Sex Differences in Fearful Personality Traits Are Mediated by Physical Strength

Across cultures, women reliably exhibit higher levels of Neuroticism than men. Recent work shows that this sex difference, particularly in Neuroticism’s anxiety facet, is partly mediated by the difference physical strength. We build on finding testing pre-registered predictions mediation strength differences HEXACO Emotionality and its Anxiety Fearfulness facets (HEXACO stands for factors honesty–humility, emotionality, extraversion, agreeableness, conscientiousness, openness to experience). Facultative calibration models predict these two facets, but not necessarily Emotionality’s other will be adaptively adjusted during ontogeny a person’s relative formidability. Results from five samples U.S. undergraduates (total N = 1,399) showed (women > men) all effect was strongest weakest Sentimentality. Overall, findings are consistent with hypothesis explains found fearful anxious personality traits.