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The human neck is the most sexually dimorphic feature of human anatomy when compared to 91 other anatomical features
https://psyarxiv.com/yez3t/
Table 1. Point-Biserial Correlations for Sexual Dimorphism in Human Anatomy
https://psyarxiv.com/yez3t/
Table 1. Point-Biserial Correlations for Sexual Dimorphism in Human Anatomy
Measure | r | Measure | r | Measure | r |
Neck Circumference (Medial) | -.801*** | Acromial Height | -.627*** | Trochanterion Height | -.479*** |
Biacromial Breadth | -.781*** | Bitragion Submandibular Arc (Jaw Size) | -.626*** | Ear Length | -.467*** |
Neck Circumference (Base) | -.780*** | Interscye I | -.626*** | Buttock Height | -.463*** |
Hand Circumference | -.777*** | Popliteal Height | -.624*** | Chest Breadth | -.457*** |
Shoulder Circumference | -.760*** | Shoulder-Elbow Length | -.611*** | Heel Breadth | -.423*** |
Wrist Circumference | -.755*** | Sleeve Outseam | -.608*** | Ear Breadth | -.413*** |
Hand Breadth | -.747*** | Biceps Circumference (Flexed) | -.594*** | Ear Protrusion | -.412*** |
Sleeve Length (spine-to-wrist) | -.727*** | Thumbtip Reach | -.592*** | Lateral Femoral Epicondyle Height | -.411*** |
Forearm Circumference (Flexed) | -.718*** | Functional Leg Length | -.588*** | Ankle Circumference | -.398*** |
Chest Height | -.705*** | Knee Height (Sitting) | -.588*** | Buttock-Knee Length | -.380*** |
Heel-Ankle Circumference | -.693*** | Axilla Height | -.587*** | Thigh Clearance | -.365*** |
Bimalleolar Breadth | -.679*** | Waist Height (Omphalion) | -.571*** | Waist Breadth | -.343*** |
Cervicale Height | -.677*** | Bizygomatic Breadth | -.569*** | Head Circumference | -.340*** |
Foot Length | -.671*** | Menton-Sellion Length | -.569*** | Tragion Top-of-Head | -.329*** |
Bideltoid Breadth | -.669*** | Bitragion Chin Arc (Chin Protrusion) | -.567*** | Waist Circumference | -.327*** |
Waist-Back Length | -.668*** | Knee Height (Midpatella) | -.558*** | Waist Depth | -.326*** |
Ball-of-Foot Circumference | -.666*** | Acromion Radiale Length | -.545*** | Abdominal Extension Depth (Sitting) | -.314*** |
Stature | -.666*** | Crotch Height | -.545*** | Interpupillary Breadth | -.297*** |
Interscye II | -.661*** | Shoulder Length | -.543*** | Calf Circumference | -.291*** |
Ball-of-Foot Length | -.656*** | Head Length | -.536*** | Buttock Popliteal Length | -.287*** |
Lateral Malleolus Height | -.656*** | Weight (kg) | -.533*** | Hip Breadth Sitting | .285*** |
Span | -.651*** | Wrist Height | -.525*** | Buttock Depth | -.229*** |
Suprasternale Height | -.649*** | Chest Circumference | -.521*** | Crotch Length Posterior (Omphalion) | -.220*** |
Foot-breadth Horizontal | -.645*** | Iliocristale Height | -.517*** | Elbow-Rest Height | -.208*** |
Forearm-to-Forearm Breadth | -.640*** | Palm Length | -.510*** | Hip Breadth | .150*** |
Overhead Fingertip Reach (Sitting) | -.639*** | Vertical Trunk Circumference | -.501*** | Lower Thigh Circumference | -.121*** |
Sitting Height | -.639*** | Tenth Rib Height | -.499*** | Chest Depth | -.113*** |
Eye Height (Sitting) | -.637*** | Hand Length | -.497*** | Thigh Circumference | -.073*** |
Forearm Center-of-Grip Length | -.632*** | Head Breadth | -.494*** | Bicristal Breadth | -.052*** |
Forearm Hand Length | -.630*** | Waist Front Length (Sitting) | -.482*** | Crotch Length (Omphalion) | -0.02 |
Radiale Stylion Length | -.630*** | Tibial Height | -.480*** | Buttock Circumference | 0.01 |
Note. *** p < .001. * p < .05. Sex was coded as “0” for men and “1” for women.
In line with the predictions of past theoretical work (Carrier & Morgan, 2014), the human neck is the most sexually dimorphic anatomical feature when compared to 91 other anatomical features.
The magnitude of sexual dimorphism in neck is the greatest compared to other secondary sexual characteristics observed in other research such as height, vocal frequency, and arm muscle volume
When our findings are compared to the magnitude of sexual dimorphism in other secondary sexual characteristics observed in other research—reporting a Pearson’s r of .63 for height, .77 for vocal fundamental frequency, and .78 for arm muscle volume (see Hodges-Simeon et al., 2021)—our tremendous r of .80 allows neck circumference to emerge as the most sexually dimorphic anatomical feature.
Women want men with bigger necks for STRs (short-term relationships)
Men with larger sternocleidomastoid and upper trapezius muscles were rated as stronger, more masculine, and higher in short-term attractiveness.
Larger neck musculature in humans was consistently associated with fighting success
Grounded in over 60 years of sports performance theory and recent theoretical work in evolutionary biology, geometric morphometric analyses revealed that larger neck musculature in professional combatants (N = 715) was associated with greater real-world fighting success, after for adjusting for allometry (Study 1).
Larger neck musculature in humans was consistently associated with fighting success, after controlling for demographic and allometric variables. More specifically, larger areas of the sternocleidomastoid and upper trapezius muscles were associated with greater fighting success, and both of these neck muscle groups are involved in stabilising the head against rotational acceleration (Bauer et al., 2001; Collins et al., 2014).
Takeaway
Bigger necks improve both intersexual and intrasexual success.