At face value : how internet access, pubertal timing, environmental harshness, and population familiarity influence facial preferences

Adolescence;Internet users;Face perception

Batres, Julia Carlota ; Perrett, David ; Perrett, David

University:University of St Andrews

Department:Psychology & Neuroscience (School of)

关键词: Adolescence;    Internet users;    Face perception;   

Others  :  https://research-repository.st-andrews.ac.uk/bitstream/handle/10023/12849/CarlotaBatresPhDThesis.pdf?sequence=2&isAllowed=y

来源: DR-NTU

【 摘 要 】

Chapter One introduces the field of evolutionary psychology as well as provides areview of factors influencing facial attractiveness. Chapter Two presents empirical evidencethat online studies may provide a distorted perspective on cross-cultural face preferencessince online samples are not representative of the populations in developing countries. In ElSalvador, participants without internet access preferred more feminine men as well as heavierand more masculine women when compared to participants with internet access. Onepossible explanation for such findings is that the level of harshness in the environment maybe influencing preferences. One individual difference that is influenced by environmentalharshness is age of menarche. Chapter Three thus provides exploratory evidence that age ofmenarche also influences masculinity preferences.Chapter Four further examines this environmental harshness hypothesis by repeatedlytesting students undergoing intensive training at an army camp. Increases in the harshness ofthe environment led to an increased male attraction to cues of higher weight in female faces.Such changes in preferences may be adaptive because they allow for more opportunities toform partnerships with individuals who are better equipped to survive.An alternative explanation for the empirical findings in Chapters Two and Four is thatfamiliarity may also influence preferences. Chapter Five tests this familiarity hypothesis byexamining the faces of participants in different areas of El Salvador and Malaysia. Ruralparticipants preferred heavier female faces than urban participants. Additionally, the faces offemale participants from rural areas were rated as looking heavier. This finding suggests thatfamiliarity may indeed influence attractiveness perceptions. Lastly, Chapter Six drawsconclusions from the empirical findings reported in Chapters Two-Five and lists proposals offuture research that could further enhance our understanding of what we find attractive.