, observer judgments of many of these traits also correlate strongly with the fWHR, suggesting that it may represent an honest cue to dominance and status. It has been speculated that the relationship between fWHR and these behavioral traits is due to pubertal testosterone concurrently shaping facial structure and traits linked to social dominance. Others, however, have provided some initial, although inconsistent, evidence that circulating testosterone levels in adulthood may underlie associations between the fWHR and behavioral displays. Here, we provide a more powerful test of the second model by examining the relationship between fWHR, baseline testosterone, and competition-induced testosterone reactivity, across seven diverse samples of men (total N = 780). We also report a further analysis including data published previously, for a total sample of 1041 men. Analysis of our individual samples, in addition to an internal meta-analysis, demonstrated no significant positive relationship between fWHR and baseline testosterone, or fWHR and three measures of competition-induced testosterone reactivity. We discuss potential reasons for previous discrepancies, and suggest avenues for future research.