Are facial width-to-height ratio, 2D:4D digit ratio and skeletal muscle mass related to men dominant behavior in the Chicken Game?

Abstract

Facial width-to-height ratio (fWHR), 2D:4D digit ratio and skeletal muscle mass are morphological traits that have been linked to status-seeking behaviors throughout dominance. However, this link has been contested recently, since the empirical evidence about the relationship between these traits and behavior is mixed. In this study, we tested whether fWHR, 2D:4D digit ratio and skeletal muscle mass were related to dominant behavior employing the Chicken Game, an economic game that may represent a good scenario to investigate hierarchy formation and in which these relationships remain untested. We tested this hypothesis in a sample of 210 Chilean young men (mean = 22.43, SD = 4.35 years old) who played the Chicken Game against an anonymous same-sex individual and one-shot. Our results showed that fWHR was related to dominant choices in the Chicken Game, but null results were found for 2D:4D digit ratio and muscle mass. Accordingly, this study suggests that in a challenging but anonymous interaction only fWHR was related to dominance. Further studies using different conditions of anonymity may contribute to clarify the role of these traits in status-seeking behaviors.