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Take Several Hundred Photos of Faces: You Get The Average Man and Woman.
Post National Monitor ^ | 2/5/2011 | Post National Monitor

Posted on 02/06/2011 9:15:41 AM PST by Dallas59



Women

What feature makes a face attractive? Is it the average proportions of that face? We examined this popular theory ("averageness hypothesis") by conducting an experiment: We asked subjects to rate the attractiveness of all original faces and composites, which were calculated from 2, 4, 8, 16, 32, or 64 original faces. The results are: The attractiveness ratings of the transformed faces depend on the number of original faces that have been used to create them. The more original images were used to create the composite, the more attractive it was rated. (r = 0.57 ** for female faces, r = 0.64 ** for male faces). On the one hand this result tends to support the averageness hypothesis put forward by Langlois & Roggman (1990), on the other hand we could clearly show: The ratings of the morphed faces also depend on the attractiveness of the underlying original faces (r = 0.75 ** for female faces, r = 0.68 ** for male faces).

This means: Average faces are attractive, but not all of them. It is crucial which faces are used to compute an average face. Composites made from unattractive faces remain rather unattractive and average faces from attractive faces remain attractive. This clearly contradicts the averageness hypothesis, which holds that merely the number of faces contained in a composite alone accounts for the attractiveness ratings.

Surprisingly, especially male faces benefit from being blended together with respect to their attractiveness. This does not support older findings that found positive effects only for women. Bad image quality of the faces, especially blurred contours, may be the cause for it.

Why are the resulting average faces generally beautiful? One reason might be the fact that by calculating average proportions unpleasant asymmetries and irregularities become levelled out. Moreover, by blending together several faces wrinkles and pimples gradually disappear. As a consequence, the skin looks younger and perfectly smooth.

By conducting another experiment we could show that it is these skin-smoothing side effects rather than the averaged proportions that account for the increased attractiveness ratings of the composites (see reformed facial proportions).

Composite Of Europeans


TOPICS: Arts/Photography; Computers/Internet
KEYWORDS: faces; goldenratio; phi; photos
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To: DainBramage
so that is where Disney got their idea for their Madam Mim cartoon drawings


21 posted on 02/06/2011 11:59:46 AM PST by Optimist
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To: martin_fierro

oh thats so weird.


22 posted on 02/06/2011 12:11:17 PM PST by corkoman
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To: Eaker; Squantos; martin_fierro; Tijeras_Slim; Constitution Day; mikrofon

"Whadya think, Eaker?" "I don't know, Squantos. I guess we must be ABOVE average!"

23 posted on 02/06/2011 12:58:50 PM PST by Charles Henrickson (Face value.)
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To: Charles Henrickson

Whenever I see that photo, I’m always shocked and amazed when my first thought is, ‘The guy on the left is quite attractive when compared to his brother!”

LOL! *SHUDDER*


24 posted on 02/06/2011 1:02:07 PM PST by Diana in Wisconsin (I don't have 'Hobbies.' I'm developing a robust post-Apocalyptic skill set...)
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To: Charles Henrickson

Yep yep yep.....:o)


25 posted on 02/06/2011 1:32:11 PM PST by Squantos (Be polite. Be professional. But have a plan to kill everyone you meet)
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To: Diana in Wisconsin

Thank you.....it’s the watch .....;o)


26 posted on 02/06/2011 1:36:23 PM PST by Squantos (Be polite. Be professional. But have a plan to kill everyone you meet)
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To: martin_fierro; mikrofon

"Mike, I can't believe they didn't include us!" "I know, Marty! What were they thinkin'?"

27 posted on 02/06/2011 1:41:12 PM PST by Charles Henrickson (Face value.)
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To: Dallas59

It’s not “averageness” per se, it’s the absence of asymmetrical flaws and the presence of ideal proportions. It’s what makes any physical thing beautiful, good proportion and absence of flaw. A tree, a building, a car, a flower, a woman or child. It’s related to the so-called “Golden Mean” or phi proportion.

A great book that goes in depth on this was authored by Jonathan Hale, entitled “The Old Way Of Seeing.” He spends a great deal of time on architecture, because that’s his primary thesis in the book, that we’ve lost the ability to recognize just what makes us respond to a beautiful building, and instead use symbols and surface decoration in a futile attempt at regaining the old power and beauty. He does spend several chapters on the Golden Mean or Golden Ratio, phi proportions.

It’s worth the time, he’s an entertaining old fellow, pleasantly plodding along inventorying this or that grand old structure or cathedral with illustrations or photos, and discussing it’s strengths and weaknesses, then wham! off he goes into a stunning tangent that’s almost like some sort of vision. He does this several times throughout the course of the book. It’s actually one of my favorite books. Pretty cheap used on Amazon, don’t know if it’s on archive.org or not.


28 posted on 02/06/2011 1:54:56 PM PST by RegulatorCountry
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To: Charles Henrickson; Squantos; Diana in Wisconsin

Mom always said that with my classic good looks I would always do fine in the movies so she gave Squantos the watch!


29 posted on 02/06/2011 1:58:55 PM PST by Eaker (The problem with the internet, you're never sure the accuracy of the quotes. ~ Abraham Lincoln, 1865)
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To: Squantos

I do admire a punctual man! :)


30 posted on 02/06/2011 2:34:06 PM PST by Diana in Wisconsin (I don't have 'Hobbies.' I'm developing a robust post-Apocalyptic skill set...)
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To: Charles Henrickson; martin_fierro

Take several hundred faces of sportscasters....

31 posted on 02/06/2011 2:51:34 PM PST by mikrofon ("Seperated at Berth?")
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To: Optimist
oops hit link went away

32 posted on 02/06/2011 7:15:03 PM PST by Optimist
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