| Why Men Prefer Pretty Faces
Posted: 7/8/2009 1:22:47 PM | I've often wondered how much of the fact that my own mother being so attractive (yes, I'm biased, but what son isn't) affects my personal choices in life.
It's a woman's external attractiveness that first catches my attention, however, from that brief point forward it's what is inside that I truly desire....the true essence of that soul. Oh sure, for me a slim waistline, captivating eyes, long hair and slender legs certainly have their effect.  That said, I thought I might share something I posted sometime ago on one of my blogs.
So you think beauty is in the eye of the beholder? Think again. According to new research from the University of Exeter in Great Britain, the preference for pretty faces over less pretty ones is embedded in our brains from the moment of birth and possibly prior to birth. Newborn babies come fully equipped with built-in preferences, including a preference for an attractive face, that help them make sense of their new environment, report the BBC News Online and Newsweek magazine. The Exeter researchers showed more than 100 infants two images that were placed side by side. One was of an attractive face, while the other was a less attractive face. The babies, ranging in age from five hours old to two days old, spent about 80 percent of the time looking at the attractive face, while barely glancing at the unattractive face.
"You can show them pair after pair of faces that are matched for everything other than attractiveness. This leads to the conclusion that babies are born with a very detailed representation of the human face," Dr. Alan Slater, a psychologist at Exeter, explained to the BBC News. Why would infants have this capability? "It helps them to recognize familiar faces--particularly that of the mother--and it helps them in learning about the social world. Attractiveness is not simply in the eye of the beholder, it is in the brain of the newborn infant right from the moment of birth and possibly prior to birth," he added.
When those babies grow up, the preference for pretty faces doesn't change. And it crosses all cultures and geography as well. When an insular European is shown the faces of two Africans, the one he chooses as most attractive is also the same one an African chooses. And it works the other way around when an African is shown the faces of two Europeans.
"Although we think that standards of facial beauty vary over time and culture, they don't actually change that much," Slater explained to Newsweek. The evidence indicates that there is a biological and universal standard."
So don't blame a man when he can't help but look at a pretty face! He's biologically programmed that way. | |
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IQF
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Joined: 6/7/2008
Msg: 2 | |
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| Why Men Prefer Pretty Faces
Posted: 7/8/2009 1:39:55 PM | I don't get that study.. since the definition of beauty has changed so much over the years, and really varies by culture.. how could babies have a pre-dispostion towards what we consider attractive now?
Since you are also measuring something soo subjective (how do you determine what the babies reactions mean).. I cannot understand how they could justify any results. You also have to wonder how the attitudes of the researchers affected the responses of the babies... In addition, did they consider pupil size on the photographs etc?
I call Mallarky!! | |
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| Why Men Prefer Pretty Faces
Posted: 7/8/2009 1:40:45 PM | Not everyone likes pretty girls. I myself prefer the hideously ugly, grossly overweight, chemically imbalanced female population.
Bonus points if she has more than one STD | |
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| Why Men Prefer Pretty Faces
Posted: 7/8/2009 1:42:25 PM | OP -- That's pretty subjective at best. I mean, you said it all when you said that beauty is "in the eye of the beholder". What YOU deem a "pretty face" I may deem roadkill in my eyes.
You may like them slimmer. I may like them rounder. You may like big eyes I may like small eyes. You may like slim lips. I may like pouty lips. And so on.
"Pretty" is still always gonna be subject to one's personal interpretation of such. I can't tell you how many times I've remarked about how "pretty" someone is to my people, and they look at me with this awestruck "Are you serious?!" face. And then they see someone they deem "pretty" and I give them the same look...not out of payback or spite, but for the same reason they gave me the same look earlier.
We all see "pretty" different.
I mean, I've seen some pretty far fetched ideas of "pretty" when my people point out their selections. When I see the same face, I look on almost with horror. Saying things like "I wouldn't piss in her mouth if her gums were on fire" and other various ignorant commentary. They see "pretty" and I see "At least 2 bags".
So the studies that were performed don't mean a thing. Everyone's rendition of "pretty" will be different, and that's a GOOD thing. If there was some widely accepted standard for what was "pretty" and what wasn't, we'd surely see a lot of the "ugly" killing themselves because to carry on would be pointless now wouldn't it?
So be thankful that what I see as "pretty" you may not see, and vice versa.
They do have at least the theory right though...a chick could have kickin' curves and a stellar body, and be loaded for bear...but if her face does nothing for me, all bets are off. She has to have a "pretty" face at least to me, and all the rest of her physical attributes and non tangibles are pretty much negotiable from there.
