The Science of Beauty
Written by Major Tom
Filed under: Science & Technology, Philosophy
January 18, 2007
LOOKS LIKE BEAUTY IS NO LONGER within the grasp of the one we often call as ‘the beholder’. Scientists from the University of Aberdeen in United Kingdom have found out through a very simple but fairly compelling experimentation process that human attraction can be largely based on influence rather than on innate qualities,
or in simpler terms, one can be considered attractive depending on the number of people who will approve of the way you look.
DR. BEN JONES of the University of Aberdeen and his team came to this conclusion by observing how male subjects received approving results if more women would look at them with agreement. Sampling several women who were made to look at short videos of different male faces (each being looked at by either a smiling woman or a bored one), Dr. Jones collated results that showed that males who were stared at with smiling faces by more number of the women involved in the experiment got more nod about their attractive qualities from the women who were asked about their attractiveness. In short, women tend to be attracted to men who are being approved by many other women. Like human attraction now becomes a game of popularity and can actually be influenced by the way other people looks at you. Like I said, beauty may not already be exclusively in the ‘eye of the beholder’.
NOW, DO I AGREE with this scientific discovery? Well, in many ways Dr. Jones have proven something that should be quite convincing or even conclusive because for one, it would be but consequential that human attraction should not solely be based on the fairness of one’s countenance. Other factors should come into play like the color of one’s skin, the built of the body and even how one smells.
There should also be other salient factors such as one’s status in life, whether moneyed or not, whether one has power in hand like a gorgeous young congressman or a young executive in a multinational corporation, whether or not one has special abilities like playing in a band or having written a popular novel. But of course these salient factors I have enumerated above did not come into play during Dr. Jones experimentation for the women subjects were not aware of this. But clearly my point is something akin to the outcome of the test conducted by Dr. Jones and his team. It had proved that male subjects who got more approving nod from other women became more attractive to the women who took part in the experiment. Popularity becomes power and power is a great enhancement of attractiveness.
But on the other hand, the conclusion of Dr. Jones had some flaw where he seemed to have forgotten one basic thing that we all know in the first place, like perhaps the main reason why more women would look at a male individual with approval in that experiment was because of the good innate and natural looks that male subject has, and not conclusively because other women subjects had approved of him in the first place. Maybe, nagkataon lang (it just so happens to be that way). And the experiment seem to be one-sided towards the male specimen where the University of Aberdeen team should have made another set of tests where male subjects are also made to quantify attractiveness of female specimens. That way, human attractiveness determination could be more profound and encompassing. Remember what many say, men are from Mars and women are from Venus.
Yet overall, I found the experiment to be fairly significant and compelling because for one, I myself have this hypothesis in mind about beauty and even if I do not have the right methodology to prove it at this time, I feel strongly that human attractiveness can as well be largely based on factors other than great natural physical features.
So now we’ve learn how human attractiveness can actually be had even without the innate character of what we know as a handsome male guy or a beauteous young woman. Or we need to do is to have more people look at us with agreeing countenance, that is, with a smile. Maybe we can bribe ourselves away if only we’d have enough cash. Isn’t that desperate? I think it is.
I call it, herd mentality. And that’s one reason why old and greying but rich and powerful men can attract hordes of young women.
Comment by snglguy — January 18, 2007 @ 5:18 pm
INMHO, younger women tend to focus on physical qualities while older ones focus on the overall attributes, like status, education, wealth and power. In an economically polarized country like RP, it is possible for one attribute to dominate over others, like wealth, as SNGL alluded to. Sabi nga nila, pag may pera ang tao, gumaganda
Comment by bw — January 19, 2007 @ 7:04 am
To sngl: Yeah, that’s what I was meaning to say; like in products, human attraction can be enhanced thru trending strategies or bandwagonism.
To BW: Like I said, money and power can likewise spell the difference. I believe what should be studied is not merely human attraction based on first looks or glances but the motivations for human attraction, why it’s turned on even sometimes great looks is not attendant.
Comment by Major Tom — January 19, 2007 @ 1:44 pm
attractiveness would not be necessarily based on physical appearance alone. another factor is a strong sex appeal that makes people attractive. it’s not just money and power….
Comment by curacha — January 19, 2007 @ 4:31 pm
Yeah, sex appeal is what I often hear when individuals look or think about partners. I bet any scientific study on human attraction should include this as a factor.
