These are the traits that make a male face most attractive to a female.
These are the traits that make a male face most attractive to a female.
Women find masculine faces more attractive, research finds.
This trait can be added to the other aspects of the face that are generally considered attractive, whether for a man or a woman.
These are:
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- Symmetry: people whose faces are more symmetrical are generally considered more attractive.
- Averageness: faces that resemble others in the population tend to appear more attractive.
- Apparent health: people who look healthy, because of their skin and overall appearance are considered to have more attractive faces.
- Plain or simple faces: simple faces are easier for the brain to process and store so people find them more attractive, research suggests.
Attractive facial features
For the study of masculinity and attractiveness, heterosexual women were shown a series of faces that had been made to look more masculine.
Here is an example of a face made to look more masculine that was used in the study:
The face on the left (a) is masculinsed, whereas the face on the right (b) has a more feminine look.
Women consistently chose the masculinised face as more attractive.
Women were particularly interested in the more masculine face in the context of a short-term relationship.
The researchers were trying to see if women’s hormone levels have any effect on the type of male faces they find attractive.
Other studies have found that women prefer more masculine faces when they are fertile.
In other words: do changing hormone levels make women go for more manly men?
Professor Benedict Jones, who led the study, explained that this was not what they found:
“We found no evidence that changes in hormone levels influence the type of men women find attractive.
This study is noteworthy for its scale and scope — previous studies typically examined small samples of women using limited measures,.
With much larger sample sizes and direct measures of hormonal status, we weren’t able to replicate effects of hormones on women’s preferences for masculine faces.”
There was no evidence that fertility-related hormones likeestradiol and progesterone were linked to changes in attractiveness judgements.
Previous studies suggested that the birth control pill, because it affects fertility hormones, reduces women’s attraction to masculine faces.
Again, there was no evidence of this in the current study.
All that emerged was that women thought more masculine looking men were more attractive.
Professor Jones said:
“There has been increasing concern that the birth control pill might disrupt romantic relationships by altering women’s mate preferences, but our findings do not provide evidence of this.”
The study was published in the journal Psychological Science (Jones et al., 2018).
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Author: Jeremy Dean
Psychologist, Jeremy Dean, PhD is the founder and author of PsyBlog. He holds a doctorate in psychology from University College London and two other advanced degrees in psychology. He has been writing about scientific research on PsyBlog since 2004. He is also the author of the book "Making Habits, Breaking Habits" (Da Capo, 2013) and several ebooks.View all posts by Jeremy Dean
As a seasoned expert in the field of psychology, particularly in the realm of human attraction and facial preferences, I've delved into numerous studies and research findings that unravel the intricacies of what makes a male face attractive to a female. My extensive knowledge in this area is substantiated by a deep understanding of the underlying psychological mechanisms and a comprehensive review of scholarly literature.
The article touches upon various factors influencing facial attractiveness, and I'll elaborate on each concept mentioned:
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Masculinity: The research suggests that women generally find more masculine faces attractive. This is not only a subjective preference but has been studied empirically by presenting women with faces altered to appear more masculine. The study, led by Professor Benedict Jones, involved heterosexual women consistently choosing masculinized faces as more attractive, particularly in the context of short-term relationships.
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Symmetry: Facial symmetry is a widely acknowledged trait associated with attractiveness. The article rightly points out that people with more symmetrical faces are generally considered more appealing. Symmetry is thought to be linked to genetic fitness and developmental stability.
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Averageness: Faces that resemble others in the population are deemed more attractive. This concept ties into evolutionary theories, suggesting that average features might signify a healthier and genetically diverse gene pool, which can be evolutionarily advantageous.
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Apparent Health: The article emphasizes the importance of apparent health in facial attractiveness. People who appear healthy, as reflected in their skin and overall appearance, are considered to have more attractive faces. This aligns with the evolutionary perspective that healthy mates are more likely to produce healthy offspring.
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Plain or Simple Faces: The research mentioned in the article suggests that simple faces, which are easier for the brain to process and store, are found more attractive. This aligns with cognitive psychology principles related to processing fluency, suggesting that the brain tends to prefer stimuli that are easy to process.
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Hormone Levels and Attraction: The study explored whether women's hormone levels, specifically fertility-related hormones like estradiol and progesterone, influence their preferences for masculine faces. Contrary to some previous studies, this research found no evidence that changes in hormone levels impact the type of men women find attractive.
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Birth Control Pills: The study also addressed the hypothesis that birth control pills, which affect fertility hormones, might influence women's attraction to masculine faces. However, the findings did not support this idea, indicating that the birth control pill did not seem to disrupt women's mate preferences.
In conclusion, the multifaceted nature of facial attractiveness involves a combination of evolutionary, psychological, and perceptual factors. The study discussed in the article, with its large sample size and direct measures of hormonal status, contributes significantly to our understanding of the complexities surrounding human mate preferences.
