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Main Wikipedia Assignment

There is a large body of research supporting this notion that youth is a clear characteristic of attractiveness. This is stable across cultures. The evolutionary perspective explains this via the proposal that the attraction to youth is adaptive. Female fertility, which refers to the ability to reproduce, can be used to illustrate this. From their 20's, the fertility of a female begins to decrease with age. This means younger females have a higher reproductive value and are fitter. Research reveals men show a preference for high reproductive value, as well as for good genes (i.e. inter-sexual selection). Males are choosy. Trivers (1972) says this is due to the fact that human parental investment is equal in both sexes.  

The association between youth and fertility means youth can be considered an honest signal of female fertility. Thus, cues of youthfulness are desired by males and therefore considered attractive. This preference affects male mate choice. Females who exhibit cues of optimum youth have a higher mate value and so are more likely to be selected by males. This increased mating success means youthful females will also have higher levels of reproductive success. Female cues of youth include large eyes, a small nose and long, healthy hair. Buss (1989) found these cues are also considered attractive by men. Other researchers have replicated this finding.  

This evolutionary perspective can therefore explain some of the behaviours women carry out in order to increase attractiveness. For example, the removal of body hair (e.g. leg or armpit hair). Tiggermann and Kenyon (1998) found females generally do this in order to feel more feminine and attractive. Over ten years later, Ridell, Varto and Hodgson (2010) found the same. Hairlessness is associated with high levels of estrogen (a female hormone) whilst body hair growth is associated with high levels of androgens (male hormones). Androgens generally increase during puberty. The removal of body hair therefore imitates a more youthful state. It can be considered an attempt to cheat the honest signal, of reduced youth, in order to still be considered attractive. Despite age, men will continue to interpret the lack of body hair as a cue of youth. Research supports this, showing that female hairlessness is considered sexually attractive by men and therefore sexually selected.

Another way in which women attempt to look more youthful is by altering the appearance of their hair. It is common for women to dye their hair in order to remove greys (associated with ageing) or use hair extensions in order to increase length and thickness. This imitates healthy hair which, as aforementioned, is associated with youth. Symons (1979) also found long, luscious hair to be preferred by men.

Cues of youth are not just important for males during inter-sexual selection. They also affect female-female (intra-sexual) competition for mates. In an analysis of twenty-two semi-structured interviews, Clarke (2002) found youthfulness to be one of the key characteristics of attractiveness according to older women. This further justifies women's attempts to cheat honest signals of reduced. It is in order to increase attractiveness and subsequent mate value and mating success.