Facial Attractiveness Research Articles

Beyond body image: Self-face recognition and negative self-face evaluations in women at high risk for an eating disorder.

Although one's face represents a core aspect of one's physical appearance, it remains underexplored in eating disorder (ED) populations. The current study examined whether self-face recognition accuracy and evaluations differ in those at high (vs. low) ED risk. We also explored whether recognition accuracy and evaluations are related, and whether this relationship is moderated by ED risk status. Participants included 222 women of East/Southeast Asian (61%) and Caucasian (39%) ethnicity, stratified into low-ED-risk (n=124) and high-ED-risk (n=98). Participants completed measures of self-face recognition accuracy (difficulty recognizing their face and sensitivity to seeing their facial image) and evaluations (including perceived facial adiposity and attractiveness, and head dissatisfaction). Partially consistent with hypotheses, regression analyses revealed that participants at high (vs. low) risk showed poorer self-face recognition accuracy (greater difficulty) and more negative self-face evaluations (higher perceived adiposity, lower perceived attractiveness, greater head dissatisfaction). However, ED risk was not significantly associated with self-face recognition sensitivity. Inconsistent with expectations, whilst greater self-face recognition difficulty was associated with more negative self-face evaluations, ED risk failed to moderate such effects. Findings suggest the potential value of considering face and body image disturbances in ED research and interventions. Further research is encouraged.

Facial attractiveness does not modify the perceived trustworthiness of ethnic minority men

Immigrants, and particularly immigrant men, are often stereotyped as untrustworthy in European societies. However, little research has examined how stereotypes of characteristics other than ethnicity might impact natives’ perceptions of the trustworthiness of immigrants. Here, I test whether facial attractiveness, a trait associated with a variety of positive stereotypes, might modify ethnic biases in trustworthiness perceptions. I vary facial attractiveness and ethnicity using photo and name stimuli presented in a hypothetical “lost wallet” vignette, in which respondents assess the likelihood of the pictured man returning their lost wallet. Results from an German online panel survey indicate that while attractiveness has a modest positive effect on perceived trustworthiness, the value of attractiveness does not differ between ethnic majority German men and men with a Turkish migration background. Rather, the largest differences in the perceived trustworthiness of Turkish-origin men are found between respondents with inclusionary and exclusionary immigration attitudes, with inclusionary respondents reporting that Turkish-origin vignette persons are more trustworthy than ethnic majority German vignette persons. These results suggest that physical attractiveness does not act as a substantial moderator of ethnic biases in trustworthiness perceptions, but that immigration attitudes are highly relevant.

Behavioral and neural evidence for the underestimated attractiveness of faces synthesized using an artificial neural network

Recent advancements in artificial intelligence (AI) have not eased human anxiety about AI. If such anxiety diminishes human preference for AI-synthesized visual information, the preference should be reduced solely by the belief that the information is synthesized by AI, independently of its appearance. This study tested this hypothesis by asking experimental participants to rate the attractiveness of faces synthesized by an artificial neural network, under the false instruction that some faces were real and others were synthetic. This experimental design isolated the impact of belief on attractiveness ratings from the actual facial appearance. Brain responses were also recorded with fMRI to examine the neural basis of this belief effect. The results showed that participants rated faces significantly lower when they believed them to be synthetic, and this belief altered the responsiveness of fMRI signals to facial attractiveness in the right fusiform cortex. These findings support the notion that human preference for visual information is reduced solely due to the belief that the information is synthesized by AI, suggesting that AI and robot design should focus not only on enhancing appearance but also on alleviating human anxiety about them.

Investigating Potential Interactive Effects Between Limbal Rings and Facial Attractiveness

AbstractLimbal rings are dark bands in the eyes that circle the iris. Previous research suggests that the presence of limbal rings augments perceptions of male faces as healthy and attractive, particularly among female perceivers. Nonetheless, a degree of heterogeneity exists in attractiveness effects across different stimulus sets. One possibility of this discrepancy could be previously undetected differences in attractiveness across different social targets that impede a clearer understanding for the signal value of limbal rings. Namely, it could be possible that the attractiveness advantage of faces with limbal rings is most apparent among highly attractive stimuli. This study sought to reconcile this discrepancy by developing a novel stimulus set that systematically varies the attractiveness of social targets in addition to the presence of limbal rings in male faces. Women evaluated these targets based on perceptions of their health and attractiveness. Although limbal rings continued to augment perceptions of health in male faces, no differences emerged in the attractiveness of faces with and without limbal rings.

