Summary of:
Hendrie, C.A., Mannion, H.D., & Godfrey, G.K. (2009). Evidence to suggest that
nightclubs function as human sexual display grounds. Behaviour, 146(10), 13311348. doi:10.1163/156853909X427704
Summary by Brandon Ikeda, Mari Kawakami, and Andrew Satnick
For Dr. Mills’ Psyc 310 class, Fall, 2011
The study we decided to use was based on the sexual displays of females, the
competition amongst females, and females’ choosiness for a male partner. The
researchers introduce the different male bird species that typically attract females
through displays of ornamentation, like strutting or dancing behaviors, breast sac
inflation, and nest building; they also discussed female selectiveness, stemming
from the differences in male and female parental investment. Since females in many
species invest the most in parenting her offspring, the worthiness of her male
partner must be proven to secure the best genes that female can mate with and pass
on to the next generation. For those species where the male periodically or
permanently provide companionship to the female, the ability of the male to provide
for the female and her offspring (shelter, food, safety, etc.) is deeply considered as
well. Researchers in this study also provided information on an interesting
characteristic of sexual selection for females in certain species, like the moorhen:
female competition for male attention, common in species where males provide
significant levels of parental care. Since humans are included in the list of species
where female competition for male attention is applicable, physical condition is the
initial top priority for choosing a mall mate who will provide the most parental
investment for the offspring. In this particular study, to demonstrate female
competition for male attention in humans, researchers conducted a naturalistic
observation study, located in a dance club called Majestyk’s nightclub in the United
Kingdom. A nightclub was the chosen environment because of the openness and
obvious behaviors of the club-goers observed that could best characterize the sexual
displays the researchers needed to accumulate data. The researchers hypothesized
that young, sexually mature humans attend places like nightclubs to express sexual
displays (Hendrie, Mannion, & Godfrey 1332-1333).
The method used in this study was a naturalistic observational study, where
observers dressed accordingly to the environment and acted as a club-goer,
standing in a balcony area that overlooked the dance floor of the Majestyk nightclub.
Undercover researchers had small recorders attached to their clothes or in their
purse and real-time recordings were used with coded verbal commentaries.
Observations began when the club reached full capacity and about 70 hours of total
observation time was recorded, which resulted from about 30 visits to the nightclub.
Each observed female was studied for a maximum of 45 minutes to note her
behavior, but behavioral invitations to approach, like eye contact, smiling, and hand
gestures, were not recorded due to unreliability to measure from a distance.
Observed subjects were chosen strictly based on clothing and dancing style in a
quasi-random manner. The researchers included there was no contact between the
observers and those observed. The initiation of mutual dancing included 126
males/female pairs and 90 females were examined based on female clothing and
dance displays (Hendrie, Mannion, & Godfrey 1333-1334). To accurately and
consensually amongst observers, specific measurements were taken to record
clothing and dancing style. Clothing was taken into a skin exposure to skin covered
ratio based on the main body, arms, legs, and chest area. The fit of the clothing was
also measured, ranging from 0 to 3, with 0 being both top and bottom clothing loose
fitting and 3 being both top and bottom clothing tight fitting. The exposure of the
breast area was also taken note of separately from total flesh exposure. For a
consensus for measuring dancing displays, researchers created four categories to
note behavior: inactive, gentle, active, and highly active (Hendrie, Mannion, &
Godfrey 1336).
The results of this study further cemented the idea of females having their
own sort of display of ornamentation, using clothing and dancing style as high
predictors of male attraction. Out of the 1014 males and females reported entering
the club, about 20% of those were considered a couple due to unforced romantic
behaviors like holding hands and kissing. Out of the 80% potentially sexually
available subjects, 126 were observed mutually dancing, with 105 of those pairs
being males who approached the females. Only 21 males were approached to dance
by females. This demonstrates a major sex-difference in approach behavior, where
males are much more encouraged to approach females instead of vice-versa
(Hendrie, Mannion, & Godfrey 1337-1339). The females who exposed less than 20%
flesh, less than 25% of their chest area, and did not dance sexually suggestive did
not attract any males at all; 48% of females who did not dance sexually suggestive
only attracted 6% of males who approached. 52% of the women who engaged in
sexually suggestive dancing were approached by 96% of the males observed. The
females who had top and bottom clothing that were tight fitting, danced in a
sexually suggestive manner, exposed more than 40% of their flesh, and exposed
more than 50% of their chest area attracted 38% of all male approaches. The results
also found that there was a 50% increase in the number of couples leaving the
nightclub
The focus of this study was to observe the female intrasexual displays
through suggestive clothing and dance styles performed by the females in a
nightclub where those measurements were appropriately found. The data gathered
suggested that congregational locations like nightclubs promote the areas where
humans can exchange sexual displays. It is very interesting to note that females are
the ones competing against each other in a non-physical way to attract the most
males; however, once those males approach the females, she resumes to female
choosiness and makes the decision to accept or reject the male. Although skin and
chest exposure are strong predictors for male attention, there is a certain threshold
effect, in which the amount of skin exposed no longer received more male attention.
