Visual attention during the evaluation of facial attractiveness is influenced by facial angles and smile

Angle Orthod. 2018 May;88(3):329-337. doi: 10.2319/080717-528.1. Epub 2018 Jan 29.

Abstract

Objective: To examine the changes in visual attention influenced by facial angles and smile during the evaluation of facial attractiveness.

Materials and methods: Thirty-three young adults were asked to rate the overall facial attractiveness (task 1 and 3) or to select the most attractive face (task 2) by looking at multiple panel stimuli consisting of 0°, 15°, 30°, 45°, 60°, and 90° rotated facial photos with or without a smile for three model face photos and a self-photo (self-face). Eye gaze and fixation time (FT) were monitored by the eye-tracking device during the performance. Participants were asked to fill out a subjective questionnaire asking, "Which face was primarily looked at when evaluating facial attractiveness?"

Results: When rating the overall facial attractiveness (task 1) for model faces, FT was highest for the 0° face and lowest for the 90° face regardless of the smile ( P < .01). However, when the most attractive face was to be selected (task 2), the FT of the 0° face decreased, while it significantly increased for the 45° face ( P < .001). When facial attractiveness was evaluated with the simplified panels combined with facial angles and smile (task 3), the FT of the 0° smiling face was the highest ( P < .01). While most participants reported that they looked mainly at the 0° smiling face when rating facial attractiveness, visual attention was broadly distributed within facial angles.

Conclusions: Laterally rotated faces and presence of a smile highly influence visual attention during the evaluation of facial esthetics.

Keywords: Esthetics; Eye movement; Face; Perception; Smiling.

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Beauty*
  • Esthetics, Dental
  • Eye Movements
  • Face / anatomy & histology*
  • Face / physiology
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Smiling*
  • Surveys and Questionnaires
  • Visual Perception*
  • Young Adult