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Abstract
Previous studies have suggested a link between the processing of the emotional expression of a face and how attractive it appears. In two experiments we investigated the interrelationship between attractiveness and happiness. In Experiment 1 we presented morphed faces varying in attractiveness and happiness and asked participants to choose the more attractive of two simultaneously presented faces. In the second experiment we used the same stimuli as in Experiment 1 and asked participants to choose the happier face. The results of Experiment 1 revealed that the evaluation of attractiveness is strongly influenced by the intensity of a smile expressed on a face: A happy facial expression could even compensate for relative unattractiveness. Conversely, the findings of Experiment 2 showed that facial attractiveness also influences the evaluation of happiness: It was easier to choose the happier of two faces if the happier face was also more attractive. We discuss the interrelationship of happiness and attractiveness with regard to evolutionary relevance of positive affective status and rewarding effects.
Notes
1 Stimuli were taken from various databases: Cal/Pal Database (Minear & Park, Citation2004); FACES Database (Ebner, Riediger, & Lindenberger, Citation2010); Gomi (Gomi, Citation1994); RAFD Database (Langner et al., Citation2010); WSEFEP (Olszanowski, Pochwatko, Kukliński, Ścibor-Rylski, & Ohme, Citation2008); NimStim (Tottenham et al., Citation2009); and Karolinska Database (Lundqvist, Flykt, & Öhman, Citation1998). Additional face stimuli were provided by David Perrett and Janek Lobmaier from their personal stimulus collections. One hundred fifty-four front-view Caucasian adult faces showing direct gaze and either a neutral or happy facial expression were selected and were rated for attractiveness on a 7-point rating scale (from 1 = Not attractive to 7 = Very attractive) by 10 participants (five male).