Is Beauty in the Face of the Beholder?

Abstract

Opposing forces influence assortative mating so that one seeks a similar mate while at the same time avoiding inbreeding with close relatives. Thus, mate choice may be a balancing of phenotypic similarity and dissimilarity between partners. In the present study, we assessed the role of resemblance to Self’s facial traits in judgments of physical attractiveness. Participants chose the most attractive face image of their romantic partner among several variants, where the faces were morphed so as to include only 22% of another face. Participants distinctly preferred a “Self-based morph” (i.e., their partner’s face with a small amount of Self’s face blended into it) to other morphed images. The Self-based morph was also preferred to the morph of their partner’s face blended with the partner’s same-sex “prototype”, although the latter face was (“objectively”) judged more attractive by other individuals. When ranking morphs differing in level of amalgamation (i.e., 11% vs. 22% vs. 33%) of another face, the 22% was chosen consistently as the preferred morph and, in particular, when Self was blended in the partner’s face. A forced-choice signal-detection paradigm showed that the effect of self-resemblance operated at an unconscious level, since the same participants were unable to detect the presence of their own faces in the above morphs. We concluded that individuals, if given the opportunity, seek to promote “positive assortment” for Self’s phenotype, especially when the level of similarity approaches an optimal point that is similar to Self without causing a conscious acknowledgment of the similarity.

The attractive lip: A photomorphometric analysis

“…First, one must consider that to a certain extent, one's perception of the beauty of a face or facial region, being dependent on ethnic, demographic, or even occupational factors, is subjective, 15,16 which is why this study may be specific for a central European population. Furthermore, one might perceive certain facial structures that remind one of a loved person as particularly beautiful, thus leading to a slightly biased evaluation of shown image material.…”

The self prefers itself? Self-referential versus parental standards in face attractiveness

“…Moreover, Laeng, Vermeer & Sulutvedt (2013) found that attractiveness judgments on self-morphs combined with attractive strangers peaked at 22%, relative to 11% or 33% morphs. This may indicate that 22% approximates the optimal amount of likeness in order to prevent avoidance mechanisms of primary incest.…”

Perspectives: Hamilton's Legacy: Mechanisms of Kin Recognition in Humans

“…Faces that are manipulated to be dissimilar to an individual (negative resemblance) are rated as less trustworthy and attractive (Krupp et al 2012), which the authors suggest could be a mechanism for the allocation of spite. Individuals rate photographs of their romantic partners morphed with their own photograph (beneath the level of detection) as more attractive than partners' photographs morphed with other individuals' photographs, consistent with an optimal level of outbreeding and inbreeding (Laeng et al 2013).…”

“…Individuals rate photographs of their romantic partners morphed with their own photograph (beneath the level of detection) as more attractive than partners’ photographs morphed with other individuals’ photographs, consistent with an optimal level of outbreeding and inbreeding (Laeng et al. ).…”