Averaged faces are attractive, but very attractive faces are not average.
Alley, Thomas R.; Cunningham, Michael R.
Psychological Science, Vol 2(2), Mar 1991, 123-125. doi: 10.1111/j.1467-9280.1991.tb00113.x
Examines whether atypical characteristics can enhance facial attractiveness. The article discusses some of the theoretical reasons why the most average facial appearance (MAFA) will not be ideally attractive, data indicating that the MAFA is not the most attractive, and limitations and weaknesses of the method used by J. H. Langlois and L. A. Roggman (see record 1990-28206-001) in producing composite faces by digitized image processing. It is concluded that it is unclear why the composite photos were more attractive. Additionally, there are good theoretical and empirical reasons to believe that very attractive faces are somewhat atypical rather than average. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2012 APA, all rights reserved)
Averaged faces are attractive, but very attractive faces are not average.
Alley, Thomas R.; Cunningham, Michael R.
Psychological Science, Vol 2(2), Mar 1991, 123-125. doi: 10.1111/j.1467-9280.1991.tb00113.x
Examines whether atypical characteristics can enhance facial attractiveness. The article discusses some of the theoretical reasons why the most average facial appearance (MAFA) will not be ideally attractive, data indicating that the MAFA is not the most attractive, and limitations and weaknesses of the method used by J. H. Langlois and L. A. Roggman (see record 1990-28206-001) in producing composite faces by digitized image processing. It is concluded that it is unclear why the composite photos were more attractive. Additionally, there are good theoretical and empirical reasons to believe that very attractive faces are somewhat atypical rather than average. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2012 APA, all rights reserved)