Facial averageness and genetic quality: testing heritability, genetic correlation with attractiveness, and the paternal age effect

Lee, Anthony J.; Mitchem, Dorian G.; Wright, Margaret J.; Martin, Nicholas G.; Zietsch, Brendan P.

doi:10.1016/j.evolhumbehav.2015.08.003

Cited by 36 publications

(39 citation statements)

References 32 publications

(55 reference statements)

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“…Si observamos con detalle, veríamos comisuras de ojos o boca con alturas diferentes entre comisuras equivalentes. Algunas de estas asimetrías faciales son de origen natural, genética, por gesticulación o patologías [5][6][7].…”

Section: Introductionunclassified

Quantification of Facial Movements of Healthy Individuals Using Viola-Jones and Otsu

Miguel¹,

Carrillo²

2018

CyS

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Resumen. La simetría del rostro humano juega un papel importante en las actividades de la vida diaria del individuo. Por otro lado, la asimetría del rostro puede ser sinónimo de enfermedades en el individuo, algunas se manifiestan en reposo y otras en movimiento. En este trabajo cuantificamos cuatro de los movimientos propios del rostro humano. Los movimientos cuantificados son el levantamiento de cejas, cerrar ojos, la sonrisa y el beso. Identificamos los puntos de seguimiento (PS), con Viola-Jones y Otsu, dentro de los tercios o quintos del rostro, dependiente del movimiento. Extraemos el rostro en reposo, que usamos como referencia, se parametriza para segmentar el rostro donde se desarrolla el movimiento facial. Localizamos los máximos desplazamientos (MD), en función de los tercios o quintos, de los PS para cada movimiento. La cuantificación la determinamos por los MD promedio de los PS para la ejecución de 10 repeticiones de un movimiento facial. Presentamos resultados de un grupo de 12 individuos sanos. Los desplazamientos máximos promedios son 30% para cejas dentro del primer tercio, 20% para sonrisa en el segundo y cuarto quinto dentro del tercer tercio, 30% para el beso entre el segundo, tercero y cuarto quinto del tercer tercio; y los 12 individuos logran cerrar los ojos y se desarrolla en el segundo y cuarto quinto dentro del segundo tercio.Palabras clave. Asimetría facial, movimientos faciales, tercios y quintos del rostro.Abstract. The symmetry of the human face plays an important role in the activities of the individual's daily life. On the other hand, the asymmetry of the face can be synonymous with diseases in the individual, some manifest at rest and others in movement. In this work we quantify four of the movements of the human face. The quantified movements are lifting eyebrows, closing eyes, smiling and kissing. We identify the tracking points (PS), with Viola-Jones and Otsu, within the thirds or fifths of the face, dependent on the movement. We extract the face at rest, which we use as a reference, it is parametrized to segment the face where the facial movement develops. We locate the maximum displacements (MD), depending on the thirds or fifths, of the PS for each movement. The quantification is determined by the average MD of the PS for the execution of 10 repetitions of a facial movement. We present results from a group of 12 healthy individuals. The maximum average displacements are 30% for eyebrows within the first third, 20% for smile in the second and fourth fifth in the third third, 30% for the kiss between the second, third and fourth fifth of the third third; and the 12 individuals manage to close their eyes and it develops in the second and fourth fifth within the second third.

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Section: Introductionunclassified

Quantification of Facial Movements of Healthy Individuals Using Viola-Jones and Otsu

Miguel¹,

Carrillo²

2018

CyS

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“…It has been proposed that average faces are seen as attractive because averageness reflects certain aspects of mate quality, such as heterozygosity, which is in turn related to higher immunocompetence and disease resistance (Gangestad & Buss, 1993; Grammer & Thornhill, 1994; Thornhill & Gangestad, 1993). While the existence of a common genetic component for averageness and attractiveness is still a matter of discussion (Lee et al, 2016; Lie, Rhodes, & Simmons, 2008), the notion of a link between averageness and actual health is supported by some published research (Rhodes et al, 2001; Thornhill & Møller, 1997; Zebrowitz & Rhodes, 2004).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

A cross-cultural study of sex-typicality and averageness: Correlation between frontal and lateral measures of human faces

Danel

Valentová

Sánchez

et al. 2017

Preprint

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ObjectivesFacial averageness and sexual dimorphism are extensively studied attractiveness markers, which are viewed as possible indicators of biological quality. Both are complex morphological traits and both can be easily assessed from frontal and lateral projection of a human face. Interestingly, examination of mutual relations between the frontal and lateral dimensions of these markers has so far received little attention in published research.MethodsIn our cross-cultural study, we used geometric morphometric data from male and female faces from Brazil, Cameroon, Colombia, and the Czech Republic, and analysed correlations between frontal and lateral measurements of averageness and degree of maleness/femaleness, i.e. individual variation in features that characterize sexual dimorphism. We also analysed whether the association between frontal and lateral measurements differs in men and women.ResultsIn general, our results showed a moderate correlation in sexually dimorphic features between lateral and frontal facial configuration in both sexes, while frontal and lateral facial averageness was moderately correlated only in women. This pattern was less consistent when individual populations were analysed separately.ConclusionsReferring to the multiple signalling theory, we propose that especially in women, lateral/frontal correlations support a hypothesis of redundancy of information provided by the frontal and lateral dimension of a given facial attractiveness marker. The absence of a significant correlation in male facial averageness suggests that frontal and lateral averageness may convey different information about an individual.

