Papers by Boguslaw Pawlowski
American Journal of Physical Anthropology, Sep 20, 2018
Objectives: More symmetric organisms are perceived as more attractive. Fluctuating asymmetry (FA)... more Objectives: More symmetric organisms are perceived as more attractive. Fluctuating asymmetry (FA) i.e. small, random deviations from perfect bilateral symmetry, is supposed to inform about developmental instability. According to the good genes hypothesis, a low level of FA is a putative cue to an organism's biological quality. An important aspect of this quality is the immune system functioning. The aim of this study was to evaluate the relationship between immune system functioning and body symmetry in healthy people. Materials and Methods: The composite body FA (cFA) was assessed on the basis of six bilateral traits (on hands and feet). The ISF was determined by many innate (total complement and lysozyme activity, neutrophils function) and adaptive immune parameters (T CD3 and B CD19 lymphocytes, total IgA and IgG and response to flu vaccine). A total of 98 men and 92 women were subjected to flu (among them 37 men and 30 women also to tetanus) vaccination. The blood samples were collected before and 4 weeks after the antigens exposure. Immunomodulatory factors: participant's age, body fat, and free testosterone level, were controlled. Results: Apart from the weak positive association between CD3 or CD19 and cFA in men, we found no association between the level of body symmetry and the rest of the analyzed immune parameters for both sexes. Discussion: Our results are the opposite of the good genes hypothesis prediction and suggest that in western, healthy populations, human mate preferences for more symmetric bodies are not related to immune competence.
Social Psychiatry and Psychiatric Epidemiology, Jan 9, 2021
Objective: To examine sex differences in the relation of childhood socioeconomic status (CSES) to... more Objective: To examine sex differences in the relation of childhood socioeconomic status (CSES) to systolic (SBP) and diastolic blood pressure (DBP) trajectories during 15 years, spanning young (mean [M] [standard deviation {SD}] = 30 [3] years) and middle (M [SD] = 45 [3] years) adulthood, independent of adult SES. Methods: A total of 4077 adult participants reported father's and mother's educational attainments at study enrollment (Year 0) and own educational attainment at enrollment and at all follow-up examinations. Resting BP also was measured at all examinations. Data from examination Years 5 (when participant M [SD] age = 30 [3] years), 7, 10, 15, and 20 are examined here. Associations of own adult (Year 5), mother's, and father's educations with 15-year BP trajectories were examined in separate multilevel models. Fully controlled models included time-invariant covariates (age, sex, race, recruitment center) and time-varying covariates that were measured at each examination (marital status, body mass, cholesterol, oral contraceptives/ hormones, and antihypertensive drugs). Analyses of parental education controlled for own education. Results: When examined without covariates, higher education V own (SBP F = j0.03, DBP F = j0.03), mother's (SBP F = j0.02, DBP F = j0.02), and father's (SBP F = j0.02, DBP F = j0.01) V were associated with attenuated 15-year increases in BP (p G .001). Associations of own (but not either parent's) education with BP trajectories remained independent of standard controls. Sex moderated the apparent null effects of parental education, such that higher parental educationVespecially mother's, predicted attenuated BP trajectories independent of standard covariates among women (SBP F = j0.02, p = .02; DBP F = j0.01, p = .04) but not men (SBP F = 0.02, p = .06; DBP F = 0.005, p = .47; p interaction SBP G .001, p interaction DBP = .01). Conclusions: Childhood socioeconomic status may influence women's health independent of their own adult status.
Psychoneuroendocrinology, Oct 1, 2021
Previous studies have shown that women perceive male faces with a more reactive immune system as ... more Previous studies have shown that women perceive male faces with a more reactive immune system as more attractive, but whether body odor might likewise provide cues to immune function has not been investigated yet. These two studies tested a possible relationship between body odor quality and immunoreactivity (Study 1) and immune system function (Study 2). In Study 1, we collected body odor samples from 21 men just before and two weeks after vaccination against hepatitis A/B and meningococcus. We determined the levels of specific antibodies (selected as markers of immune system's reactivity), testosterone, and cortisol. Subsequently, 88 female raters assessed the odor samples for their attractiveness, intensity, and healthiness. In Study 2, we collected body odor and blood samples from 35 men and women. We assessed key parameters of their innate and adaptive immunity, such as complement activity or total lymphocyte T and B counts and asked 95 raters to assess the odor samples for their attractiveness, intensity, and healthiness. In Study 1, we found no significant association between antibody levels induced by vaccination and perceived body odor attractiveness, intensity, and healthiness. We also found no significant relationship between antibody levels and steroid hormones (testosterone and cortisol). In Study 2, we likewise found no association between basal key parameters (innate and adaptive) of the immune system and body odor quality. Our results indicate that body odor may not serve as a cue to the reactivity of the immune system.
