Difference between an average face and an attractive face
However, in studies on evaluating different facial attractiveness, facial structural characteristics, and beauty preferences for different races, there is some controversy in the theory of “averageness” and “attractiveness”. This has been more extensively studied in cognitive psychology and psychiatry. Generally, face analysts with base in medicine usually acknowledge the difference between an attractive face and an average face. However, general aestheticians or cognitive psychologists such as Rhodes3 et al. argue that the average face is more attractive. The theory is based on their scholastic analysis of human beauty preferences on average faces extracted from different races. They proposed an average composite face obtained from lots of different races by computerized morphing methods4. A similar study published in South Korea was by Chung5 who provided an in-depth analysis of a standard face of Koreans.
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From his large sampling study, Chung5 proposed not only an average face based on face morphing extracted from faces of 511 college students but an average face mixed from 511 college students and 93 models or actress. I mathematically analyzed the average Korean frontal face proposed by Chung5 and racial average composite faces proposed by Rhodes4 using BAPA face analysis program that I developed.
As a result, I found that an attractive face and average faces not only have some mathematical similarities but have significant differences.
My mathematical analysis on the average face created by Chung5 revealed the following results. In comparison to average attractive Korean face, Chung’s average Korean college student’s face had a relatively shorter facial length compared to the width of the face (125.89 %< 134.04%). The horizontal ratio of lips was smaller (31.87 %< 34.30%) and the outline of the lower jaw was more pronounced and round. (135.22°~134.79°<141.80°~142.07°). Moreover, Chung5 provided a sample of Korean attractive face that included the concept of beauty preferences by creating a composite face mixing faces of college students and models or actress. Analyzing Chung’s attractive composite face, I found most photogrammetric measurements are similar to my beauty standards. However, the eyes were smaller in Chung’s composite face in respect to the average Korean attractive female face that I created. Especially, the horizontal length of the eye was very short by over two standard deviations. The vertical length of the eye lied outside one standard deviation. Besides, similar to the average face of college students, Chung5’s attractive face also had a more round outline of the lower jaw (135.26°~135.77°<141.80°~142.07°) compared to the average attractive Korean face I created in my articles.