JMO. | |
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| Why Men Prefer Pretty Faces
Posted: 7/8/2009 1:53:38 PM | I've read many of the studies the OP mentions, and statistically, there are near-universal standards of beauty. Yeah, it may seem obvious, but given so many individual preferences as some have pointed out, it's not so obvious, is it?
It is also almost universally true that most men (regardless of culture) agree on what's attractive in women - and that's a slim figure (about a 0.7 waist to hip measurement ratio) - symmetrical facial features, and obvious overall health. Women have a considerably broader perspective of what they find attractive in men, thank goodness, and it's not just about looks!
There are sound evolutionary reasons for all of this. | |
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| Why Men Prefer Pretty Faces
Posted: 7/8/2009 2:18:21 PM | I've been aware of this study for quite some time. It's also true that a baby will look at a pretty face longer than an ugly one.
While some ideals of beauty have changed over time, there is a constant in humans to find symetrical faces more beautiful. It doesn't matter the features, the more symetry a person has the more beautiful they are.
Same goes for figure...when men of all cultures are shown sillhouettes of women's figures, they always pick the same one...the figure of a smaller waist and larger hips. Even among varying degrees of curves, it is universally known by men that a .8 waist to hip ratio is most attractive. This is even seen in tribal cultures that have no access to media.
To add something even more interesting to your study, there was a study a few years back that showed parents of attractive babies actually pay more attention to them than parents of unattractive babies. And yes, even the attractiveness of babies can be quantified. | |
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| Why Men Prefer Pretty Faces
Posted: 7/8/2009 2:20:54 PM | Pretty over big butts; no contest.
I would take the butt every time.
Listen, I’m not saying I would like a ugly girl with a big butt, but if I had the choice between a skinny girl that was
the preference or a girl with a big butt that was aloud to be see in public, according to this research, the big butt girl would be the one to catch my eye.
Chit, I must have been damaged at birth because I see fit and skinny as an oxymoron. I know we are talking about pretty, but the study is from England and as we say here; “she’s pretty fit”.
All a pretty girl can do for me is sit in front of a camera, but we all know what is going on in the modelling world.
BigDaddyJinx; you got jokes!!!!!!!!!! | |
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| Why Men Prefer Pretty Faces
Posted: 7/8/2009 2:22:50 PM |
While some ideals of beauty have changed over time, there is a constant in humans to find symetrical faces more beautiful. It doesn't matter the features, the more symetry a person has the more beautiful they are. {/quote] No wonder I do so well  | |
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| Why Men Prefer Pretty Faces
Posted: 7/8/2009 2:32:10 PM | How do you quantify attractiveness ? I can understand when there are ratios and proportions that "overall" are preferred.. but that is only playing to a majority. Like quantifying flavor, when everyone's tastes are slightly different. Wine Tasters for instance assume a certain type of palate to taste certain flavors. A palate that a lover of wines would cultivate.
I think you can make certain assumptions for the majority, but I disagree that you can use a word like quantify. That implies a mathematical anaology, and with taste and preference you can not get the tolerance levels into an acceptable range for things like beauty... | |
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| Why Men Prefer Pretty Faces
Posted: 7/8/2009 2:34:33 PM |
I've been aware of this study for quite some time. It's also true that a baby will look at a pretty face longer than an ugly one.
While some ideals of beauty have changed over time, there is a constant in humans to find symetrical faces more beautiful. It doesn't matter the features, the more symetry a person has the more beautiful they are.
Same goes for figure...when men of all cultures are shown sillhouettes of women's figures, they always pick the same one...the figure of a smaller waist and larger hips. Even among varying degrees of curves, it is universally known by men that a .8 waist to hip ratio is most attractive. This is even seen in tribal cultures that have no access to media.
To add something even more interesting to your study, there was a study a few years back that showed parents of attractive babies actually pay more attention to them than parents of unattractive babies. And yes, even the attractiveness of babies can be quantified.
Although it was not my study, I enjoyed learning about the other study spoken of. This was more of the response I was looking and hoping for...not an insult. ~Thanks | |
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| Why Men Prefer Pretty Faces
Posted: 7/8/2009 2:55:11 PM | why do i like pretty women?
because i like pretty women!
(it aint rocket science)
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| Why Men Prefer Pretty Faces
Posted: 7/8/2009 3:06:44 PM | Depends on which 'face' you are looking at.
