The Effect of Composite Faces on Percieved Attractiveness

School Name

Spring Valley High School

Grade Level

10th Grade

Presentation Topic

Psychology

Presentation Type

Non-Mentored

Oral Presentation Award

3rd Place

Written Paper Award

3rd Place

Abstract

This study researched the influence of viewing composite faces made up of different ethnicities upon perceived attractiveness. It was hypothesized that ethnic differences and composite faces have an effect on the way individuals perceive attractiveness from faces. Hypotheses included that composite faces would be considered more attractive than individual faces, composite faces made up of more ethnicities would be considered more attractive, and subjects would choose a person of the same ethnicity as most attractive. Experimentation was performed with 190 subjects through the use of a survey; subjects were requested to complete a Google Forms survey where they were initially asked questions about ethnic and attraction preferences. In the questions following, they were then asked to rank several series of faces from least attractive to most attractive. For each question, around ten faces were illustrated, every question corresponding to five different ethnicity composites. The ethnicities included Caucasian, African-American, Asian: Indian Sub-Continent, Asian: Far-Eastern, and Hispanic. A two-sample t-test [T(1882)=12.00, p=<0.001] analyzing composite and individual faces illustrated that composite faces were viewed as more attractive than individual faces. A one-way ANOVA [F(940,944)=23.77, p=<0.001] analyzing composite faces of different ethnicities illustrated that the composite face that was considered the most attractive was the five-ethnicity composite face. A one-sample t-test [T(189)=0.62, p=0.533] analyzing the difference in ethnicity data illustrated that, overall, the data were not significant, yet results indicated that one's own ethnicity was preferred as opposed to a different ethnicity.

Location

Founders Hall 251 B

Start Date

3-30-2019 10:45 AM

Presentation Format

Oral and Written

Group Project

No

COinS
 
Mar 30th, 10:45 AM

The Effect of Composite Faces on Percieved Attractiveness

Founders Hall 251 B

This study researched the influence of viewing composite faces made up of different ethnicities upon perceived attractiveness. It was hypothesized that ethnic differences and composite faces have an effect on the way individuals perceive attractiveness from faces. Hypotheses included that composite faces would be considered more attractive than individual faces, composite faces made up of more ethnicities would be considered more attractive, and subjects would choose a person of the same ethnicity as most attractive. Experimentation was performed with 190 subjects through the use of a survey; subjects were requested to complete a Google Forms survey where they were initially asked questions about ethnic and attraction preferences. In the questions following, they were then asked to rank several series of faces from least attractive to most attractive. For each question, around ten faces were illustrated, every question corresponding to five different ethnicity composites. The ethnicities included Caucasian, African-American, Asian: Indian Sub-Continent, Asian: Far-Eastern, and Hispanic. A two-sample t-test [T(1882)=12.00, p=<0.001] analyzing composite and individual faces illustrated that composite faces were viewed as more attractive than individual faces. A one-way ANOVA [F(940,944)=23.77, p=<0.001] analyzing composite faces of different ethnicities illustrated that the composite face that was considered the most attractive was the five-ethnicity composite face. A one-sample t-test [T(189)=0.62, p=0.533] analyzing the difference in ethnicity data illustrated that, overall, the data were not significant, yet results indicated that one's own ethnicity was preferred as opposed to a different ethnicity.