Social conformity updates the neural representation of facial attractiveness

People readily change their behavior to comply with others. However, to which extent they will internalize the social influence remains elusive. In this preregistered electroencephalogram (EEG) study, we investigated how learning from one’s in-group or out-group members about facial attractiveness would change explicit attractiveness ratings and spontaneous neural representations of facial attractiveness. Specifically, we quantified the neural representational similarities of learned faces with prototypical attractive faces during a face perception task without overt social influence and intentional evaluation. We found that participants changed their explicit attractiveness ratings to both in-group and out-group influences. Moreover, social conformity updated spontaneous neural representation of facial attractiveness, an effect particularly evident when participants learned from their in-group members and among those who perceived tighter social norms. These findings offer insights into how group affiliations and individual differences in perceived social norms modulate the internalization of social influence.

An Investigation of the Effects of Mask-Wearing on Confidence Levels of Young People to Middle Age in Bangkok Metropolitan Region

The COVID-19 pandemic necessitated widespread mask-wearing to prevent disease transmission. Initial studies indicated that 89% of the Thai population wore masks, rising to 96% when mandated. Even after the pandemic, mask-wearing persisted due to factors beyond health concerns. This research examines the phenomenon of “Mask Fishing,” where individuals believe masks enhance their attractiveness, a trend popularized on TikTok. The study explores the psychological impacts of mask-wearing, including increased confidence and reduced self-esteem. Additionally, masks have been found to improve perceived facial attractiveness, particularly enhancing the appearance of eyes. This study investigates these hidden factors, focusing on how mask-wearing affects personal confidence, communication, and facial expressions.

A beautiful face is good when we're judged by others, a moral character is better.

Moral beauty, reflected in one's actions, and facial beauty both affect how we're judged. Here, we investigated how moral and facial beauty interactively affect social judgments and emotional responses, employing event-related brain potentials. Participants (all female) associated positive, neutral, or negative verbal information with faces scoring high or low on attractiveness and performed ratings of the faces as manipulation checks. In a separate test phase, the faces were presented again, and participants made valenced social judgments of the persons. Results show a dominance of moral beauty in valenced social judgments as well as ERPs related to reflexive and evaluative emotional responses (early posterior negativity, EPN, late positive potential, LPP), whereas facial attractiveness mattered little. In contrast, facial attractiveness affected visual processing (N170). Similarly, relatively shallow impressions of attractiveness and likability that require no knowledge about the person were influenced by both facial attractiveness and social-emotional information. This pattern of dominant effects of social-emotional information regardless of attractiveness shows that when it comes to our emotional responses and social judgments, moral beauty is what matters most, even in the face of physical beauty.

The Impacts of Frontliners’ Physical Attractiveness on Customer Participation in Resort Hotels: A Conceptual Paper Contribute to SDGs

Objective: This conceptual paper proposes a model to identify how resort hotel consumers’ participation intention and appreciation relate to their impressions of service frontliners. By deeper understand consumers participation to promote decent work and economic growth, and sustainable development goals (SDGs). Theoretical Framework: The main concepts and theories underpinning the research are presented, with the Stimulus-Organism-Response (S-O-R) theory serving as the foundation. This paper provides a research framework that investigates the direct relationship between hotel frontliners' physical attractiveness (Stimulus) and consumer participation intention (Response), with consumer appreciation (Organism) acting as a mediator. Physical attractiveness in this study is represented by three dimensions: dressing, health, and facial attractiveness. Method: The conceptual model was developed based on existing theories, through a review of literature from psychology, sociology, and service marketing. Research Implications: The practical and theoretical implications of this research are discussed. This conceptual paper offers a tool for researchers to explore consumer behaviours in relation to service frontliners’ physical attributes. The knowledge exploration will contribute to SDG8, decent work and economic growth. Originality/Value: This study addressed the underlying process between physical attractiveness and consumer participation intention and identified consumer appreciation as a mediator between frontliner attractiveness and consumer participation.

