Yes, research consistently indicates that average faces are more attractive than the individual faces used to create them.
Studies utilizing various techniques, including line drawings and face profiles, have demonstrated a general principle: average faces are consistently more attractive than the faces used to generate them. This finding suggests a preference in human perception for facial features that are closer to the average or typical form within a population.
Key Finding from Research
- Principle: Average faces are perceived as more attractive.
- Comparison: They are rated as more attractive than the individual faces that contribute to the average composite.
- Consistency: This principle has been shown across many studies using different averaging methods.
This preference for averageness is a widely reported phenomenon in the study of facial attractiveness.