October 27, 2009
A Pretty Face or a Hot Body?
When pursuing a mate for a short-term relationship, are we more interested in the face or the body? How about for a long-term relationship? Christie Nicholson reports
So take this little test: if you were interested in pursuing a partner for a short-term relationship which would you be most interested in…their face or their body? And for a long-term relationship, face or body? That is, if you were forced to choose, of course.
Well two PhD students and their advisor, David Buss professor of psychology at the University of Texas at Austin, did force people to make this very choice. They asked 375 college students to pick whether to date someone based on either seeing just their face or their body.
Nearly all participants chose to see the face. Except for one of the sexes in one situation.
On supporting science journalism
If you're enjoying this article, consider supporting our award-winning journalism by subscribing. By purchasing a subscription you are helping to ensure the future of impactful stories about the discoveries and ideas shaping our world today.
Can you guess which one?
Here’s Jaime Confer, one of the student researchers:
"Everyone was more interested in the opposite sex person’s face than their body—except for men in the short-term mating condition."
Which implies?
"When men were evaluating a short-term mate for a one-night stand they showed equal interest in her face and body instead of the face winning by a blowout."
For long-term 75 percent of male participants wanted to see the face, but for short-term flings 50 percent of men chose face and 50 percent chose the body.
And why would this be?
"Because cues of immediate fertility which are more important to a man pursuing short-term relationships are more densely concentrated in her body than in her face. Where as her face may have more cues of reproductive value like age and health."
Such as?
"Skin and wrinkling gives a cue to her age and her reproductive value. So if I'm going to secure this woman for many years, I want to make sure she’s not at the tail end of the fertility window."
Presumably you could tell that by looking at her body, as well?
"You could but it might be relatively more concentrated in her face than in her body."
And this is not the case in men?
"There is not this huge discrepancy in cues that women are interested in, like his good genes cues and good dad cues, health and symmetry. Those are present in face and body equally."
Freud famously asked, what do women want. I guess it was clear to him what men wanted.
—Christie Nicholson
FAQs
If they tend to go for quick flings, they will want a more attractive body, because they are more of a physical lover. If they are the type to want a real relationship, and a healthy one at that, probably they are going to care a lot less about the body, and more about the face.
Is face or body more important for attractiveness? ›
... These differences may stem from the fact that the face is often considered the most important aspect of female beauty (Franzoi and Herzog 1987). In addition, Peters et al. (2007) provided evidence that female faces are a better predictor of overall attractiveness than female bodies in men's assessments. ...
What do girls prefer, face or body? ›
Women, on average, tend to be more attracted to men who have a relatively narrow waist, a V-shaped torso, wide chest and broad shoulders. Women also tend to be more attracted to men who are taller and larger than they are, and display a high degree of facial symmetry, as well as relatively masculine facial dimorphism.
What do men find most attractive in a woman body? ›
Faces According to this study, almost 46% of men think that faces matter the most—that's almost half!
Do guys like cute girl or hot girl? ›
You just cannot compare both. Still, majority of boys would go for hot ones rather than cute ones. Cuteness is adorable but hotness is preferred. Yes, if someone hot is not tasteful to the heart, cute ones would always be preferred.
Do people see you uglier or more attractive? ›
A new study shows that 20% of people see you as more attractive than you do. When you look in the mirror, all you see is your appearance. When others look at you they see something different such as personality, kindness, intelligence, and sense of humor. All these factors make up a part of a person's overall beauty.
How do I know if I'm attractive? ›
There are a few signs that you may be a physically attractive person. Others often find you easy to approach and talk to. You may also receive compliments on your appearance regularly, but you should also know that some attractive people don't receive compliments at all.
Do people see themselves as uglier or more attractive? ›
New research published in the Scandinavian Journal of Psychology suggests that unattractive people are largely unaware of how unattractive they are. Psychology research shows that people, overall, tend to rate themselves as more physically attractive than strangers rate them.
Do guys care more about face or body? ›
Men who were given the chance to 'design' their perfect partner for a long term relationship overwhelmingly chose an attractive face over an attractive body. Not surprisingly, men who designed their partner for a short term fling chose a hot body over an attractive face.
What female body type is most attractive? ›
Here comes one of the most desirable bodies for all women. The hourglass has a small defined waist with fuller bust and hip, and the shoulders, bust and hip have similar measurements. Since this is a very feminine body shape, this type of body slays all kinds of dresses.
It means he likes your face. If this is an opinion you are unfamiliar with and want to know the reasons behind it, ask him why. But regardless, it's a compliment. Congratulations on your nice face!
What are the most beautiful features of a woman? ›
What Are Facial Features That Make a Beautiful Face?
- A smooth forehead. A wrinkle-free forehead is one of the features that make the face look good. ...
- Alert eyes. Your eyes can be the first thing people notice in your face. ...
- Symmetric nose. ...
- Full, Perky cheeks. ...
- Well defined Jawline.
Facial hair, double chins, uneven facial skin tone, and so on are all considered rather unattractive facial features that both men and women suffer from.
What makes a woman pretty? ›
Generally, men prefer women with full breasts, full lips, a symmetrical face, a big smile, a wider waist-hip ratio, healthy hair, a high-pitched voice, clear skin, and big eyes; however, this may vary depending on individual preferences.
Are men attracted to face or body? ›
More specifically, a female's long term reproductive potential could be better communicated through facial traits which includes complexion and ageing cues like wrinkles when compared to bodily traits. This, the researchers claim, is why men prefer a more facially attractive female for long term relationships.
Which body type do guys prefer? ›
Preferences include figures with full breasts, moderate buttocks, and leggy legs, or moderate breasts, small buttocks, and moderate legs. Men prefer thin and toned women, with white males more inclined towards this ideal compared to non-white men.
Is face or body more important for men? ›
Evolutionary psychology theory holds that men value current fertility (body) more in a short-term mate and reproductive value (face) in the long term. But there may be more to a pretty face. “The face is a signifier of emotion and character,” said Roy F.