Remembrances of Paul Locher

Paul Locher passed away on 20 August 2024. Paul was an outstanding scientist and a central figure in the field of empirical aesthetics. He made important contributions to numerous areas including the study of symmetry, balance, facial attractiveness, museum behaviour, artwork composition and restoration, and aesthetics of food, but in particular to the study of eye movements in aesthetic appreciation of artworks. Indeed, his research on eye tracking is a touchstone for visual perception in empirical aesthetics. Here, a group of Paul's colleagues remember and celebrate him through a set of recollections that honour how he shaped their research and lives. It is hoped that this will offer a glimpse into the wonderful scholar and human being that Paul was, and why he will be sorely missed.

Influence of Nasolabial Angle on Facial and Smile Attractiveness

Influence of Nasolabial Angle on Facial and Smile Attractiveness

Esthetic preferences of orthodontists, general dentists, and laypersons for Indian facial profiles: A cross-sectional study.

Background: Disparity in the esthetic perceptions between a patient and clinician could result in patient dissatisfaction with orthodontic treatment outcomes. The aim of this study was to compare the perceptions of a group of orthodontists, general dentists, and laypersons about the attractiveness of Indian facial profiles. Methods: In this study, a male and a female participants' photographs and lateral cephalograms were digitally manipulated by inserting them into Dolphin software; we considered four soft tissue parameters at a nasolabial angle, upper lip E-line, lower lip E-line, and pg-pg', so that 20 profiles were created for each model. A visual analog scale (VAS) along with a question about surgical correction opinion was given to 18 orthodontists, 18 general dentists, and 18 laypersons to score (1-5) from least to most attractive. Spearman's rank correlation was computed to assess correlation, as well as ANOVA, followed by post hoc Tukey analysis to compare the mean scores, and Chi-square test to determine the opinion about surgical treatment. Results: There was an overall weak and negative correlation between the three groups, indicating that orthodontists attributed lower pleasantness scores to almost all the altered female and male facial profiles. Additionally, statistically significantly lower mean scores were attributed by orthodontists to many females and few male facial profiles. More orthodontists identified the need for surgical correction for a few severely distorted profiles but there was a statistically non-significant difference among the groups for most of the profiles. Conclusions: It was concluded that participants in the three groups had diverse concepts of facial attractiveness in all the parameters considered. Compared to general dentists and laypersons, orthodontists were much more precise, firmer, and meticulous in identifying a favorable or good-looking profile.

Enhancements in Clinical Practice in the Contemporary Landscape of Male Facial Attractiveness

The concept of gender has evolved significantly in recent decades, moving from a binary status to a multiplicity of gender types. In today’s world, the new reality of the concept of masculinity, as defined socially and historically, must be recognized and accepted by aesthetic medicine. Consequently, aesthetic doctors will have to adapt the views and treatment plans that they propose in their consultations to the ideals of beauty, as well as with the roles, behaviors, and attributes considered masculine within their society. Each facial feature suggests a personality characteristic that represents that individual. This expert opinion article aims to assess Caucasian male gender-related anatomical facial features and achieve an expert agreement on the association of specific features with the perception of attractiveness, masculinity, and personality traits in order to cover the wide range of current male representations, as well as to provide orientation for clinical practice improvement in the contemporary landscape of facial masculinization.

Romantic bias in judging the attractiveness of faces wearing masks.

The spread of COVID-19 has drastically increased the number of people wearing masks in public areas and the opportunities to evaluate others' faces based on limited information. This study investigates the cognitive bias in judging the attractiveness of faces partially hidden by sanitary masks. Experiment 1 revealed that men rated women's faces as more attractive when wearing masks, specifically in the context of rating women as romantic partners; however, this mask bias was absent when men rated women as friends. On the other hand, women did not show the mask bias irrespective of the assumed social relationship. Experiment 2 demonstrated that the mask bias among elderly men was less affected by the assumed social relationship (or the possibility of reproduction), compared to young men, though they showed the bias itself. These results suggest that the cognitive strategies related to reproduction underlie the attractiveness judgment of the partial faces.

Efficacy of Vitamin B12 and Adenosine Triphosphate in Enhancing Skin Radiance: Unveiled with a Drug-Target Interaction Deep Learning-Based Model.

