Biological Attraction to Facial Symmetry

Biological Attraction to Facial Symmetry

Evolutionary

Advantage

• Facial Symmetry is percieved as a sign of good health.
• genes develop symmetrically and sickness creates imperfections in gene structure (Asymmetries)
• R.J. Edler cited research supporting the claim that facial symmetry is an important indicator ofworthiness for mating. Facial asymmetries begin to appear mainly in the first trimester of pregnancy

Example- Peacocks and Swallows

swallows and peacocks with symmetric tail feathers are particularly healthy and preferred by potential mates.

Perceptual Bias

• theory that we are hard-wired to prefer symmetry because it is easier to process visual symmetry than visual asymmetry
• Studies show we prefer symmetrical abstract art over relatively asymmetrical versions of the same piece

visual comparison

Facial Inversion study

which shape do you prefer?

• A.C. Little and B.C. Jones of the Royal Society of London hypothesize that symmetry has a bigger effect on the attractiveness or opposite-sex face than own-sex
• Inverting faces reduces ease of which they can be perceived as people
• evolutionary advantage explains that preference for the symmetrical is reduced with inversion
• perspective bias suggests that inversion will have no effect on preference because symmetry is attractive regardless

See the difference?

Difference with the Sexes

Celebrity phenomenon

• most celebrity faces are asymmetrical, yet we still idolize and find them to be the pinnacle of beauty

• Men with facial asymmetry ten to suffer more from depression, anxiety, headaches and stomach problems
• Women with facial asymmetry are less healthy and prone to emotional instability and depression
• studies show that women are more sexually fulfilled by men with symmetrical faces
• 8 out of 10 people prefer symmetrical faces

• most animals and humans exhibit mirror symmetry also called bilateral symmetry
• taken hold in animals (humans included) as many as 500 million years ago
• more asymmetrical your face is, the more likely you are to be aggresive