Filtered beauty in Oslo and Tokyo: A spatial frequency analysis of facial attractiveness

Abstract

Images of European female and male faces were digitally processed to generate spatial frequency (SF) filtered images containing only a narrow band of visual information within the Fourier spectrum. The original unfiltered images and four SF filtered images (low, mediumlow, medium-high and high) were then paired in trials that kept constant SF band and face gender and participants made a forced-choice decision about the more attractive among the two faces. In this way, we aimed at identifying those specific SF bands where forced-choice preferences corresponded best to forced-choice judgements made when viewing the natural, broadband, facial images. We found that aesthetic preferences dissociated across SFs and face gender, but similarly for participants from Asia (Japan) and Europe (Norway). Specifically, preferences when viewing SF filtered images were best related to the preference with the broadband face images when viewing the highest filtering band for the female faces (about 48-77 cycles per face). In contrast, for the male faces, the medium-low SF band (about 11-19 cpf) related best to choices made with the natural facial images. Eye tracking provided converging evidence for the above, gender-related, SF dissociations. We suggest greater aesthetic relevance of the mobile and communicative parts for the female face and, conversely, of the rigid, structural, parts for the male face for facial aesthetics.

A computational approach to investigating facial attractiveness factors using geometric morphometric analysis and deep learning

“…This approach can examine the features that define facial impressions with minimal researcher bias 18 . In recent years, computer graphics (CG) modeling studies 19,20 , geometric morphometrics [21][22][23][24] , image statistics [25][26][27] , and deep learning methods have started being conducted 28,29 .…”

“…Furthermore, there is an asymmetric cap (like an asymmetric inverted U-shaped) relationship between body fat percentage and attractiveness 24 . In image statistics studies, Øvervoll et al 25 found that images processed with a high spatial frequency filter were preferred for female images, while images processed with a slightly lower spatial frequency filter were preferred for male images. Otaka et al 26 showed that skin appearance could be represented by two dimensions: pleasantness and glossiness.…”

Spatial frequencies affect cuteness perception of infant faces.

“…Imaging data also support similar findings (Bos et al, 2018; Glocker et al, 2009; Hahn et al, 2016). In general, these detailed features are more prevalent in relatively high SF faces than in low SF faces (Øvervoll et al, 2020; Vuilleumier et al, 2003). On the other hand, detailed information (relatively high SFs) is more suitable to help observers focus on cute objects with a local attention strategy and provide careful behavior.…”

“…The four SF bands, which spanned the most SF range, were selected respectively to correspond to low (SF1: 0.06∼0.55 cycles/degree), medium-low (SF2: 1.50∼2.50 cycles/degree), medium-high (SF3: 3.54∼5.55 cycles/degree), and high (SF4: 6.52 ∼ 10.55 cycles/degree) SFs. The range of four SFs was progressively increased, making the bandwidths equal on a log 10 scale (Øvervoll et al, 2020). The cycles/degree provides a retina-based SF image description.…”

“…Four versions of filtered faces were generated separately from 16 broad faces with a second-order Butterworth filter using a custom MATLAB script (Øvervoll et al, 2020). Thus, there were also 16 images for each SF band.…”