A tilt of the head 'is enough to attract a mate'

08 December,2011 10:46 AM IST |   |  Agencies

Forget candlelight dinners and romantic walks on the beach, for a tilt of the head is enough to lure a mate, according to new study


Forget candlelight dinners and romantic walks on the beach, for a tilt of the head is enough to lure a mate, according to new study.
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The research found that by simply tilting their face forward a woman's face can be judged to be more feminine and more attractive, whereas a man''s face is considered more attractive when tilted backwards.
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Dr Darren Burke and Dr Danielle Sulikowski are the husband and wife team behind the research, which has been conducted at the University of Newcastle and Macquarie University.
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According to Dr Burke, while a lot is known already on the influence of feminine and masculine features on attractiveness, there is a gap in the evolutionary origin of what is considered masculine and feminine about facial features.
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"Our research investigated if looking at the face from different perspectives as a result of the height differential between men and women influenced perceived masculinity or femininity," the Age quoted him as saying.
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"The research found the way we angle our faces affects our attractiveness to the opposite sex," he added.
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Typically taller than women, men view women's faces from above so a female face was deemed more attractive when tilted forward, simulating this perspective.
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The opposite was then true for men whose faces were judged more masculine and attractive when tilted backwards as though they were viewed from below.
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Dr Sulikowski said these findings offer some clues to help unravel "the mysteries of mateship rituals" in this century.
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"The next step is to determine if people use this effect in real-world mate-attraction scenarios," she said.
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The findings are published in the latest edition of Evolutionary Psychology.
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