Psychology: What Makes a Pretty Face

Researchers looked into what makes a pretty face.

By JIM PURCELL

In an article written by Alison Pearce Stevens for Science News For Students, the question is asked in psychological terms: What makes a pretty face?

Attractive people do draw more attention than the rest of us. Good looks can be a great asset for people in life. But, what is beauty? The answer to that question is not as simple as it seems. Researchers have discovered some elements that makes some more attractive than others.

Researchers have begun to look into how beauty affects not only people but other animals as well. By doing this work, some common features of 'what is beauty' have been noted.

Scientists have learned there is a practical side to beauty. A pretty face is likely to belong to a very healthy person. Another thought by researchers is that a pretty face may just be easier for our brains to process.

According to scientists, symmetry is important in the equation of beauty. The left and right sides look like each other. Maybe they are not mirror perfect, but they are close. It is reported that our eyes read faces with proportions that are roughly equal.

According to Anthony Little, a psychologist at the University of Stirling in Scotland, "Symmetry looks normal to us. And we then like it." This normality is equated to being average, Little said. Of course, in this sense "average" does not mean "so-so." Instead, average faces equate to a mathematical average (or mean) of most people's features.

Little pointed out that 'averageness' includes many different factors, including the size of features and their arrangement on a face. As an example, the distance between the center of a woman's eyes impacts whether she is considered beautiful. People would find her most attractive if the distance is just under half the distance between a woman's eyes and mouth.

For the full article, click HERE.