Data from: Do prevailing environmental factors influence human preferences for facial morphology?

Prevailing environmental factors influence preferences for attractive
traits across many species. In humans, debate surrounds the role of
environmental pathogens and economic development in determining facial
attractiveness. We tested whether women and men’s preferences for facial
dimorphism, symmetry, skin tone, and adiposity differ among Melanesian
participants from 3 islands (Espiritu Santo, Efate, and Tanna) in Vanuatu
in the South West Pacific. These islands vary in their historical malarial
pathogens respectively from pronounced to almost absent and are
characterized by within and between island differences in economic
development, ranging from urbanized market-based economies to remote rural
horticultural communities. We found no support for the hypothesis that
masculine male faces or feminine female faces are more attractive in
environments with higher exposure to malarial pathogens or urban
development. However, preferences for facial symmetry were highest in
islands with higher malarial rates, possibly as symmetry indicates health
and guides mate selection in disease rich environments. However, past
evidence linking symmetry and health is weak, and we therefore interpret
our findings cautiously. Women from peri-urban communities preferred male
faces with lighter skin to rural and urban participants. Men from urban
areas stated higher preferences for symmetry than peri-urban and rural
male participants. All other effects were not statistically significant.
While cross-cultural studies comparing preferences between disparate
cultures provide evidence of associations between environmental effects
and preferences for some facial traits, our results suggest these
associations might not always persist at more fine-grain scales within
small-scale societies.