Face proportions
Plato's "golden proportions" of ideal face: width is 2/3 length, nose no longr than distance between eyes
Symmetry scientifically proven to be appealing to human eye; not proportions, but rather similarity between left and right sides of face
Test: babies spend more time staring at pictures of symmetric individuals than asymmetric ones
Also seen in other animals--more mating with symmetric individuals
Can't generalize too much because different cultures prefer different things. Western cultures prefer baby-like features, lke small jaw, small nose, large eyes, defined cheekbones--suggests that people with these features have more long-term potential as mates and increased level of reproductive fitness
Females preference of males changes throughout the month--during menustration, they prefer softer features on males
Both males and females prefer face in which forehead and jaw in vertical alignment
Body proportions
Men have preference for women with low waist-to-hip ratios (WHRs); research shows women with high WHR more likely to have health maladies, ie infertility and diabetes. HOWEVER, In southeast Peru, they prefer high WHRs. low WHRs=Western preference only?
Internal beauty
In experiment, 70% college students deemed instructer physically attractive when he acted friendly, but 30% when he acted "cold and distant"
Evolutionary biologists propose that symmetry attractive because it's a signal of health and genetic quality. (Chromosome disorders Down syndrome and Trisomy 14 have high levels of asymmetry; emotional and psychiological health)
But perfect symmetry unattractive because it's abnormal
Directional asymmetry vs. fluctuating asymmetry--Directional okay, fluctuating caused by genetic stresses=unattractive (mate quality)
Face proportions
Plato's "golden proportions" of ideal face: width is 2/3 length, nose no longr than distance between eyes
Symmetry scientifically proven to be appealing to human eye; not proportions, but rather similarity between left and right sides of face
Test: babies spend more time staring at pictures of symmetric individuals than asymmetric ones
Also seen in other animals--more mating with symmetric individuals
Can't generalize too much because different cultures prefer different things. Western cultures prefer baby-like features, lke small jaw, small nose, large eyes, defined cheekbones--suggests that people with these features have more long-term potential as mates and increased level of reproductive fitness
Females preference of males changes throughout the month--during menustration, they prefer softer features on males
Both males and females prefer face in which forehead and jaw in vertical alignment
Body proportions
Men have preference for women with low waist-to-hip ratios (WHRs); research shows women with high WHR more likely to have health maladies, ie infertility and diabetes. HOWEVER, In southeast Peru, they prefer high WHRs. low WHRs=Western preference only?
Internal beauty
In experiment, 70% college students deemed instructer physically attractive when he acted friendly, but 30% when he acted "cold and distant"
http://www.psy.uwa.edu.au/facelab/PublicFaces_files/Rhodes1998.pdf
Evolutionary biologists propose that symmetry attractive because it's a signal of health and genetic quality. (Chromosome disorders Down syndrome and Trisomy 14 have high levels of asymmetry; emotional and psychiological health)
But perfect symmetry unattractive because it's abnormal
Directional asymmetry vs. fluctuating asymmetry--Directional okay, fluctuating caused by genetic stresses=unattractive (mate quality)