The value of averageness in aesthetic rhinoplasty: humans like average noses

Floris V.W.J. van Zijl; David Ian Perrett; Peter J.F.M. Lohuis; Carolina E. Touw; Dengke Xiao; Frank R. Datema

doi:10.1093/asj/sjaa010

The value of averageness in aesthetic rhinoplasty: humans like average noses

Floris V.W.J. van Zijl^*, David Ian Perrett, Peter J.F.M. Lohuis, Carolina E. Touw, Dengke Xiao, Frank R. Datema

^*Corresponding author for this work

School of Psychology and Neuroscience

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

Abstract

Background

The aesthetic ideal of the nose eludes clear definition. Averageness may be an important determinant of ideal nasal shape: research has shown that averageness plays an important role in the human perception of facial attractiveness.

Objectives

To test whether an averaged nasal shape is attractive, and whether deviation away from average is associated with decreased attractiveness.

Methods

Photographical series of the face were obtained from 80 Caucasian female volunteers aged 25-40 years. A mathematically averaged composite image was created using the first 40 volunteers. Forty-one panel members were recruited to judge the attractiveness of the nose of each original image and the composite, using a 5-point Likert scale ranging from 1 (very ugly) to 5 (very pretty). Deviation of nasal shape from average was calculated using a principal components analysis of standardized nasal landmarks.

Results

Twenty-one respondents were male (51%). Mean (SD) age of the respondents was 35.3 years (±15.6). The rating of the composite was significantly higher than the distribution of ratings for the 80 original nose images (4.2 vs 2.8, t=31.24, P<.001). The rating of the original nose images correlated negatively with deviation from average shape (r = -.40, n = 80, P<.001).

Conclusions

In Caucasian females, a mathematically averaged nose is an attractive nose. Furthermore, the more an individual nose shape resembles average shape, the more attractive it is rated. Calculating deviation from average before and after rhinoplasty may aid in objectively measuring aesthetic rhinoplasty outcome.

Original language	English
Article number	sjaa010
Journal	Aesthetic Surgery Journal
Volume	In press
Early online date	21 Jan 2020
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1093/asj/sjaa010
Publication status	E-pub ahead of print - 21 Jan 2020

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Copyright © 2020 The American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery, Inc. This work has been made available online in accordance with publisher policies or with permission. Permission for further reuse of this content should be sought from the publisher or the rights holder. This is the author created accepted manuscript following peer review and may differ slightly from the final published version. The final published version of this work is available at https://doi.org/10.1093/asj/sjaa010
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@article{42129171e1fb46c090cc5153ddc8931d,

title = "The value of averageness in aesthetic rhinoplasty: humans like average noses",

abstract = "BackgroundThe aesthetic ideal of the nose eludes clear definition. Averageness may be an important determinant of ideal nasal shape: research has shown that averageness plays an important role in the human perception of facial attractiveness.ObjectivesTo test whether an averaged nasal shape is attractive, and whether deviation away from average is associated with decreased attractiveness.MethodsPhotographical series of the face were obtained from 80 Caucasian female volunteers aged 25-40 years. A mathematically averaged composite image was created using the first 40 volunteers. Forty-one panel members were recruited to judge the attractiveness of the nose of each original image and the composite, using a 5-point Likert scale ranging from 1 (very ugly) to 5 (very pretty). Deviation of nasal shape from average was calculated using a principal components analysis of standardized nasal landmarks.ResultsTwenty-one respondents were male (51%). Mean (SD) age of the respondents was 35.3 years (±15.6). The rating of the composite was significantly higher than the distribution of ratings for the 80 original nose images (4.2 vs 2.8, t=31.24, P<.001). The rating of the original nose images correlated negatively with deviation from average shape (r = -.40, n = 80, P<.001).ConclusionsIn Caucasian females, a mathematically averaged nose is an attractive nose. Furthermore, the more an individual nose shape resembles average shape, the more attractive it is rated. Calculating deviation from average before and after rhinoplasty may aid in objectively measuring aesthetic rhinoplasty outcome.",

author = "{van Zijl}, {Floris V.W.J.} and Perrett, {David Ian} and Lohuis, {Peter J.F.M.} and Touw, {Carolina E.} and Dengke Xiao and Datema, {Frank R.}",

year = "2020",

month = jan,

day = "21",

doi = "10.1093/asj/sjaa010",

language = "English",

volume = "In press",

journal = "Aesthetic Surgery Journal",

publisher = "Oxford University Press",

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T1 - The value of averageness in aesthetic rhinoplasty

