Physical attractiveness

Physical attractiveness is the degree to which a person's bodily features are perceived as appealing. It varies with individual preferences and is shaped by social and cultural standards.

Facial symmetry: The degree to which corresponding features on the two sides of a face resemble one another. Symmetry is one facial cue studied in judgments of attractiveness.
Evolutionary psychology: An approach that studies psychological traits as products of evolution by natural selection. It proposes evolutionary explanations for some recurring attraction preferences.
Attractiveness bias: Unequal treatment based on perceived physical attractiveness. It captures how appearance-based judgments can influence real opportunities.
Attractiveness stereotype: The assumption that physically attractive people possess other desirable traits. It is a social belief about attractive people, not attractiveness itself.
Averageness: The resemblance of a face to the statistical average of faces in a population. Average-looking faces are often judged attractive, linking typicality to appeal.
Sexual selection: Evolutionary change caused by differences in mating success among individuals. It offers a framework for how preferences and visible traits may co-evolve.
Dating preferences: Traits people prefer in potential romantic or sexual partners. Attractiveness commonly shapes partner preferences and dating decisions.
Personality: A person's characteristic patterns of thought, feeling, and behavior. Personality can shape appeal but is distinct from bodily appearance.
Sexual dimorphism: Differences in physical traits between males and females of a species. Sex-typical facial and bodily traits can influence attractiveness judgments.
Charles Darwin: The English naturalist who developed the theory of evolution by natural selection. Darwin also proposed sexual selection to explain traits shaped by mate choice.

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Interpersonal attractionRelated: Appearance can shape first impressions and initial attraction.