Younger women consider men with beards less attractive than older women, says a new study, which also debunks the myth of the “V” body shape.
A new study, in Adaptive Human Behavior and Physiology, suggests that age and the reproductive status of women can influence preferences for male physical characteristics.
The research indicates that, after menopause, women evaluate traits associated with masculinity such as body shape, some facial aspects and the presence of a beard differently than women who are still of reproductive age.
The authors, cited by , argue that biological changes linked to menopause can alter the criteria used to judge potential partners, shifting the focus from signs of “aptitude” to attributes associated with companionship and stability.
The work was conducted by a team of researchers in Poland, with the aim of comparing preferences between women at different stages of the life cycle, based on the hypothesis that, after the menopausal transition, physical signs traditionally associated with the selection of partners for reproduction may become less relevant.
For the study, researchers recruited 122 Polish women, ages 19 to 70, who responded to an online survey. Based on responses about menstrual regularity and reproductive history, participants were grouped into three categories: pre-menopause (with regular reproductive function), peri-menopause (with the onset of symptoms and irregular cycles) and post-menopause (without menstruation for at least one year).
Preferences were assessed using a standardized set of images. The team started from photographs of a single 22-year-old male model and, using digital editing, created controlled variations of various features: the face was manipulated to appear more feminized, in-between, or more masculinized; the beard was presented in three versions: shaved face, stubble and full beard.
The body was also altered, both in silhouette (shoulder-hip ratio) and in musculature. Three main trunk shapes were generated: “V” (wide shoulders and narrow hips), “H” (more rectangular) and “A” (with wider hips). Musculature was also presented as low, moderate or high.
The participants observed 12 modified images and rated each one on a scale of 1 to 10. In addition to physical attractiveness, they also evaluated two aspects of social perception: how aggressive the portrayed man seemed and his level of social dominance.
The results indicated that reproductive status is associated with differences in perceived attractiveness. One of the most striking findings emerged in the assessment of body shape: postmenopausal women found the “V” torso less attractive than other silhouettes. The result contrasts with expectations frequently mentioned in evolutionary approaches, which tend to associate broad shoulders and narrow hips with indicators of physical robustness and biological “quality”.
Age was also related to facial hair preferences. Consistently, older women gave higher scores to men with stubble or full beards, while younger women showed less preference for this trait. According to the interpretation proposed by the authors, the beard could function, for older women, as a sign of maturity and social status, rather than as a marker of genetic aptitude. Among younger women, the beard may be less valued because it hides facial features used in assessing attractiveness.
The analysis of facial masculinity showed a less linear pattern. On the one hand, chronological age showed a slight association with greater attractiveness attributed to more feminized faces, which could be in line with the idea of preference for “softer” features linked to cooperation. On the other hand, when the focus was specifically on menopause, postmenopausal women considered the less attractive feminized faces than premenopausal women, suggesting that aging and reproductive transition may operate in different ways.
Perceptions of aggressiveness also varied between groups. Postmenopausal women tended to associate moderate muscularity with greater aggression — a pattern that did not appear as clearly in younger participants. The team hypothesizes that, at more advanced ages, the Visible musculature can be read more as a sign of potential threat than protection.
But no statistically significant relationship was found between the manipulated physical traits and perceived social dominance.
The authors highlight, despite everything, limitations in the study. The sample was recruited by “snowball”, a method in which participants invite other people, which can reduce representativeness. Furthermore, being an online survey, it may have excluded older women with less access to or familiarity with technology. And all images were derived from a single 22-year-old model
