近日,有最新研究表明,拥有对称、标致脸庞的人较普通人更加自私和自负,更不易于与人合作。名模凯特·摩斯,明星乔治·克鲁尼、娜塔莉·波曼或者足球明星C·罗纳尔多也许是很多人的梦中情人,但是这个结合生物学和经济学的前沿研究却表明这些长着美丽面孔的人也许并不是完美的生活拍档。
拥有匀称面部特征的人更不愿与人合作
根据本月诺贝尔奖得主聚会中被讨论的一项研究,人们惊奇地发现拥有更匀称面部特征的人被认为更加具有吸引力,但却更不愿与人合作,且更倾向于“自私”地专注于他们自己的兴趣。工作于巴塞罗那和爱丁堡大学的学者SantiagoSanchez-Pages和马德里自治大学的学者EnriqueTuriegano合作,将这项研究根植于心理学著名的“囚徒困境”行为模型上,在实验室设定的条件下开展这项研究。
“囚徒困境”指的是两个被捕的囚徒之间的一种特殊博弈,说明为什么在合作对双方都有利时,保持合作也是困难的。囚徒们虽然知道彼此合作可为全体带来诸如无罪开释的最佳利益,但在资讯不明的情况下,因为出卖同伙可为自己带来缩短刑期的利益,也因为同伙把自己招出来可为他带来利益,因此彼此出卖虽违反最佳共同利益,却是自己最大利益所在。“囚徒困境”是博弈中具代表性的例子,反映个人最佳选择并非团体最佳选择。在基于“囚徒困境”行为模型的实验中,受试者都被赋予了选择权:做一只“鸽”,和对方合作以获得更大的利益;或者做一只“鹰”,也就是说即便在对方选择做“鸽”,双方协作有机会获得更大利益的情况下,依然做出更利己的选择。然后,研究者对受试者的面孔进行分析。研究结果发现,五官较为对称的人大多选择做“鹰”。这些长着更加匀称面孔的人除了比较不愿意与人合作外,也极少期待别人会与他合作。
这项最新研究目前已刊登在《经济与人类生物学》杂志中,并将在8月23日到27日在德国林道举行的年度诺贝尔奖得主会议上加以讨论。
进化论里找答案:漂亮的人更易自我满足无需他人协助
关于这项发现的解释也许可以在进化论中找到答案。两位学者推测,在潜意识的层面上,人们倾向于将面孔匀称等体征作为良好健康状况的标志,相应地,认为拥有这样体征的人们更加迷人。此前的研究已经表明长着更加匀称的面孔的人患有先天疾病的可能性更小,所以也是更好的潜在配偶。因此,研究认为这样的人更加容易自我满足,更少需要寻求他人的帮助。
两位学者写道:“因为面孔匀称的人倾向于更加健康和有吸引力,他们也更加可以自给自足,更缺少需协作以及寻求他人帮助的动机。经过数千年的自然选择,这些特质一直持续至今。”
学者们也考察了人类发展过程中协作水平和睾丸激素水平之间的关系。睾丸激素常常和攻击性行为相关,暗示了“阿尔法男”——在群体中一切尽在掌握之中的“老大型”男性——绝不是一个团队的伟大队员。但是作者同时表示这仅是部分的事实,睾丸激素有时也可以提升协作行为。他们写道:“有着更高睾丸激素水平的受试者并不比其他受试者更不愿协作,他们甚至比睾丸激素处于平均水平的受试者更加合作。在一些重要的合作以及不需要获得更多个人利益的情况下,这种合作依然存在。”
与此同时,研究者们告诫不要下“过分简单化的结论”。那就是不对称的面部或者睾丸激素可被用来预测一个人的行为。但是,他们表明他们的研究可以帮助设计公共政策,为完全基于经济所做的决定提供一些修正意见。他们标注到:“像吸烟、饮酒或高速驾驶等行为发生在这些人身上,他们通常将这些行为视作对身份的追求。既然如此,像高昂的税收、价格或罚款等经济惩罚措施都不可能起到很好的制止效果。”(生物谷 Bioon.com)
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Pretty People Are More Selfish
New research suggests that people with symmetrical facial features tend to be selfish and are less likely to cooperate with others. Facial symmetry is believed to have a large hand in how people perceive aesthetic beauty and physical attractiveness.
For these reasons, The Guardian reports that Kate Moss, George Clooney, Natalie Portman and other people famous for being beautiful might not be “perfect life partners.” (As if we even had a chance.)
The study, published in the journal Economics and Human Biology and compiled by Edinburgh University researchers, claims that attractive people are not only selfish by nature, but also more self-sufficient. They are less likely to ask for help, which kind of debunks that whole damsel-in-distress stereotype.
Santiago Sanchez-Pages, who is affiliated with universities in Barcelona and Edinburgh, and Enrique Turiegano, of the Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, studied their participants by offering them the option of being a dove that cooperates for the greater good, or a hawk, which apparently signifies a more selfish bird. Based on their choices, the participants' faces were analyzed.
Surely, our cultural fascination with beauty grants exquisite-looking people all sorts of privileges. But the study claims that people with symmetrical faces have an even greater advantage: superior health. According to the researchers, symmetrical physical attributes aren't just considered attractive because the person's face isn't lopsided. Even on a subconscious level, symmetry is viewed as a sign of “good health,” a trait that, for obvious reasons, appeals to those looking to procreate with long term partners. Earlier studies have also suggested that people with symmetrical mugs experience fewer congenital diseases.
Ian Deary, a professor from the Scotland university's department of psychology, told the Daily Mail: “Symmetry in the face is thought to be a marker of what is called developmental stability: the body's ability to withstand environmental stressors and not be knocked off its developmental path.”
The study's findings will be presented at the annual Nobel Laureate Meeting in Germany later this month.