positive sexual imprinting for eye color in humans

[Angela]

See:
http://biorxiv.org/content/early/2017/05/08/135244?rss=1&utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=twitter

"[FONT=&quot]Human mate choice tends to exhibit homogamy, but the mechanisms causing similarity between mates are controversial. One potential explanation is direct matching to own characteristics. Alternatively, studies showing similarity between parent and partner support positive sexual imprinting, where individuals are more likely to choose mates with the physical characteristics of their other-sex parent. This interpretation has been strongly criticized because the same pattern could also be caused by sex-linked heritable preferences, where similarity in appearance between an individual's partner and their other-sex parent is caused by similarity in preferences between the individual and their same-sex parent. The relationships among own, parents' and same-sex partner's eye color provide an elegant test of these hypotheses, which each postulate a different best predictor of partner's eye color. While the matching hypothesis predicts this will be own eye color, the sex-linked heritable preference hypothesis predicts this will be the other-sex parent's eye color and the positive sexual imprinting hypothesis predicts this will be the partner-sex parent's eye color. Here we show that partner eye color was best predicted by the partner-sex parent's eye color. Our results provide clear evidence against matching and sex-linked heritable preference hypotheses, and support the positive sexual imprinting hypothesis of the relationship between own and partner's eye color."

I'd want to see the methodology but it works in my case, and not just for eye color.[/FONT]

 

[LeBrok]

And someone should try to duplicate it of course. Europeans are too mixed to be sure which one is true. They should do the study on insulated population, like Amazon HGs, who had thousands of years to develop the sense of sexual beauty fitting their looks. And of course scientists should try to separate genetic sense of beauty from cultural one, for better understanding of the subject.

 

[Angela]

And someone should try to duplicate it of course. Europeans are too mixed to be sure which one is true. They should do the study on insulated population, like Amazon HGs, who had thousands of years to develop the sense of sexual beauty fitting their looks. And of course scientists should try to separate genetic sense of beauty from cultural one, for better understanding of the subject.

I agree with all of that except the idea that testing would be better in isolated tribes. They all look alike ,including the eyes, so the choices must be based on something other than physical appeal. How different would our choices be if that were the case? I think the idea was to focus on something which has variety.

Anyway, I posted it for it's amusement value, not to be taken all that seriously . They don't even give the number of the study participants, or percentages for the results, and you're right, how do you factor out cultural effects, media etc. Then, in certain countries almost everyone has blue eyes, for example, so the experiment wouldn't work.

Why did I post this again?

Seriously, they do point out the possibilities, except for the influence of media and culture, which I think is a big factor,btw. Do you choose a mate who looks sort of like you, someone who looks like your opposite sex parent, or someone who looks like your same sex parent. There's also the romantic option: do you always go for the same type as your first love.

 

[LeBrok]

That's actually quite a complex subject, to try separate genetic sexual beauty from cultural one. I guess, from analyzing genetically pure hunter gatherers in context of their tribes and the ones who grew up in varied communities, would be the start and the base.
Europeans might be complicated. We are composed of 3 ancestral groups all looking in quite distinctive way. Who knows, perhaps one could have "sexual beauty brain compartment" inherited from WHG and will always prefer brunettes with blue eyes, regardless of own looks? Unless one is very goluble and easily influenced by media and fashion. Surprisingly this might be a difficult subject to decipher.

Isn't it a fact that Europeans from North, though having the lightest skin have the most of WHG admixture, and prefer to tan and don't mind darker skin partner. Europeans from South, prefer to look lighter and more blond, and admire lighter fixtures in others. Maybe it is not just a fashion and cultural aspects in play?

 

[davef]

I would be happy to marry (or sleep with) a brown eyed Greek woman! To me, a Greek girlfriend who can put up with my mental issues is a valueless prize!

 

[Apsurdistan]

Is that thing you posted there suggesting people are attracted to people who look like their opposite sex parent?
Gross, just no.

 

[Angela]

That's actually quite a complex subject, to try separate genetic sexual beauty from cultural one. I guess, from analyzing genetically pure hunter gatherers in context of their tribes and the ones who grew up in varied communities, would be the start and the base.
Europeans might be complicated. We are composed of 3 ancestral groups all looking in quite distinctive way. Who knows, perhaps one could have "sexual beauty brain compartment" inherited from WHG and will always prefer brunettes with blue eyes, regardless of own looks? Unless one is very goluble and easily influenced by media and fashion. Surprisingly this might be a difficult subject to decipher.

Isn't it a fact that Europeans from North, though having the lightest skin have the most of WHG admixture, and prefer to tan and don't mind darker skin partner. Europeans from South, prefer to look lighter and more blond, and admire lighter fixtures in others. Maybe it is not just a fashion and cultural aspects in play?

Tanning is a religion in Southern Europe, LeBrok, perhaps particularly in Italy, so that one doesn't fly. However, there's also the old "opposites attract" thing going on for some people. Probably it's all too complicated to sort out.

 

[Twilight]

Idk, never thought about eye color being involved before. I'll have to check the Facebook pictures. However I did notice that all the girls that I went on dates, they tend to have first names ending with the letter a.

 

[Angela]

Idk, never thought about eye color being involved before. I'll have to check the Facebook pictures. However I did notice that all the girls that I went on dates, they tend to have first names ending with the letter a.

How could you avoid it, since so many American girls' names end in "a" now? My daughter's class: Amanda, Alyssa, Daniela, Alessandra, Laura, Jessica, Sara, Samantha, Amelia, Olivia, Cristina, Gabriela, Isabella. It was either that or the "y", "ee" sound ending, as in Ashley, Emily, Melanie, Katie. Then scatter in some Laurens and Caitlyns, and Megans and Taylors and you're done.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_the_most_popular_names_in_the_1990s_in_the_United_States

 

[Twilight]

How could you avoid it, since so many American girls' names end in "a" now? My daughter's class: Amanda, Alyssa, Daniela, Alessandra, Laura, Jessica, Sara, Samantha, Amelia, Olivia, Cristina, Gabriela, Isabella. It was either that or the "y", "ee" sound ending, as in Ashley, Emily, Melanie, Katie. Then scatter in some Laurens and Caitlyns, and Megans and Taylors and you're done.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_the_most_popular_names_in_the_1990s_in_the_United_States

Good to know, it appears that I'm indeed into brown eyes. I have blue eyes Irl with brown surrounding my pupil. Perhaps there might be something to this study.

 

[davef]

How could you avoid it, since so many American girls' names end in "a" now? My daughter's class: Amanda, Alyssa, Daniela, Alessandra, Laura, Jessica, Sara, Samantha, Amelia, Olivia, Cristina, Gabriela, Isabella. It was either that or the "y", "ee" sound ending, as in Ashley, Emily, Melanie, Katie. Then scatter in some Laurens and Caitlyns, and Megans and Taylors and you're done.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_the_most_popular_names_in_the_1990s_in_the_United_States

AND ANGELA!!! Lol Angela both starts and ends with the letter A!!!! Awesome! Wait! Awesome starts with the letter A! But why can't it end with an a? Sigh.......
I'm sad...

 

[Highlander]

Interesting I suppose.