Comment by Major Tom — January 19, 2007 @ 4:41 pm
We, women, can say that a man is handsome but that doesn’t mean that if we say that, we are attracted to that person. I just want to mention that because some men (esp those who are cocky) have that kind of thinking
Anyway I’m young but I think I no longer belong to that category where I judge a man’s attractiveness through his physical appearance (jeez I guess I’m already old if that’s the case hehe). I agree with BW’s statement. Btw men who are rich and popular intimidate or scare me. I don’t know but something about these men makes me question their integrity.
Thanks for dropping by my blog Major Tom. I like yours, I hope you don’t mind if I link you. Thanks
Comment by verns — January 19, 2007 @ 4:54 pm
There are more than 6.5 billion people on earth, so I guess it should be possible to find a partner (with or without approval smiles of others)
Comment by Sidney — January 19, 2007 @ 8:48 pm
There is also the distinction between physical and a deeper emotional attraction. Both can just be challenging when smitten.
Comment by eric — January 20, 2007 @ 1:28 pm
At an instance, I find a man attractive the way he carries himself. However, once the person talks, I could either dismiss my previous conclusion or count on it. I’m more on that side of gauging attractiveness of the male specie. Looks nor money isn’t enough for me. Perhaps it’s the way I look at things.
Comment by ipanema — January 20, 2007 @ 9:27 pm
“..the main reason why more women would look at a male individual with approval in that experiment was because of the good innate and natural looks that male subject has, and not conclusively because other women subjects had approved of him in the first place.”
I agree!
Go ask any girl why she finds a man attractive. Chances are she won’t say, “because I notice other girls look approvingly at him.” Di ba? The problem with this kind of experiment is that they don’t properly establish the cause and effect relationship.
Comment by Abaniko — January 21, 2007 @ 1:59 pm
i get easily attracted with men who has a good bearing. that is if we talk about the physical attributes. but generally, it is not the looks, nor the money, that a lot of women get attracted to. i think the way a man thinks about an issue, the way he reasons out, the way he gives his opinions, his principles, etc, everything that makes his persona, attracts women. or maybe that is just only me.
Comment by bing — January 21, 2007 @ 9:08 pm
To Vern: Thanks for the link. I’ll be putting up your site too in my links section.
I supposed so (of some men being just handsome but ain’t that appealing really) because for one I myself have observed that there are are many I know who are considerably handsome to the point that they could have that chiseled perfection of their faces, but somehow some other things makes them unappealing. Maybe they just lack the X-Factor as what many says. Or perhaps, human attraction is also hugely based on attitude.
To sidney: Ha..ha..very funny observation but very true indeed. But what d’ya know, maybe we won’t need billions of people to approve our looks, maybe we just have to bribe a number of individuals to smile at us everytime we pass by….
To eric: Yeah, I’ve heard about emotional attraction before and I mostly believe that this could happen. I have heard countless stories how two people meet when both were having problems of the heart, they become closer as they lean on each other, and find comfort in it that attraction comes in.
To ipanema; I think that’s the most ideal thing about attraction, that way it becomes genuine and honest. I believe that I have the same outlook as you have about human attraction.
To Abaniko: Yung talaga bro, parang hindi nila na assume the great possibility that in the first place talagang nagagapwuhan lang at hindi dahil sa impluwensya ng iba.
To Bing: I think it’s isn’t only you feeling that way too. I believe Ipanema has the same view. And in my case, I find it appealing for women to be one of opinion and knowledge and speak with sense rather than just fleeting things.
Comment by Major Tom — January 22, 2007 @ 1:40 pm
my attraction to marsians are mostly based on how he carries himself…total packaging plus substance ang drama! bonus na lang kung mala-AGA sa kagwapuhan!
Comment by hazel — January 26, 2007 @ 3:41 pm
I’ve never been the go-with-the-flow type of person. Funny, I’ve always been attracted to nerdy men who don’t have both fame and fortune. I’m married to one now.
I’m so much into ‘inner beauty,’ I guess. (Not to say that my husband is ugly. He’s not a Tom Cruise lookalike, but he’s visually acceptable naman.)
Comment by Jayred — January 30, 2007 @ 4:00 pm