The biometrics of attraction

The degree of symmetry of organisms is considered an indicator of individual genetic quality and is associated with individual reproductive success. In this study, we aimed to test whether human perception of beauty is related to facial symmetry. To elucidate this relationship, we analysed the degree of facial symmetry by measuring 10 facial traits of 25 portraits of boys and girls. The beauty of each face was evaluated according to the opinion of men and women separately. This study was carried out during a workshop held in Can Boet, Mataró, Catalonia in March 2017. The results of the workshop demonstrated that high values of asymmetry were associated with less attractiveness according to the judgements of both men and women. However, we cannot conclude that the perception of facial symmetry has a real effect on the valuation of beauty. It is fair to say that in humans the choice of a partner is also strongly conditioned by socio-cultural factors, which also differ according to sex. In this study, men’s perception of beauty in girls’ faces did not correspond to greater symmetry. It seems that men’s perception of beauty is improved by faces wearing make-up. On the other hand, women give higher scores of attractiveness to symmetrical faces (regardless of sex), although our data were not statistically significant.