Skin radiance is crucial for enhancing facial attractiveness and is negatively affected by factors like hyperpigmentation and aging-related changes. Current treatments often lack comprehensive solutions for improving skin radiance. This study aimed to develop a cosmetic formula that enhances skin radiance by reducing hyperpigmentation and improving skin regeneration by targeting specific receptors-the endothelin receptor type B (EDNRB) for hyperpigmentation and the adiponectin receptor 1 (ADIPOR1) for sagging and wrinkles. To achieve this, we used artificial intelligence technologies to screen and select ingredients with an affinity for EDNRB and ADIPOR1. Vitamin B12 (VitB12) was identified as a molecule that targets EDNRB, which is involved in melanogenesis. Adenosine triphosphate (ATP) targets ADIPOR1, which is associated with skin regeneration. VitB12 successfully inhibited intracellular calcium elevation and melanogenesis induced by endothelin-1. In contrast, ATP increased the mRNA expression of collagen and elastin and promoted wound healing. Moreover, the VitB12 and ATP complex significantly increased the expression of hyaluronan synthases, which are crucial for skin hydration. Furthermore, in human participants, the application of the VitB12 and ATP complex to one-half of the face significantly improved skin radiance, elasticity, and texture. Our findings provide valuable insights for the development of skincare formulations.

Assessment of mini-aesthetics in Class I malocclusion subjects who underwent orthodontic treatment with or without extraction of four premolars – A prospective study

Smile and facial attractiveness are strongly correlatedThis study aimed to assess the effect of extraction or non-extraction orthodontic treatment on mini-aesthetics in patients with Class I malocclusion by measurement of the smile variables.A total of 56 subjects were selected and grouped as Group 1- treated non-extraction, Group 2A-treated with extraction of first premolars and groups 2B- treated with extraction of second premolar teeth. Each subject was photographed with a posed smile and NHP using DSLR camera. The images were then imported into a computer software and the following smile parameters were assessed: gingival display, smile index, maxillary incisor display on smile and buccal corridor ratio.The mean measured maxillary incisor display was 1.39±0.34, 2.31±0.50 and 0.90±0.19mm in Group 1, Group 2A and Group 2B. The mean measured gingival display on smiling was 0.07±0.07, 0.38±0.65 and 0.07±0.15mm in Group 1, Group 2A and Group 2B. The mean measured smile index was 0.15±0.68, 1.20±0.22 and 0.95±0.41 in Group 1, Group 2A and Group 2B. The mean measured buccal corridor ratio was 0.83±0.39, 1.59±0.26 and 1.26±0.31 in Group 1, Group 2A and Group 2B. There was an increase in maxillary incisor display after fixed Orthodontic treatment in the non-extraction group and a decrease in first premolar extraction group while second premolar extraction group showed no changes. Smile index was increased post-treatment in first premolar and second premolar extraction group while non-extraction group showed no significant difference. Buccal corridor ratio decreased in first premolar and second premolar extraction groups while non-extraction group showed no changes.

Do lifestyle and hormonal variables explain links between health and facial attractiveness?

Facial attractiveness has recently been considered an indicator of underlying immunocompetence. However, studies examining this relationship have yielded mixed findings. Previous research suggested that these discrepant findings could be due to the common influence of lifestyle factors upon both rated facial attractiveness and health. Young men (N = 162) provided standardized facial photos with a neutral expression subsequently rated by eight women for overall attractiveness. Saliva was assayed for immunoglobulin A, testosterone (T) and cortisol (C), and body fat was measured using a skinfold caliper. Self-reports of poor health, and lifestyle factors that could influence health status (age, sleep habits, smoking, drinking alcohol, family stress, and exercising) were collected. Results showed that symptoms of poor health and skinfold negatively predicted facial attractiveness. There was a modest but statistically non-significant T x C interaction where higher T lower C men trended toward having more attractive faces. A sequential mediation model examining the influence of lifestyle showed support for an indirect effect on facial attractiveness. Specifically, skinfold and poor health symptoms mediated the links between exercise, stress, and facial attractiveness. These findings suggest links between facial attractiveness and immunocompetence could be linked to some common lifestyle and hormonal variables, but that more comprehensive research involving lifestyle indicators (such as nutrition) are necessary.

Cross-Sectional Study on Self-Perception of Dento-Facial Asymmetry.

