Hand Grip Strength and Self-Perceptions of Physical Attractiveness and Psychological Well-Being

Abstract

This study investigated the link between handgrip strength and self-rated physical attractiveness, sexual history, and social characteristics in 145 male university students. Handgrip strength correlated with both height and weight, as well as self-perceived happiness, health, social confidence overall physical attractiveness, and overall number of sexual partners. It also correlated with self-assessed physical fitness levels and there was a predictable link between handgrip strength and age of first sexual intercourse. It is argued that handgrip strength is an indicator of both genetic quality and developmental health. Limitations of the study are acknowledged.

Mate Preferences in Young Iranian Women: Cultural and Individual Difference Correlates

“…Second, we used a large number of single-item measures (e.g., selfrated intelligence, self-perceived attractiveness, and religiosity). It is recommended for future research to extend the present findings using psychometrically robust measures (e.g., for self-perceived attractiveness, see Sneade and Furnham 2016).…”

Lack of Correlation between Facial Sexual Dimorphism, Fluctuating Asymmetry and Self-Perceived Attractiveness in Men and Women

“…There is growing evidence that handgrip strength (HGS) can be considered as a general measure of health, physical fitness, psychological well-being, dominance and reproductive success [11]. Furthermore, self-perceived attractiveness and HGS also appear to correlate positively [12]. We explore two major hypotheses using high-density 3D facial scans.…”

Handgrip Strength as a Darwinian Fitness Indicator in Men

“…Future research could also examine the relationship between HGS and measures of genetic quality, including the previously hypothesized connection between HGS and semen quality ( Gallup and Gallup, 2016 ). Given the growing number of studies linking male HGS to specific measures of personality and psychological well-being ( Fink et al, 2010 , 2016b ; Hugill et al, 2011 ; Sneade and Furnham, 2016 ), another potentially fruitful area of research would be to examine how HGS correlates with status seeking, ambitious/industriousness, and competitiveness, as well as measures of resource acquisition among men and women within developed countries (i.e., income, employment status, and ranking/promotion).…”

“…Studies with only male participants have consistently linked HGS to measures of bodily attractiveness. Recently, HGS was shown to be positively correlated with self-reported ratings of overall physical attractiveness ( Sneade and Furnham, 2016 ). In two other recent studies, men with high HGS were perceived to have more attractive gaits compared with weaker men, as rated by female samples from a set of diverse cultural backgrounds ( Fink et al, 2016a , 2017 ).…”

“…While the studies referenced above support a link between male HGS and reproductive competition, measures of sexual behavior and offspring production obviously represent more direct indicators of fitness. To date, four studies have investigated the association between HGS and self-reported sexual behavior (two including both sexes: Gallup et al, 2007 ; Varella et al, 2014 ; and two with just men: Shoup and Gallup, 2008 ; Sneade and Furnham, 2016 ). In all cases, spanning a variety of industrialized cultures, HGS in men was positively correlated with lifetime number of sex partners or specific measures of promiscuity.…”