Attractiveness: Statistical properties versus individual person characteristics of face images
General, Cognitive and Mathematical Psychology
Final Report Abstract
The present study focused on statistical image properties that have previously been associated with the processing of natural scenes and visual artworks. We asked whether these properties, which play a role in low-level visual processing, have an effect also on face perception, in particular on the perception of face attractiveness, but also on emotional expressions. The project consisted of three studies. First, in an exploratory study, we studied statistical image properties in large datasets of face images that showed differences in emotional expressions (Project 1), age and attractiveness (Project 2). We found consistent changes in the image properties with different emotional expressions and age, but not attractiveness, and demonstrated that such changes are behaviorally relevant. However, the relevance of these findings in interpersonal communication remained unclear. Second, we manipulated the spectral frequency content of face image and their surround and demonstrated an effect on perceived face attractiveness (Project 2). Participants rated faces as more attractive if they were presented on a random-phase background with a frequency spectrum that is more similar to that of natural scenes and artworks. Despite this similarity, we obtained evidence in another experiment that the neural mechanisms mediating artistic beauty and face attractiveness are not mediated by the same, but domain-specific neuronal mechanisms (see related project). Third, in view of the results from Project 2, we studied the effect of surrounding and preceding noise on face perception in more detail with an adaptation paradigm by recording ERPs from human participants. To our surprise, we found - for the first time - that noise can have a beneficial effect on face perception. Our interpretation of this finding is that the observed effects are possibly due to the selective adaptation of noise-sensitive neurons in face-processing regions of the brain. This adaptation may enhance the signal-to-noise ratio. Together, our results are compatible with our initial hypothesis that image properties, which are processed at low levels of the visual system, can have an effect on the perception of important cues in person perception, such as face attractiveness. Future studies will have to investigate if how far the observed differences in image properties are relevant for the perception of other person characteristics, such as emotional expressions, age and gender.
Publications
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(2014) Beauty: Neglected but alive and kicking (commentary). British Journal of Psychology, 105, 468-470
Redies, C.
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(2015) Combining universal beauty and cultural context in a unifying model of visual aesthetic experience. Frontiers of Human Neuroscience, 9, 218
Redies, C.
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(2015) Fourier power spectrum characteristics of face photographs: attractiveness perception depends on low-level image properties. PLoS One, 10, e0122801
Menzel, C., Hayn-Leichsenring, G. U., Langner, O., Wiese, H., & Redies, C.
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(2016) Evaluating abstract art: Relation between term usage, subjective ratings, image properties and personality traits. Frontiers of Psychology, 7, 973
Lyssenko, N., Redies, C., & Hayn-Leichsenring, G. U.
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(2017) High entropy of edge orientations characterizes visual artworks from diverse cultural backgrounds. Vision Research, 133, 130-144
Redies, C., Brachmann, A., & Wagemans, J.
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(2017) When noise is beneficial for sensory encoding: Noise adaptation can improve face processing. Brain and Cognition, 117, 73-83
Menzel, C., Hayn-Leichsenring, G. U., Redies, C., Németh, K., & Kovács, G.
