Beard Benefits
The male beard has become increasingly popular in recent years. Hipsters, bikers and sports stars have all shelved the razors for varying degrees of hairiness. What is driving the current trend in beardedness? Yes, that is a word. Well, I'm not sure, but it appears as though the presence of the beard offers some benefits in the form of improved standing with females, particularly women that are near ovulation. In a study published in April 2013, the researchers found, among many other things, that:
Our findings confirm that beardedness affects judgments of male socio-sexual attributes and suggest that an intermediate level of beardedness is most attractive while full-bearded men may be perceived as better fathers who could protect and invest in offspring.
The above study also showed that masculinity increased linearly with beard length. That means the longer the beard the more masculine the man. I'm sure there is some point of diminishing returns with beard length…but maybe we should ask ZZ top.
In addition to perceived attractiveness, masculinity, parenting and health perks, beards also offer other benefits. Bearded men are perceived to have higher social status, better immune systems, and confidence. So it appears as though the trend in increased beardedness may be driven by the improved standing with women and founded in the many benefits, real or perceived, by women.
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