Perceiving The Male Versus The Female Face

Abstract

This study of the perceptual processes in rating the good-lookingness of male compared to female faces finds that more refined distinctions and discriminations, more extreme positive and negative ratings, and more consensus occur for female than for male faces. Facial expression (e.g., smiling) affects the rating of female more than male faces, The results uniformly support the view that facial appearance is a more heavily weighted element in the response to women than to men.