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The role of eye characteristics in facial beauty, likability and attractiveness

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Abstract

Eyes play an important role in facial evaluation. However, it is unclear what eye characteristics contribute to this effect. We examined relations between evaluations of facial beauty, likability, and attractiveness and eye characteristics such as eye size, proportion of iris to whole eye, and eye roundness. We found significant correlations between eye size and facial likability. Moreover, the iris-to-eye proportion and eye roundness were significantly correlated with facial beauty, likability, and attractiveness. Facial beauty, likability, and attractiveness were significantly correlated with characteristics reflecting goodness of eye shape, such as the iristo-eye proportion and eye roundness. In particular, facial likability was correlated with large eye size, which reflects childishness or cuteness. These results suggest the possibility that likeable faces, rather than beautiful or attractive ones, are considered familiar or safe.
The role of eye characteristics
in facial beauty, likability and attractiveness
Kanako Mitsuhiro, Akiyoshi Kitaoka
(Ritsumeikan University, lt092030@ed.ritsumei.ac.jp)
Introduction
Method
Results
Discussion
Eyesplayanimportantroleinfacialevaluation(Cunningham,1986;Oda,2004).
However,itisunclearwhateyecharacteristicscontributetothiseffect.
Kirita,Endo,AbeandTakano(1996)suggestedapossibilitythattheratingofbeauty,likabilityandattractivenessshouldbedonebydifferent
strategies.
Weexaminedrelationsbetweenratingsoffacialbeauty,likability,andattractivenessandeyecharacteristics suchaseyesize,proportion
ofiristowholeeye,andeyeroundness.
Therewere30studentparticipants(15female,15male).Thereagesrangedfrom18to23years(M=19.43,SD =1.23).
(1)Participantsrated24facialimagesinbeauty,likabilityandattractiveness ina9‐pointscale (2)andchosethefacialfeaturethatparticipants
thoughtcontributedtotheratingmost.
評 定
← 全く美しくない
非常に美しい →
ひたい
・眉・目・鼻・頬・口・あご・輪郭・肌・対称性・バランス・その他
Anexampleofthestimuli.
(1) Ratingina9‐pointscale
1astheleastbeautiful,likableandattractive
9asthemostbeautiful,likableandattractive
(2)Chosethefacialfeaturefromthefollowinglist:
forehead,eyebrows,eyes,nose,cheeks,mouth,chin,
facialoutline,skin,symmetry,balanceandothers.
Measurementsofthecharacteristicsofeyes
Eyesize
Proportionofiristowholeeye
Eyeroundness
Proportionofeyelidtolengthofface
Proportionofseparationofpupils towidthofface
Proportionofseparationof eyes towidthofface
Angleofeyes
Eyesize Proportionofiristowholeeye Eyeroundness
Heightofeyes(a)/
Widthofeyes(b)
Totalareaoftheeight
triangles
Irissize(πab)/Eyesize
b
a
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
forehead
eyebrows
eyes
nose
cheeks
mouth
chin
facial outline
skin
symmetry
balance
others
Mean Selecting (Maximam 8)
Beauty Likability Attractiveness
Beauty
.35 .66
**
.58
**
.02 -.18 -.06 -.05
Likability
.45
*
.69
**
.59
**
-.08 .13 .12 .16
Attractiveness
.36 .51
*
.51
*
-.02 -.17 -.04 .30
df = 22. "Eye s ize " df = 21; **p<.01, *p<.05
Table 1. Correlations of eye characteristics with mean ratings
Eye size Proportion of
iris
Eye
roundness
Proportion of
eyelid
Separation of
pupils
Separation of
eyes Angle of eyes
Figure1.Meanselectingoffacialfeatures.
ANOVA:3(ratings)×12(facialfeatures)
Eyesweremostfrequentlychosenirrespectiveof
howfaceswererated.
(F(11,253)=18.84,p<.001)
Therewerenosignificantdifferencesinthemean
levelsofbeauty,likabilityandattractiveness.
(F(2,46)=3.06,ns)
Theeyesizewassignificantlycorrelatedonlywithfaciallikability.
Theiris‐to‐eyeproportionandeyeroundnessweresignificantlycorrelated
withfacialbeauty,likability,andattractiveness.
Itwasconfirmedthateyeswereimportantcluesinfacialevaluationswhereaswefoundthatsomeofthecharacteristicsofeyeswereselectively
relatedwithfacialbeautyandattractiveness,andlikability.
Faciallikabilitywascorrelatedwithlargeeyesize,whichreflectschildishnessorcuteness.
Thisresultssuggestthepossibilitythatlikeablefaces,ratherthanbeautifulorattractiveones,areconsideredfamiliarorsafe.
References
Cunningham,M.R.(1986).Measuringthephysicalinphysicalattractiveness: Quasi‐experimentsonthesociobiologyoffemalefacialbeauty.JournalofPersonality and
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Kirita,T.,Endo,M.,Abe,T.&Takano,R.(1996).Theeffectofcosmeticsandfacialexpressiononratingfacialattractiveness:Fromviewpointsofratingdimensionsand
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Oda,M.(2004).Relationbetweensymmetryandattractivenessofface.THEINSTITUTEOFELECTRONICS,INFORMATIONANDCOMMUNICATIONENGINEERS.104(320), 1‐6.
... Therefore, the attractiveness of the face is closely related to the geometric and shape characteristics of the eyebrows and eyes. Mitsuhiro and Kitaoka (2016) studied the connection between facial attractiveness, likability and characteristics of the eye. It was confirmed that eyes were important clues in facial evaluations whereas some of the characteristics of eyes were selectively related with facial beauty and attractiveness, and likability. ...
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The effect of cosmetics and facial expression on rating facial attractiveness : From view points of rating dimensions and strategies
  • T Kirita
  • M Endo
  • T Abe
  • R Takano
Kirita, T., Endo, M., Abe, T. & Takano, R. (1996). The effect of cosmetics and facial expression on rating facial attractiveness : From view points of rating dimensions and strategies. FRAGRANCE JOURNAL, 24(10), 91-100.
Relation between symmetry and attractiveness of face
  • M Oda
Oda, M. (2004). Relation between symmetry and attractiveness of face. THE INSTITUTE OF ELECTRONICS, INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION ENGINEERS. 104(320), 1-6.