Nasz gatunek stanąl w miejscu. Jeśli nic sie nie zmieni, dolączymy do skamienialości, takich jak ... more Nasz gatunek stanąl w miejscu. Jeśli nic sie nie zmieni, dolączymy do skamienialości, takich jak latimeria, lodzik czy jezowiec, wyglądających tak samo od...
Evolutionary Psychology, Apr 1, 2009
Frontiers in Psychology
Weisfeld CC and Valentova JV () Editorial: A years' celebration of Darwin's book on human evoluti... more Weisfeld CC and Valentova JV () Editorial: A years' celebration of Darwin's book on human evolution and sexual selection: its legacy and future prospects.
Group Processes & Intergroup Relations, 2022
Previous work has reported a relation between pathogen-avoidance motivations and prejudice toward... more Previous work has reported a relation between pathogen-avoidance motivations and prejudice toward various social groups, including gay men and lesbian women. It is currently unknown whether this association is present across cultures, or specific to North America. Analyses of survey data from adult heterosexuals ( N = 11,200) from 31 countries showed a small relation between pathogen disgust sensitivity (an individual-difference measure of pathogen-avoidance motivations) and measures of antigay attitudes. Analyses also showed that pathogen disgust sensitivity relates not only to antipathy toward gay men and lesbians, but also to negativity toward other groups, in particular those associated with violations of traditional sexual norms (e.g., prostitutes). These results suggest that the association between pathogen-avoidance motivations and antigay attitudes is relatively stable across cultures and is a manifestation of a more general relation between pathogen-avoidance motivations an...
Stężenia estradiolu i progesteronu, hormonów steroidowych cyklu menstruacyjnego, wpływają na pote... more Stężenia estradiolu i progesteronu, hormonów steroidowych cyklu menstruacyjnego, wpływają na potencjalną płodność i wiele apektów stanu zdrowia kobiet. Zmienność w stężeniach tych hormonów wykazana została pomiędzy populacjami, kobietami w obrębie tej samej populacji, oraz pomiędzy kolejnymi cyklami tej samej kobiety. Przyczyny tej zmienności wynikają przede wszystkim z warunków środowiskowych (tj. stylu życia). Głównym czynnikiem wpływającym na stężenia hormonów jest dostępność energii metabolicznej dla organizmu. Intensywne wydatkowanie energii (sport, praca fi zyczna) lub niedostateczna jej podaż w diecie i w rezultacie utrata masy ciała, skutkują supresją reprodukcyjną, polegającą na obniżeniu stężeń hormonów i w związku z tym obniżeniem szansy na zajście w ciążę. Wpływ czynników związanych ze stylem życia w dorosłości jest dobrze udokumentowany, ale nowsze badania wskazują również na znaczenie warunków rozwoju płodowego i rozwoju w dzieciństwie na stężenia hormonów. Badana jest również zależność stężeń hormonów od czynników genetycznych, a zwłaszcza polimorfi zmu genów cytochromowych. Zmienność stężeń hormonów najczęściej jest rozpatrywana na poziomie identyfi kacji czynników będących jej przyczyną i działających mechanizmów fi zjologicznych. Zmienność ta wymaga jednak również wyjaśnienia z perspektywy ewolucyjnej. W tym kontekście supresja reprodukcyjna w odpowiedzi na zredukowany dostęp energii metabolicznej nie jest zjawiskiem patologicznym, lecz adaptacją ewolucyjną, mającą na celu obniżenie prawdopodobieństwa ciąży w niekorzystnych dla matki i płodu warunkach, a w skali całego życia-zwiększenie sukcesu reprodukcyjnego kobiety.
Annals of Human Biology, 2019
Digit ratio (2d/4d) in humans is commonly used as a proxy for the exposure to oestrogens and andr... more Digit ratio (2d/4d) in humans is commonly used as a proxy for the exposure to oestrogens and androgens in prenatal life. Masculinisation/feminisation in adults may be also related to digit ratio and therefore to the oestrogen/androgen ratio in prenatal life. It has been shown, for instance, that Waistto-Hip ratio (WHR) and the amount and distribution of body fat are related to digit ratio in women. A species-specific, sexually dimorphic morphological trait in humans is also a pair of permanent breasts that develop during puberty, under the influence of oestrogens. Here we test if prenatal exposure to oestrogens (in relation to androgens), measured by digit ratio, may also be related to breast size in young, nulliparous women. 133 Turkish students (mean age 22.2) were measured. Breast size was calculated as the difference between breast and under-breast circumferences. We found that when controlling for body mass index (BMI), both right and left digit ratios correlate positively with breast size. This relationship is stronger for the digit ratio of the right hand, which confirms that this side is a better measure of sex differences. Thus, higher exposure to oestrogens in prenatal life is related with stronger expression of a sexually dimorphic trait, such as breast size, in adult women.
