Testosterone-to-oestradiol ratio is associated with female facial attractiveness. 2016

Fabian Probst, and Cora Bobst, and Janek S Lobmaier
a Institute of Psychology , University of Bern , Bern , Switzerland.

The relationship between facial shape and attractiveness has been extensively studied, yet few studies have investigated the underlying biological factors of an attractive face. Many researchers have proposed a link between female attractiveness and sex hormones, but there is little empirical evidence in support of this assumption. In the present study we investigated the relationship between circulating sex hormones and attractiveness. We created prototypes by separately averaging photographs of 15 women with high and low levels of testosterone, oestradiol, and testosterone-to-oestradiol ratio levels, respectively. An independent set of facial images was then shape transformed toward these prototypes. We paired the resulting images in such a way that one face depicted a female with high hormone level and the other one with a low hormone level. Fifty participants were asked to choose the more attractive face of each pair. We found that low testosterone-to-oestradiol ratio and low testosterone were positively associated with female facial attractiveness. There was no preference for faces with high oestradiol levels. In an additional experiment with 36 participants we confirmed that a low testosterone-to-oestradiol ratio plays a larger role than low testosterone alone. These results provide empirical evidence that an attractive female face is shaped by interacting effects of testosterone and oestradiol.

UI MeSH Term Description Entries
D008297 Male Males
D010364 Pattern Recognition, Visual Mental process to visually perceive a critical number of facts (the pattern), such as characters, shapes, displays, or designs. Recognition, Visual Pattern,Visual Pattern Recognition
D010775 Photic Stimulation Investigative technique commonly used during ELECTROENCEPHALOGRAPHY in which a series of bright light flashes or visual patterns are used to elicit brain activity. Stimulation, Photic,Visual Stimulation,Photic Stimulations,Stimulation, Visual,Stimulations, Photic,Stimulations, Visual,Visual Stimulations
D004958 Estradiol The 17-beta-isomer of estradiol, an aromatized C18 steroid with hydroxyl group at 3-beta- and 17-beta-position. Estradiol-17-beta is the most potent form of mammalian estrogenic steroids. 17 beta-Estradiol,Estradiol-17 beta,Oestradiol,17 beta-Oestradiol,Aerodiol,Delestrogen,Estrace,Estraderm TTS,Estradiol Anhydrous,Estradiol Hemihydrate,Estradiol Hemihydrate, (17 alpha)-Isomer,Estradiol Monohydrate,Estradiol Valerate,Estradiol Valeriante,Estradiol, (+-)-Isomer,Estradiol, (-)-Isomer,Estradiol, (16 alpha,17 alpha)-Isomer,Estradiol, (16 alpha,17 beta)-Isomer,Estradiol, (17-alpha)-Isomer,Estradiol, (8 alpha,17 beta)-(+-)-Isomer,Estradiol, (8 alpha,17 beta)-Isomer,Estradiol, (9 beta,17 alpha)-Isomer,Estradiol, (9 beta,17 beta)-Isomer,Estradiol, Monosodium Salt,Estradiol, Sodium Salt,Estradiol-17 alpha,Estradiol-17beta,Ovocyclin,Progynon-Depot,Progynova,Vivelle,17 beta Estradiol,17 beta Oestradiol,Estradiol 17 alpha,Estradiol 17 beta,Estradiol 17beta,Progynon Depot
D005145 Face The anterior portion of the head that includes the skin, muscles, and structures of the forehead, eyes, nose, mouth, cheeks, and jaw. Faces
D005260 Female Females
D006801 Humans Members of the species Homo sapiens. Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D000293 Adolescent A person 13 to 18 years of age. Adolescence,Youth,Adolescents,Adolescents, Female,Adolescents, Male,Teenagers,Teens,Adolescent, Female,Adolescent, Male,Female Adolescent,Female Adolescents,Male Adolescent,Male Adolescents,Teen,Teenager,Youths
D000328 Adult A person having attained full growth or maturity. Adults are of 19 through 44 years of age. For a person between 19 and 24 years of age, YOUNG ADULT is available. Adults
D001504 Beauty Characteristics or attributes of persons or things which elicit pleasurable feelings.

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