Too much skin and chest exposure may even intimidate or deter a male from
approaching, due to the public availability to this female’s body, unconsciously
hinting at infidelity ((Hendrie, Mannion, & Godfrey 1344). A female who is
approached by a male must immediately make a judgment about him, which is
based on physical appearance, to decide whether or not accept him as a dance
partner. She immediately knows he has some sort of confidence because he took the
risk of being rejected and felt the risk of another male approaching the desired
female was greater. This study provides insight for young, sexually mature adults to
reflect on how their clothing and dancing style represent their desire for a sexual
relationship (Hendrie, Mannion, & Godfrey 1346).
Critical Review
Interesting Points:
1. The Chart (Table 1) – This table shows, on average, there is a 50% increase in
the number of couples leaving nightclubs in comparison to the number of
couples originally arriving at the nightclub.
2. The article places the burden of “intrasexual selection” on human females –
that is, women are competing for access to human males, whereas it usually
male mammals that must compete for access to females (i.e. male elephant
seals)
3. There is a threshold of flesh exposure beyond which further exposure no
longer increases attractiveness to males
Weak or Confusing Points:
 Observer bias: observers making assumptions, thinking interactions are
significant when it may not be, misinterpreting flirting, etc.
 The observers only consider the physical interactions and do not consider
the explicit verbal communication that occurs between men and women.
 Among other things, the observers only collect data on the apparent net
amount of couples leaving the nightclub; however, they do not explain or
seem to consider the gross amount of approaches and rejections occurring
over the span of the night
Test Questions
Multiple-Choice
1. Whilst all males approaching females accept a risk of rejection those males
approaching females that are making the most intense displays may face a
higher risk given the likelihood of that female attracting further male
approaches. Males within this context are, therefore, clearly equipped with
the self-confidence to accept this risk, which maybe in turn be a behavioral
indicator of
a. dominance and/or potential resource holding ability
b. paternal insecurity
c. maternal insecurity
d. intersexual selection
2. Based on this research, women were most approached when they wore
clothes that were:
a. top and bottom loose fitting
b. top loose fitting; bottom tight fitting
c. top tight fitting; bottom loose fitting
d. top and bottom tight fitting
3. In this study, females were measured based on what variables:
a. fit of clothing, flesh exposure, facial expressions and dance style
b. dance style, fit of clothing, and facial expressions
c. chest exposure, flesh exposure, fit of clothing, and dance style
d. flesh exposure, chest exposure, and fit of clothing
Key: 1. A 2. D 3. C
T/F
1. This study suggests that only males make suggestive displays (i.e.
peacocking).
2. The mate selections of all sexually reproducing species, including humans,
are restricted by parental care requirements, the quality of mates that are
available and the intensity of competition for access to these.
3. Human females, in common with the females of many other species, are the
most selective about whom they consent to mate with as they are the sex that
typically makes the greatest parental investment.
Key 1. F 2. T 3. T
Outline:
I.
Panel Outline
Intro
a. Human Mating
i. Selection of all sexually reproducing species are restricted by:
1. Parental care requirements
2. Quality of mates that are available
3. Intensity of competition for access to resources
ii. Females “peacock” to attract males, for most species visa versa
b. Animal Species Mating
i. Red deer display physical strength & aggression to attract
female
ii. Male peacocks show their beautiful tails to attract female
c. Lekking species
II.
III.
i. Noun: An area used for communal display in the breeding
season by the males of certain birds and mammals, especially
the black grouse
ii. Where males are free from parental investment and do not
control resources essential to females, displays are most
common around male competition for females
iii. Where males do control resources and/or invest in parental
care, there can be a development of competition between
females
Methods
a. Observations made from balcony in nightclub
i. Observed interactions between males and females, differences
in strategies to attract
ii. Physical beauty was not taken into account
b. Female Strategies
i. Clothing display
1. Overall flesh exposure measured
2. Breast exposure measured
3. Fit of clothing measured (loose or tight)
ii. Dancing display
1. Inactive, gentle, active, highly active
a. Inactive being standing still/talking
b. Highly active being intense whole body
movements corresponding to music
2. Sexual or Intimate dancing
c. Male Response
i. Men approached if high skin exposure, high breast exposure,
highly active dancing
ii. Men essentially offer themselves for selection once female has
attracted them
Results
a. Nightclubs function as leks, or places to seek access to mates
i. Couples walking out of the club 50% higher than couples who
walked into the club (see Table 1)
ii. Women dress to impress, dance with few inhibitions
iii. There is a threshold of flesh exposure beyond which further
exposure no longer increases attractiveness to males
b. Initiating dance
i. Mostly men initiated dancing with females after they were
attracted to them
ii. Thereby placing females in competition with each other to
attract male approaches