Men with facial hair are more likely to value archaic gender norms and roles, according to a recent study.

Australian researchers found that men with facial hair are more likely to be sexist towards women. The study reveals that facial hair, like many masculine secondary sexual traits, plays a significant role in perceptions of an array of sociosexual traits in men, Essence reported.

"Our research suggests that there is a link between beards and gender role beliefs, but it's not apparent what causes this association," researchers said according to The Telegraph.

For the study, researchers collected and analyzed data from 500 men from the United States and India. They were asked to take a survey that measured demographic variables, ambivalent sexism, and facial hair status. The participants were categorized "by whether or not they were clean-shaven or had some facial hair (mustaches, beards, goatees, etc.)," Essence reported.

They found that men with facial hair were significantly higher in hostile sexism than clean-shaven men; hostile sexism was a significant predictor of facial hair status over and above demographic variables; and facial hair was more frequent among ambivalent and hostile sexists than among benevolent and non-sexists. It is suggested that sexist men choose to grow facial hair because it maximizes sexual dimorphism and augments perceived masculinity and dominance.

The findings are detailed in the journal Archives Of Sexual Behavior.