feature The attractiveness of the hourglass figure holds true across countries and cultures (So interestingly waif-like Kate Moss also matches up to the ideal WHR of 0.7. The concept and significance of WHR as an indicator of attractiveness was first theorised by psychologist Devendra Singh in 1993, who argued that the WHR was a consistent oestrogen marker. Some researchers have found that the waist-hip ratio is a significant measure of female attractiveness, although this has been found to be dependent on cultural values. Women with a 0.7 WHR are usually rated as more attractive by men from European cultures, while China favours a WHR of 0.6 in China to 0.8 or 0.9 in parts of South America and Africa. However, the attractiveness of the hourglass figure holds true across countries and cultures. Research shows. Men across the world can all agree – from the UK, Cameroon, Germany and China, to New Zealand. German research released last year indicated an hourglass figure to be more attractive than even athletic types or long-legged, big-chested ‘Barbies’. It is thought that a small waist-to-hip ratio is equated in the mind with good health and high fertility. ‘It is likely that perfect 0.7 ratio sends a biological signal to men that that woman is most fertile and most likely to produce a healthy offspring, no matter what size that woman is,’ says Dr Dixson. ‘It is all about the distribution of fat which is directly linked to fertility.’ In fact, looks like we’re all encouraged to celebrate our curvy bits according to the research data. Dr Dixson says men were wasting their time pumping iron in the gym because women have indicated they invariably prefer a leaner, less muscle-bound physique. ‘On a biological level, women are more likely to pick a leaner, even slightly more effeminate man as they equate those physical traits with being more caring and gentle and therefore a better prospect as a partner,’ he explains. ‘Humans simply do not mate randomly.’ Makeup & attraction Women who wear makeup appear more trustworthy, likeable and competent – not to mention attractive – to those around them, or so a relatively recent study tells us. ‘As we have evolved, the brain has become capable of making complex social judgments on some very basic visual cues,’ says Dr Arnaud Aubert, an experimental psychologist and associate professor in the department of neurosciences at the Universitè François-Rabelais, France. These visual cues typically revolve around the idea of attractiveness and trustworthiness, elements that the right style of makeup can certainly assist with. ‘First you see the face and then, after a quick visual decoding, a signal is relayed to the limbic area of the brain where an emotional level is assigned to what you have seen – either pleasant or unpleasant,’ Dr Aubert says. ‘This information is then translated to the forebrain where it’s decided whether the face is trustworthy or untrustworthy. The whole process is carried out almost instantaneously.’ By minimising flaws and enhancing our best features, makeup – when applied effectively – can make for a more “pleasant” translation process. Highlighter and illuminator, for instance, can detract from a larger nose, while the right shade of lip colour can go a long way in boosting that first impression. ‘All the social information is in the centre of the face,’ Dr Aubert explains. ‘If the brain is distracted by imperfections, it processes less and so has a weaker social assessment of the person it is looking at.’ A study conducted by Harvard University with Proctor and Gamble supports Aubert’s findings. Participants of the study were asked to rate how likeable, trustworthy and competent particular women were, based on their makeup. They were presented with images of women with no makeup, and then the same women made up in different ways – natural, professional and glamorous. One participant group was shown the images for a couple of seconds and the other group could inspect the images for as long as they liked. Lead author and assistant clinical professor of psychology at Harvard University, Nancy Etcoff explains the effects of makeup were the same, regardless of length of exposure. ‘When flashed quickly, every cosmetic look significantly increased how attractive, competent, likeable and trustworthy the faces appeared to the same faces without makeup,’ she says. ‘When people could look at the faces as long as they wanted to, all makeup looks increased competence and attractiveness once again.’ 26 www.cosbeauty.com.au
feature The brain has become capable of making complex social judgments on some very basic visual clues www.cosbeauty.com.au 27
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