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

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.

Full text

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 →
額
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
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SocialPsychology,50,925‐935.
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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