Background and Objectives: Facial symmetry is a key component of facial beauty and attractiveness. However, perfect symmetry is rare, and slight asymmetries, also known as natural asymmetries, are common and contribute to the uniqueness of each face. The perception of facial asymmetry varies among individuals and can be influenced by several factors. This study aimed to investigate the self-perception of dento-facial asymmetry among a sample of Romanian individuals, focusing on their awareness, the extent to which it bothers them, and their desire for correction. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional analytical study was conducted with 283 participants from Romania between January and February 2024. Participants completed a questionnaire designed to assess their self-perception of facial asymmetry and socio-demographic characteristics. The questionnaire included 10 questions on self-perception of facial asymmetry and 8 questions on socio-demographic data. Statistical analysis was performed using SPSS 26.0, and the Pearson Chi-square test was used for comparative analysis. Results: The sample was predominantly female (75.3%) with an average age of 32.24 years. Most participants were from urban areas (80.6%) and had university degrees (58.7%). About 28.7% of participants observed facial asymmetry, with dental asymmetry being the most frequently reported, followed by asymmetries in the eyebrows and eyelids. The right side of the face was more commonly perceived as asymmetric. Although 24.4% of participants were bothered by their asymmetry, 39.2% expressed a desire to correct it. Conclusions: One-third of participants identified dento-facial asymmetry, with the dental level being the most reported. A significant portion of participants expressed a desire to correct their asymmetries, highlighting the importance of understanding self-perception in the context of facial aesthetics. This study underscores the subjective nature of facial asymmetry perception and the varying thresholds for what is considered bothersome or in need of correction.

Patterns of Heterosexual Sex in Popular Netflix Series: A Content Analysis of Age, Race, Face Attractiveness, and Body Type

AbstractThe portrayal of diverse ages, races, face attractiveness, and body types in sexual media content might impact societal perceptions of sexuality, delineating which individuals are deemed sexually appealing and whose sexuality is normalized. Despite extensive research on demographics within pornography, the representation within mainstream media, particularly on streaming platforms like Netflix, remains underexplored. The current study addresses this gap by employing quantitative content analysis to examine the diversity of characters in sexual contexts within seven highly popular Netflix series. We coded the age, race, face attractiveness, and body type of 91 characters (45 female characters) that appeared in mixed-gender sexual encounters (i.e., sexual encounters between a woman and a man). The study reveals a predominant adherence to stereotypical demographics and conventional beauty standards. The sexual scenes presented mostly younger individuals and revealed a notable underrepresentation of individuals aged 40 +. Racial diversity among characters was more evident. Female characters were predominantly depicted as conventionally attractive and were almost exclusively portrayed with skinny body types, while male characters exhibited a wider range of physical appearances. This study highlights a gap in the media’s inclusivity efforts and suggests a need for more comprehensive representation to reflect a broader spectrum of age and beauty ideals in the portrayals of human sexuality. While our study is limited to analyzing media representations, future research should include longitudinal experimental studies to evaluate their impact on people’s sexualities.

The beauty premium: Physicians’ facial expressions and patients’ selection and evaluation behavior in online health communities

BackgroundWith the development of information technology, online health communities (OHCs) are becoming an increasingly popular source of health information. ObjectivesWhile the impact of beauty has been extensively studied in various research fields, its role in OHCs has received little attention. This study aims to evaluate the effect of physicians’ appearance, smile, and positive emotions on patients’ selection and evaluation behavior in OHCs. Additionally, it explores the difference in the beauty premium among different types of physicians. MethodsOver 13,000 images of physicians and their relevant information were collected from the Good Doctor website, which is now China's leading OHC. We identified facial features in physicians’ photos based on deep learning and used Ordinary Least Squares (OLS) regression models to estimate the relationship between physicians’ facial expressions and patients’ behavior. We used PSM to address endogeneity issues and test the robustness of the results. ResultsThis study found that physicians’ appearance and smile positively impact patients’ selection and evaluation behavior, the results indicated that the beauty premium does exist in OHCs. In addition, heterogeneity analysis showed that the beauty of high titles, longer service duration of physicians has a greater influence on patients’ selection and evaluation behavior. ConclusionsThe beauty premium exists in OHCs. Therefore, this study provides new evidence on the impact of physicians’ facial attractiveness in OHCs and provides useful insights for patients, physicians, and platforms about the relationship between physician's structured or unstructured information and patients’ decision-making behaviors.

What is good is beautiful (and what isn’t, isn’t): How moral character affects perceived facial attractiveness.

What is good is beautiful (and what isn’t, isn’t): How moral character affects perceived facial attractiveness.