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Attention all those with large breasts: your asset could trigger aggression in other women. At least that’s what Science claims, in a new study published at the end of June. Explanations.
While we have all been jealous of a friend who nature has spoiled a little too much at some point in our lives, researchers say that breast size is a sensitive subject. It can indeed greatly encourage aggressive behavior in women… Explanations.
When C and D cups stick in our craw…
For this survey, published in the journal Sexes114 women, predominantly Hispanic, from Texas A&M International University were recruited. The average age of participants was 24 years, and the sample included both single and partnered women.
All were then shown a series of 12 retouched images highlighting different breast sizes (A, B, C and D cups) and levels of ptosis (no sagging, little sagging and significant sagging). The scientists then asked each candidate to rate her potential reaction to these exuberant breasts. Of particular interest to the research team were direct verbal aggression (yelling, insults) or indirect aggression (gossip, rumors).
The result? The researchers found that candidates were more likely to be competitive and aggressive toward women with larger breasts, particularly C and D cup sizes. Ptosis, on the other hand, was not associated with any particular denigration.
Intersexual competition against the dictatorship of bigwigs
For researchers, this behavior has a name: “intersexual competition.” In other words, large breast sizes would encourage women to perceive them as a sexual threat and to adopt tactics to compete with them.
This is a concept “based on evolutionary biology and which refers to the rivalry between individuals of the same sex to attract and find partners of the opposite sex”details the Psypost site.
For its part, the magazine Sexes confirms that “physical characteristics desired by the opposite sex can lead to competition between members of the same sex for access to potential mates”. Displaying a generous chest would thus be a significant physical asset – and attractive – for men. An attraction that could be explained by the (false) association between large chests and fertility.
It’s not the size that matters…
While the researchers’ findings support the results of past studies, they do have some limitations. For example, these studies rely solely on breast size and ptosis – instead of taking the breast in its entirety (intermammary distance and/or cleavage should be included in future studies), nipple positioning is not taken into account, and the analysis of verbal aggression is limited, since it only includes a single measurement.
Finally, does the limited sample of women in this study allow us to conclude that our civilized behaviors have not been able to escape from “archaic” reflexes linked to our evolution? Something to think about…