T2 - humans like average noses

AU - van Zijl, Floris V.W.J.

AU - Perrett, David Ian

AU - Lohuis, Peter J.F.M.

AU - Touw, Carolina E.

AU - Xiao, Dengke

AU - Datema, Frank R.

PY - 2020/1/21

Y1 - 2020/1/21

N2 - BackgroundThe aesthetic ideal of the nose eludes clear definition. Averageness may be an important determinant of ideal nasal shape: research has shown that averageness plays an important role in the human perception of facial attractiveness.ObjectivesTo test whether an averaged nasal shape is attractive, and whether deviation away from average is associated with decreased attractiveness.MethodsPhotographical series of the face were obtained from 80 Caucasian female volunteers aged 25-40 years. A mathematically averaged composite image was created using the first 40 volunteers. Forty-one panel members were recruited to judge the attractiveness of the nose of each original image and the composite, using a 5-point Likert scale ranging from 1 (very ugly) to 5 (very pretty). Deviation of nasal shape from average was calculated using a principal components analysis of standardized nasal landmarks.ResultsTwenty-one respondents were male (51%). Mean (SD) age of the respondents was 35.3 years (±15.6). The rating of the composite was significantly higher than the distribution of ratings for the 80 original nose images (4.2 vs 2.8, t=31.24, P<.001). The rating of the original nose images correlated negatively with deviation from average shape (r = -.40, n = 80, P<.001).ConclusionsIn Caucasian females, a mathematically averaged nose is an attractive nose. Furthermore, the more an individual nose shape resembles average shape, the more attractive it is rated. Calculating deviation from average before and after rhinoplasty may aid in objectively measuring aesthetic rhinoplasty outcome.

AB - BackgroundThe aesthetic ideal of the nose eludes clear definition. Averageness may be an important determinant of ideal nasal shape: research has shown that averageness plays an important role in the human perception of facial attractiveness.ObjectivesTo test whether an averaged nasal shape is attractive, and whether deviation away from average is associated with decreased attractiveness.MethodsPhotographical series of the face were obtained from 80 Caucasian female volunteers aged 25-40 years. A mathematically averaged composite image was created using the first 40 volunteers. Forty-one panel members were recruited to judge the attractiveness of the nose of each original image and the composite, using a 5-point Likert scale ranging from 1 (very ugly) to 5 (very pretty). Deviation of nasal shape from average was calculated using a principal components analysis of standardized nasal landmarks.ResultsTwenty-one respondents were male (51%). Mean (SD) age of the respondents was 35.3 years (±15.6). The rating of the composite was significantly higher than the distribution of ratings for the 80 original nose images (4.2 vs 2.8, t=31.24, P<.001). The rating of the original nose images correlated negatively with deviation from average shape (r = -.40, n = 80, P<.001).ConclusionsIn Caucasian females, a mathematically averaged nose is an attractive nose. Furthermore, the more an individual nose shape resembles average shape, the more attractive it is rated. Calculating deviation from average before and after rhinoplasty may aid in objectively measuring aesthetic rhinoplasty outcome.

U2 - 10.1093/asj/sjaa010

DO - 10.1093/asj/sjaa010

M3 - Article

VL - In press

JO - Aesthetic Surgery Journal

JF - Aesthetic Surgery Journal

M1 - sjaa010

ER -

The value of averageness in aesthetic rhinoplasty: humans like average noses

Abstract

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