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The gender attractiveness gap.

Eugen Wassiliwizky1, B P Zietsch2, Karel Kleisner3

  • 1Cognitive Neuropsychology, Max Planck Institute for Empirical Aesthetics, Frankfurt, Germany.

Proceedings. Biological Sciences
|May 26, 2026
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

In humans, women are rated more attractive than men, a reversal of typical animal traits. This gender attractiveness gap (GAP) is robust across cultures and sexes, particularly noted by female raters.

Keywords:
evolutionary psychologyfacial attractivenessgender gapmate preferencesexual dimorphism

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Area of Science:

  • Evolutionary Psychology
  • Human Behavior
  • Cross-Cultural Studies

Background:

  • Human mating preferences often deviate from typical animal sexual dimorphism.
  • The 'beautiful sex' designation for human females is debated but lacks empirical verification.
  • Previous research has not conclusively established a universal gender attractiveness gap.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To empirically verify the existence and extent of a gender attractiveness gap (GAP) in humans.
  • To investigate how factors like rater sex, culture, race, and age influence attractiveness judgments.
  • To explore the role of sexual shape dimorphism and rater stringency in the GAP.

Main Methods:

  • Conducted a large-scale, cross-cultural meta-analysis of facial attractiveness ratings.
  • Collected and analyzed data on same- and opposite-sex attractiveness judgments.
  • Utilized morphometric analyses to assess sexual shape dimorphism's contribution.

Main Results:

  • Confirmed a significant gender attractiveness gap (GAP), with female faces rated higher than male faces universally.
  • Observed the GAP is more pronounced among female raters and absent in self-ratings.
  • Found sexual shape dimorphism significantly contributes to the GAP and noted greater stringency in male raters.

Conclusions:

  • Facial attractiveness judgments in humans are complex, extending beyond heterosexual mate choice.
  • Attractiveness is influenced by facial structure, rater characteristics, and sociocultural contexts.
  • This study provides robust, large-scale evidence for a cross-cultural gender attractiveness gap.