Visual attention to variation in female facial skin color distribution

Fink, Bernhard; Matts, Paul J.; Klingenberg, Heiner; Kuntze, Sebastian; Weege, Bettina; Grammer, Karl

doi:10.1111/j.1473-2165.2008.00382.x

Cited by 66 publications

(58 citation statements)

References 37 publications

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“…Eye movements are important visual attention measurements because where a person looks or fixates on indicates the initial stage before the stimulus is processed and encoded (Yantis, 2005). Moreover, attractiveness is a strong factor in determining visual attention, as demonstrated in previous research showing that (1) people focus more attention on relevant versus irrelevant information (Suschinsky et al, 2007), (2) infants gaze longer at attractive or familiar adults (Langlois et al, 1987), and (3) men stare longer at attractive female faces (Fink et al, 2008;Maner, DeWall, & Gailliot, 2008). Specifically, eye tracking studies show that people look longer at images that portray the opposite sex and limit their viewing of the face when the image contains erotic content (Lykins, Meana, & Kambe, 2006; see also Rupp & Wallen, 2007).…”

Section: Eye Movements and Attractivenessmentioning

confidence: 96%

Male and Female Perception of Physical Attractiveness

2016

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Waist-to-hip ratio (WHR) and breast size are morphological traits that are associated with female attractiveness. Previous studies using line drawings of women have shown that men across cultures rate low WHRs (0.6 and 0.7) as most attractive. In this study, we used additional viewing measurements (i.e., first fixation duration and visual regressions) to measure visual attention and record how long participants first focused on the female body and whether they regressed back to an area of interest. Additionally, we manipulated skin tone to determine whether they preferred light-or dark-skinned women. In two eye tracking experiments, participants rated the attractiveness of female nude images varying in WHR (0.5-0.9), breast size, and skin tone. We measured first fixation duration, gaze duration, and total time. The overall results of both studies revealed that visual attention fell mostly on the face, the breasts, and the midriff of the female body, supporting the evolutionary view that reproductively relevant regions of the female body are important to female attractiveness. Because the stimuli varied in skin tone and the participants were mainly Hispanic of Mexican American descent, the findings from these studies also support a preference for low WHRs and reproductively relevant regions of the female body.

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Section: Eye Movements and Attractivenessmentioning

confidence: 96%

Male and Female Perception of Physical Attractiveness

2016

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“…Attractiveness, particularly in women, comprises a set of physical traits that captures the attention of the opposite sex (Maner, Gailliot, & DeWall, 2007). Eye-tracking research has shown that participants of both sexes look preferentially at faces of attractive women (Fink et al, 2008;Maner, DeWall, & Gailliot, 2008). However, there is currently only limited information on how men process female WHR when making attractiveness judgments.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 97%

Eye-Tracking of Men’s Preferences for Waist-to-Hip Ratio and Breast Size of Women

et al. 2009

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Studies of human physical traits and mate preferences often use questionnaires asking participants to rate the attractiveness of images. Female waist-to-hip ratio (WHR), breast size, and facial appearance have all been implicated in assessments by men of female attractiveness. However, very little is known about how men make fine-grained visual assessments of such images. We used eye-tracking techniques to measure the numbers of visual fixations, dwell times, and initial fixations made by men who viewed front-posed photographs of the same woman, computer-morphed so as to differ in her WHR (0.7 or 0.9) and breast size (small, medium, or large). Men also rated these images for attractiveness. Results showed that the initial visual fixation (occurring within 200 ms from the start of each 5 s test) involved either the breasts or the waist. Both these body areas received more first fixations than the face or the lower body (pubic area and legs). Men looked more often and for longer at the breasts, irrespective of the WHR of the images. However, men rated images with an hourglass shape and a slim waist (0.7 WHR) as most attractive, irrespective of breast size. These results provide quantitative data on eye movements that occur during male judgments of the attractiveness of female images, and indicate that assessments of the female hourglass figure probably occur very rapidly.

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“…There is growing evidence that facial attractiveness actively captures attention (Maner, DeWall, & Gailliot, 2008;Maner, Gailliot, & DeWall, 2007) and that participants purposefully use facial features when judging the attractiveness of female faces (Shimojo, Simion, Shimojo, & Scheier, 2003). Female faces with an even complexion are judged to be highly attractive and also receive the most visual attention during eye-tracking studies (Fink et al, 2008).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Eye Tracking of Men’s Preferences for Female Breast Size and Areola Pigmentation

et al. 2010

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Sexual selection via male mate choice has often been implicated in the evolution of permanently enlarged breasts in women. While questionnaire studies have shown that men find female breasts visually attractive, there is very little information about how they make such visual judgments. In this study, we used eye-tracking technology to test two hypotheses: (1) that larger breasts should receive the greatest number of visual fixations and longest dwell times, as well as being rated as most attractive; (2) that lightly pigmented areolae, indicative of youth and nubility, should receive most visual attention and be rated as most attractive. Results showed that men rated images with medium-sized or large breasts as significantly more attractive than small breasts. Images with dark and medium areolar pigmentation were rated as more attractive than images with light areolae. However, variations in breast size had no significant effect on eye-tracking measures (initial visual fixations, number of fixations, and dwell times). The majority of initial fixations during eye-tracking tests were on the areolae. However, areolar pigmentation did not affect measures of visual attention. While these results demonstrate that cues indicative of female sexual maturity (large breasts and dark areolae) are more attractive to men, patterns of eye movements did not differ based on breast size or areolar pigmentation. We conclude that areolar pigmentation, as well as breast size, plays a significant role in men's judgments of female attractiveness. However, fine-grained measures of men's visual attention to these morphological traits do not correlate, in a simplistic way, with their attractiveness judgments.

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Visual attention to variation in female facial skin color distribution

Abstract: Variation in visible skin color distribution (independent of facial form and skin surface topography) is able to selectively attract people's attention toward female faces, and this higher attention results in more positive statements about a woman's face.

Cited by 66 publications

References 37 publications

Male and Female Perception of Physical Attractiveness

Male and Female Perception of Physical Attractiveness

Eye-Tracking of Men’s Preferences for Waist-to-Hip Ratio and Breast Size of Women

Eye Tracking of Men’s Preferences for Female Breast Size and Areola Pigmentation

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