Shape analysis of female facial attractiveness

Abstract

Previous studies have suggested that female facial attractiveness is associated with exaggerated sex-specific facial traits and averageness. Here we applied geometric morphometrics, a method for multivariate statistical analysis of shape, to measure geometric averageness and geometric sexual dimorphism of natural female face profiles. Geometric averageness and geometric sexual dimorphism correlate with attractiveness ratings. However, principal component analysis extracted a shape component robustly correlated with attractiveness but independent of sexual dimorphism. The shape differences between attractive- and hyperfeminine traits are localised: attractive facial shape and sexual dimorphism are similar in the upper face, but are markedly distinct in the jaw and chin.