I recently read a Swedish article on the psychology of beauty. Here are some findings:
-Beauty activates the brain´s reward system -Some features of beauty are universal. These are symmetry, a healthy looking hair and complexion. -Men are perceived as more attractive the more female admirers they have -Women with childish features (baby faced) are perceived as more attractive -Men with faces that are more attractive for women have a better immune system -Women prefer different male faces depending on their menstruation cycle. When they are most fertile during their menstruation cycle they prefer masculine looking faces but they prefer feminine looking faces at other times -Men generally prefer faces with feminine features and women faces with masculine features (but I also believe that faces with feminine features are perceived as most beautiful) -We used to believe that the most average looking face is the most beautiful. Now there are indications that the most beautiful faces have distinguished features. (Many of those features, however, I personally believe are cultural) -Attractive people are positively discriminated -The golden ratio, a type of proportion that often is used in art and architecture (a line divided in two parts a and b is considered to have a golden ratio if the ratio of a to b is the same as a to the length of a+b), has been shown to be biologically more pleasing than other proportions
2 Comments
Book
6/12/2011 12:28:48 am
Interesting findings. I am skeptical about the correlation between our immune system and our attractiveness. Do you think there could really be a causal link?
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Mr Hansson
6/12/2011 12:56:42 am
Book, I do not know. We always have to be distrustful when research has not been replicated and when the features in the face that could signal a strong immune system has not been identified. You can look for the study online, I only found it in a Swedish article. The study was conducted by Gillian Rhodes. The study found that the more attractive a man´s face was perceived by women, the more variety of genes that code for the immune system. It is far fetched explanation of the link, though. Testosterone creates masculine features in a face, but the hormone also have a negative effect on the immune system. A man with a masculine face signals that he has such a strong immune system that he is able to have a lot of testosterone. As I said, a far fetched explanation...
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AuthorThis is my class blog for IB Psychology. Here I will publish reflections on psychology, reviews of psychology books, recommended links, lecture notes, and information on psychology topics that are not covered by the syllabus. You are free to add comments or ask me questions. Archives
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