Brief Communication | Published:

Evolutionary fitness

Tall men have more reproductive success

Nature 403, 156 (13 January 2000) | Download Citation

Subjects

Abstract

Sexual selection is a well established evolutionary process based on preferences for specific traits in one sex by members of the other sex. It is important in the evolution of morphological traits, and several sexually dimorphic traits in humans, such as facial hair and facial shape1, are assumed to be the outcome of such a process. Here we demonstrate that taller men are reproductively more successful than shorter men, indicating that there is active selection for stature in male partners by women.

Access optionsAccess options

Rent or Buy article

Get time limited or full article access on ReadCube.

from$8.99

Rent or Buy

All prices are NET prices.

References

  1. 1.

    et al. Nature 394, 884–887 (1998).

  2. 2.

    , & Human Biol. 63, 19–30 (1991).

  3. 3.

    & Sociol. Health Illness 13, 149–166 (1991).

  4. 4.

    & J. Biosoc. Sci. 31, 525–536 (1999).

  5. 5.

    , & Deutsch. Med. Wochenschr. 116, 928–934 (1991).

  6. 6.

    et al. Ann. Hum. Biol. 17, 1–6 (1990).

  7. 7.

    Patterns of Human Growth (Cambridge Univ. Press, 1988).

  8. 8.

    et al. Circulation 88, 1437–1443 (1993).

  9. 9.

    et al. Int. J. Epidemiol. 26, 748–756 (1997).

  10. 10.

    Stature, Living Standards and Economic Development (Univ. Chicago, 1994).

  11. 11.

    J. Hum. Evol. 11, 697–701 (1982).

  12. 12.

    Rocznik Statystyczny Miasta Wroclawia (Miejski Ursad Statystyczny we Wroclawiu, Wroclaw, 1971).

Download references

Author information

Affiliations

  1. *Department of Anthropology, University of Wroclaw, ul. Kuznicza 35, 50-138 Wroclaw, Poland

    • B. Pawlowski

  2. ‡Institute of Anthropology, Polish Academy of Sciences, ul. Kuznicza 35, 50-951 Wroclaw, Poland

    • A. Lipowicz

Authors

  1. Search for B. Pawlowski in:

  2. Search for R. I. M. Dunbar in:

  3. Search for A. Lipowicz in:

Corresponding author

Correspondence to R. I. M. Dunbar.

To obtain permission to re-use content from this article visit RightsLink.

About this article

Publication history

Published

DOI

https://doi.org/10.1038/35003107

Further reading

Comments

By submitting a comment you agree to abide by our Terms and Community Guidelines. If you find something abusive or that does not comply with our terms or guidelines please flag it as inappropriate.