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Facial width-to-height ratio in chimpanzees: Links to age, sex and personality

Wilson, Vanessa; Weiss, Alexander; Lefevre, Carmen E.; Ochiai, Tomomi; Matsuzawa, Tetsuro; Inoue-Murayama, Miho; Freeman, Hani; Herrelko, Elizabeth S.; Altschul, Drew

Authors

Alexander Weiss

Carmen E. Lefevre

Tomomi Ochiai

Tetsuro Matsuzawa

Miho Inoue-Murayama

Hani Freeman

Elizabeth S. Herrelko

Drew Altschul



Abstract

Links between the human facial width-to-height ratio (fWHR) and aggressive behaviours have been debated in recent years. The question of whether fWHR is a cue to dominance could benefit from the study of primate species that are closely related to humans. We therefore built on the broad literature in humans, and recent research in capuchins, macaques and bonobos, and examined associations between fWHR in 131 captive chimpanzees from the United States, United Kingdom and Japan, and measures of age, sex, subspecies (Pan troglodytes verus, P. t. schweinfurthii, P. t. troglodytes), and six personality components (Dominance, Extraversion, Conscientiousness, Agreeableness, Neuroticism, and Openness). We found no evidence for sexual dimorphism in fWHR, as has been found in humans. We did find a positive relationship between fWHR and Dominance in P. t. verus, but only in adult females. This finding contrasts with that in humans, where dominant males have wider faces. We discuss these results in light of male-female differences in temporal rank stability, and in contrast to findings for bonobos, providing a useful perspective for fWHR research in humans.

Citation

Wilson, V., Weiss, A., Lefevre, C. E., Ochiai, T., Matsuzawa, T., Inoue-Murayama, M., Freeman, H., Herrelko, E. S., & Altschul, D. (2020). Facial width-to-height ratio in chimpanzees: Links to age, sex and personality. Evolution and Human Behavior, 41(3), 226-234. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.evolhumbehav.2020.03.001

Journal Article Type Article
Acceptance Date Mar 3, 2020
Online Publication Date Mar 5, 2020
Publication Date May 1, 2020
Deposit Date Oct 4, 2024
Publicly Available Date Oct 9, 2024
Journal Evolution and Human Behavior
Print ISSN 1090-5138
Electronic ISSN 1879-0607
Publisher Elsevier
Peer Reviewed Peer Reviewed
Volume 41
Issue 3
Pages 226-234
DOI https://doi.org/10.1016/j.evolhumbehav.2020.03.001
Keywords Facial morphology; Pan troglodytes verus; Dominance; Sexual dimorphism; Social cues
Public URL https://hull-repository.worktribe.com/output/4861231

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