Re-evaluating the relationship between pathogen avoidance and preferences for facial symmetry and sexual dimorphism: A registered report

Over the past decade, a small literature has tested how trait-level pathogen-avoidance motives (e.g., disgust sensitivity) and exposure to pathogen cues relate preferences for facial symmetry sexual dimorphism. Results have largely been interpreted as suggesting that behavioral immune system influences these features in potential mates. However, findings are limited by sample sizes among studies reporting supportive evidence, use of stimulus sets assess dimorphism, design render implications theory ambiguous (namely, only investigating women's male faces). Using 954 White young adult UK participants pool 100 stimuli, current registered report applied standard two-alternative forced-choice approach evaluate both men's dimorphism same- opposite-sex targets. Participants were randomly assigned either prime or control prime, they completed instruments assessing individual differences avoidance (disgust sensitivity contamination sensitivity). revealed overall did not reveal relation between sensitivity, nor across conditions. Null results variables consistent participant sex, target interactions sex sex. Overall, cast doubt on hypothesis influence