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).
Bonus: Average women from countries around the world...
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