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Predicting attractiveness from face parts reveals multiple covarying cues
Chang Hong Liu1, Andrew W Young2, Jiaxin Li3
1Department of Psychology, Bournemouth University, Poole, Dorset, UK.
British Journal of Psychology (London, England : 1953)
|September 20, 2021
Summary
Facial attractiveness judgments from face parts correlate with whole-face perceptions. Left/right face halves predict attractiveness better than top/bottom halves, with larger regions yielding more accurate predictions.
Area of Science:
- Psychology
- Cognitive Science
- Vision Science
Background:
- Facial attractiveness perception studies typically use whole face images.
- Understanding how face parts contribute to overall attractiveness judgments is crucial.
Purpose of the Study:
- To compare attractiveness judgments from face parts to whole-face perceptions.
- To investigate the predictive accuracy of different facial regions for attractiveness.
Main Methods:
- Manipulating facial occlusion to occlude left/right or top/bottom halves.
- Segmenting faces into smaller horizontal regions (forehead, eyes, nose, mouth).
- Analyzing correlations between attractiveness judgments of face parts and whole faces.
Main Results:
- Attractiveness judgments of face parts are highly predictive of whole-face attractiveness.
- Left/right facial halves provided more accurate predictions than top/bottom halves.
- Larger facial regions (halves) yielded more accurate predictions than smaller regions (eyes, mouth), but even the forehead provided useful information.
Conclusions:
- Perceived facial attractiveness is determined by multiple covarying cues.
- The visual system can efficiently assess attractiveness from partial facial information.
- Attractiveness judgments are robust across different facial regions and scales.
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