What would you prefer a homely woman or a pretty one? You don't want to hurt anyone putting a bag over their head. | |
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| Why Men Prefer Pretty Faces
Posted: 7/8/2009 3:39:18 PM | | Pretty means healthy. Healthy means more babies. More babies means you win at survival of the fittest. | |
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| Why Men Prefer Pretty Faces
Posted: 7/8/2009 4:03:11 PM | I think the "prettiness" that baby's stare is not necessarily conventional beauty but facial symmetry. It's one of the way that our brain decides how attractive a person is.
- A | |
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| Why Men Prefer Pretty Faces
Posted: 7/8/2009 5:01:37 PM | | Its not so much about a pretty face , its all about what visually works for you. Curiosity can make heads turn but attraction is about what turns you on . | |
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| Why Men Prefer Pretty Faces
Posted: 7/8/2009 5:10:05 PM | Im not sure that the babies were looking more at "pretty" faces as much as the asymetrical faces.
It seems "beautiful people" are deemed more attractive because both sides of the face seem to match more symetrically.
They say that's why people like Tom Cruise are deemed pretty. They "line up" in proportions.
We seem to like good proportions. Even babies are aware of it.
*shrugs....
But there is so much more to beauty than just looks. | |
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| Why Men Prefer Pretty Faces
Posted: 7/8/2009 5:19:40 PM | | Aside from the STD you are looking for , Js104c1, we should be a match made in Purty Face heaven --- I got a clean cooter-----but the rest I think I fit the bill for----wanna get naked now and do it??? | |
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| Why Men Prefer Pretty Faces
Posted: 7/8/2009 6:52:44 PM | I think your original post was kind of vague, Onatopa. What did the researchers consider attractive and unattractive? How did they quantify it in some way? What were the criteria they used? I think a lot of people will read your post and of course it sounds stupid to them, because they read it and get "Yeah, it turns out we're genetically predisposed to like pretty/handsome faces instead of fat, ugly ones."
When an insular European is shown the faces of two Africans, the one he chooses as most attractive is also the same one an African chooses. And it works the other way around when an African is shown the faces of two Europeans. "Although we think that standards of facial beauty vary over time and culture, they don't actually change that much," Slater explained to Newsweek. The evidence indicates that there is a biological and universal standard."
That's an interesting thing. Kind of scary I guess, since it may be unnerving to many people that beauty may be actually more objective. If you seem to have not been thought of as attractive by other people, then you may really start to think, "Wow, I'm just plain ugly. It's a proven fact." A horrible thought to have... Then again, attraction is based on physical attributes AS WELL AS personality traits. I'd rather date, even have sex with, a girl who may be generally "less attractive" if she's a lot cooler and interesting than some selfish, manipulative **** who just so happens to look like she could grace the cover of Maxim and Playboy. | |
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| Why Men Prefer Pretty Faces
Posted: 7/8/2009 6:56:09 PM | | Just another excuse for men to behave badly! lol! Gee, and it took all that research to figure out that humans like things that are symetrical and asthetically pleasing. | |
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| Why Men Prefer Pretty Faces
Posted: 7/8/2009 7:06:09 PM | I have been told many times in my life that I am beautiful - I have also been the subject of harsh words from some very critical people! I am and always have been the very same person - simply seen quite differently in the eyes of a variety of people!
All I can say is who really gives a crap?!?! I am comfortable with who I am and no study will or could ever have made me worry how men viewed me! | |
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| Why Men Prefer Pretty Faces
Posted: 7/8/2009 7:11:06 PM |
Men prefer a pretty face maybe because ugly doesn't get me excited and ready to go. I know I'm shallow right?
Guess what, who the hell wants to look at an ugly face on a woman(I'm a man) with that ugly mole on her cheek with 3 black hairs coming out of it, plus, that shaggy headpiece you call "your hair". Oh and don't forget the women who don't know how to put make-up on.
Ugly, you know the kind. The ones that are so ugly they can stop a sun dial!! The kind the you tie a bone around their neck.....so the dog will play with them. My favorite are the women who have real short short hair(crew cut) and have a face like a man. Oh yeah, that's really going to get me "excited".
Wow and your scientic study shows one thing that I knew 50 years ago. Beauty will ALWAYS win a heart, a visual look, a fantasy, an image, a smile, whatever they want.
pfffft!
How many "real men/women" fall in love w/ just a look?
There are alot of "pretty" people out there that are single and lonely.....because they don't have a decent personality to go with that look.
Sure......they get their fare share of dates......but how long will "pretty" keep someone around?
and btw SagMan4u , which chin do you carry your bone under? | |
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