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2w ago

Peer-Reviewed Study Finds Penis Size Shapes Female Attraction and Male Rivalry Perceptions

Using life-sized and online 3D models, researchers report evidence that the trait functions as a sexual ornament and a cue in male–male competition.

Image
Researchers at the University of Western Australia asked more than 600 men and 200 women to rate computer-generated male figures which varied in height, body shape and penis size (Photo: Getty)
A young happy couple lying together in bed.
The new study found a man’s penis size plays a significant role in how others view both their attractiveness and fighting skills.

Overview

  • Women tended to rate men with larger penises, greater height and more V-shaped torsos as more sexually attractive, with diminishing returns at higher extremes.
  • Men consistently judged rivals with larger penises, taller stature and V-shaped bodies as more physically and sexually threatening, and they appeared to overestimate how much these traits matter to women.
  • The study asked over 600 men and more than 200 women to rate anatomically accurate, flaccid-state computer-generated figures that varied systematically by height, body shape and size.
  • Findings were robust across life-sized in-person projections and scaled online images, and the perceived effect on attractiveness was several times stronger than the signal of fighting ability.
  • The authors say the results support a dual role in sexual selection, while noting limits including a heterosexual-only sample and simplified stimuli that exclude facial, vocal and cultural cues.