September 17, 2003
Facial attractiveness predicts longevity
Evolution and Human Behavior
Volume 24, Issue 5 , September 2003, Pages 351-356
Facial attractiveness predicts longevity
Joshua J. A. Henderson et al.
Abstract
In the current investigation, 20 undergraduate students rated 50 high school yearbook photographs from the 1920s on two measures, attractiveness and perceived health. These measures were then correlated with each other and with the photographed subjects' longevity. Facial attractiveness was found to predict future longevity, but perceived health did not. The results are discussed in terms of sexual selection theory.
Posted by Dienekes at September 17, 2003 10:13 PM | PermaLinkIf longevity correlates highly with attractiveness, the countries with the most attractive people are, in order:
1. Japan
2. Australia
3. Switzerland
4. Sweden
5. Hong Kong
6. Canada
7. Italy
8. Spain
9. France
10. Norway
11. Israel
12. Greece
from: http://www.nationmaster.com/graph-T/hea_lif_exp_at_bir_tot_pop
(Ignoring countries with small populations - less than 5 million)
"If longevity correlates highly with attractiveness, the countries with the most attractive people are, in order (...)"
Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. Someone considered atractive in Japan might not be atractive in (say) Greece.
What it could be assumed is that someone considered beautiful in their own country, led a happier and less "stressful" life, and would therefore be less likely to endure cardio-vascular injuries (for instance) during their life time. That doesn't seem very logical, as beauty is not necessarily correlated with health (example: Eva Perón was beautiful and she died from cancer at an early age).
Posted by: alex at September 18, 2003 04:08 AM>> If longevity correlates highly with attractiveness, the countries with the most attractive people are, in order:
If facial attractiveness predicts longevity then this means that the expected life span of someone who is attractive is more than that of someone who is not attractive.
This does not necessarily mean that nations with long-lived people will be attractive, since some other factor may be contributing to long-livedness.
Posted by: Dienekes at September 18, 2003 11:57 AMThink about nutrition.
In Japan they eat more rice and fish and not as much red meat and animal fat like f.e. in the U.S.
Secondly is stress resistance not correlated with attractiveness.
And dont forget the health system...etc.,etc...
Especially in the US all these factors are worse than in the most other OECD states.