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“…Specifically, the genes that impact facial attractiveness are not the same genes that contribute to facial averageness. Consequently, preferences for facial averageness may not represent preferences for genetic quality, but rather sensory bias towards images that are prototypical (Halberstadt & Rhodes, 2000Lee et al, 2016). However, due to power constraints to detect small genetic effects and some limitations associated with the photographs used in the study, confirmatory research is required.…”

Section: Re-evaluating Approaches To the Genetic Benefits And Parentamentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Nonetheless, each previously studied trait only contributes a small proportion of variation to attractiveness. Facial averageness, for example, only accounted for 1% and 3% of the variation in male and female attractiveness ratings in a large sample of twins (Lee et al, 2016). Consequently, future studies should employ large studies of twins investigating multiple mating-relevant traits at once (e.g.…”

Section: Re-evaluating Approaches To the Genetic Benefits And Parentamentioning

confidence: 99%

“…In contrast, facial averageness does appear to have a genetic basis. Lee et al (2016) computed a measure of facial averageness in a large twin sample (N = 1,823) by first taking geometric landmark information for regions of the face that vary between individuals. Each individual's landmark data was then compared to the mean of the sample while controlling for symmetry.…”

Section: Re-evaluating Approaches To the Genetic Benefits And Parentamentioning

confidence: 99%

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Testing Evolutionary Hypotheses Regarding Individual Differences in Human Mating Strategies

Sherlock¹

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Finding and attracting a mate is an enormous component of human life, and indeed the life of all sexually reproducing organisms. In this search, we share many common goals in attaining a partner. For instance, most people typically seek a partner who is kind, attractive, and funny. Yet, we also differ remarkably in the traits that we desire in our partners and what drives us towards choosing some mates over others. This variation represents somewhat of a Darwinian paradox, as selection typically reduces variation in traits under strong selection, such as those relating to mating strategy. To resolve this paradox, evolutionary psychologists have proposed adaptive mechanisms that cause variation in mating strategy in response to environmental contingencies. In this thesis, I present tests of a number of these hypotheses, and integrate approaches from evolutionary behavioural genetics to provide alternative explanations as to how variation in mating strategy arises.Firstly, I review broad evolutionary approaches to explaining variation in psychological traits. Specifically, I introduce evolutionary literature regarding a proposed trade-off between parenting traits and signals of genetic quality in males that permeates approaches to various aspects of mate choice. Evidence for and against this trade-off is reviewed in the context of the maintenance of variation in facial masculinity in males and inter-partner variation in female orgasm frequency during penetrative sex. I then introduce behavioural genetics as an approach to understanding both genetic and environmental causes of variation in human mating strategy.In my first empirical study, I present a paper testing evolutionary hypotheses regarding female variation in orgasm frequency in response to male characteristics. Where previous research has focused on women reporting on a single partner and observing male characteristics across the sample, this paper had females report on partners with whom orgasm was easy and with whom orgasm was difficult. This controls for the possibility of confounds relating to between-subject studies and increases our power to detect male traits associated with orgasm over and above between women differences. Furthermore, the study also included measures of male sexual behaviour, as these are highly likely to be related to female orgasmability. We showed mixed support for evolutionary theories regarding variation in the female orgasm, but were unable to distinguish the two leading hypotheses. Additionally, we found important contributions of male sexual behaviour to female orgasm. Consequently, little can be inferred about the role of variation in the evolution of the female orgasm. However, we demonstrate that within-subjects designs are able to detect between-partner variance with high resolution. We also demonstrate that future studies need account for male sexual behaviour when attempting to explain adaptive variation in female orgasm between different male partners.ii I then present a paper providing evidence that facial ...

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Facial averageness and genetic quality: testing heritability, genetic correlation with attractiveness, and the paternal age effect

Cited by 36 publications

References 32 publications

Quantification of Facial Movements of Healthy Individuals Using Viola-Jones and Otsu

Quantification of Facial Movements of Healthy Individuals Using Viola-Jones and Otsu

A cross-cultural study of sex-typicality and averageness: Correlation between frontal and lateral measures of human faces

Testing Evolutionary Hypotheses Regarding Individual Differences in Human Mating Strategies

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