The data used in Wojciech Małecki, Bogusław Pawłowski, and Piotr Sorokowski,"Literary Fictio... more The data used in Wojciech Małecki, Bogusław Pawłowski, and Piotr Sorokowski,"Literary Fiction Influences Attitudes Toward Animal Welfare," PLOS ONE 11, no. 12 (December 22, 2016)<br><b></b>
PLOS ONE, Mar 10, 2021
Physical attractiveness has been shown to reflect women's current fecundity level, allowing a man... more Physical attractiveness has been shown to reflect women's current fecundity level, allowing a man to choose a potentially more fertile partner in mate choice context. However, women vary not only in terms of fecundity level at reproductive age but also in reproductive longevity, both influencing a couple's long-term reproductive success. Thus, men should choose their potential partner not only based on cues of current fecundity but also on cues of reproductive longevity, and both may be reflected in women's appearance. In this study, we investigated if a woman's facial attractiveness at reproductive age reflects anti-Mü llerian hormone (AMH) level, a hormone predictor of age at menopause, similarly as it reflects current fecundity level, estimated with estradiol level (E2). Face photographs of 183 healthy women (M age = 28.49, SD age = 2.38), recruited between 2 nd-4 th day of the menstrual cycle, were assessed by men in terms of attractiveness. Women's health status was evaluated based on C-reactive protein level and biochemical blood test. Serum AMH and E2 were measured. The results showed that facial attractiveness was negatively correlated with AMH level, a hormone indicator of expected age at menopause, and positively with E2, indicator of current fecundity level, also when controlled for potential covariates (testosterone, BMI, age). This might result from biological trade-off between high fecundity and the length of reproductive lifespan in women and greater adaptive importance of high fecundity at reproductive age compared to the length of reproductive lifespan.
Research Square (Research Square), Apr 11, 2023
Previous studies showed that intrauterine growth restrictions, resulting in smaller body size at ... more Previous studies showed that intrauterine growth restrictions, resulting in smaller body size at birth, are associated with altered development and the risk of age-related diseases in adult life. Thus, prenatal development may predict aging trajectories in humans. The study aimed to verify if body size at birth is related to biological age in adult men. The study sample consisted of 159 healthy, non-smoking men with a mean age of 35.24 (SD = 3.44) years. Birth weight and length were taken from medical records. The ponderal index at birth was calculated. Biological age was evaluated based on serum levels of s-Klotho, hsCRP, DHEA/S, and oxidative stress markers. Pregnancy age at birth, lifestyle, weight, cortisol, and testosterone levels were controlled. The results showed no relationship between birth size and s-Klotho, DHEA/S level, in ammation, or oxidative stress. Also, men born as small-for-gestational-age (N = 49) and men born as appropriate-for-gestational-age (N = 110) did not differ in terms of biological age markers levels. The results were similar when controlled for pregnancy week at birth, chronological age, BMI, testosterone, or cortisol level. The results suggest that there is no relationship between intrauterine growth and biomarkers of aging in men aged 30-45 years from the a uent population.
Scientific Reports, Jun 16, 2022
Glycemia is linked with one of the key mechanisms underlying the aging process and inter-individu... more Glycemia is linked with one of the key mechanisms underlying the aging process and inter-individual differences in biological age. Previous research showed that glucose level is linked with perceived age in elder individuals. This study aimed to verify if glycemia is related to perceived facial age in healthy adult individuals as interventions in younger and healthy cohorts are crucial for preventing the onset of age-related diseases. The study sample consisted of 116 healthy men of mean age 35.53 ± 3.54 years (29.95-44.29) and 163 healthy women of mean age 28.38 ± 2.40 (24.25-34.17) years. Glycemia was evaluated by fasting glucose, insulin, HOMA-IR, and glycated hemoglobin level. BMI, facial sexual dimorphism, estradiol, testosterone, and hsCRP levels were controlled. Perceived age was evaluated based on standardized facial photos in an online survey. Additionally perceived facial aging was calculated as a difference between perceived age and chronological age. No relationship between the levels of biochemical indicators of glycemia and perceived facial age or aging was found both in men and women, also when controlled for possible confounders. This study shows that perceived facial age in adult individuals is rather linked with body adiposity of sexual dimorphism but not with glycemic markers.
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Papers by Boguslaw Pawlowski
throughout history by countless scholars, activists, and writers,
including such greats as Thomas Hardy and Leo Tolstoy. This is the
first book to investigate that power and explain the psychological and
cultural mechanisms behind it. It does so by presenting the results of
an experimental project that involved thousands of participants, texts
representing
various genres and national literatures, and the cooperation
of an internationally acclaimed bestselling author. Combining psychological
research with insights from animal studies, ecocriticism, and
other fields in the environmental humanities, the book not only provides
evidence that animal stories can make us care for other species, but also
shows that their effects are more complex and fascinating than we have
ever thought. In this way, the book makes a groundbreaking contribution
to the study of relations between literature and the nonhuman world
as well as to the study of how literature changes our minds and society.