The neuroscience of beauty: What your brain finds beautiful – and how this shapes your thoughts (2024)

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The neuroscience of beauty: What your brain finds beautiful – and how this shapes your thoughts? ›

The leading theory is that we're hardwired to appreciate forms and patterns that are pervasive in nature, such as fractals, the Golden Ratio and symmetry, because they helped our ancestors survive. A symmetrical face, for instance, suggests good health and strong genes in a potential mate.

Then there's a good share of overlapping neural activity in the orbitofrontal cortex. This part convinces us that attractiveness means good. It makes us attracted to the person, feel safer around the person. And of course, our pleasure and reward system is activated.

Zeki found, by examining MRI images of his subjects' brains, that when people look at something they find beautiful, a portion in the front part of the brain called the medial orbito-frontal cortex “lights up.” That is, there's increased blood flow in this area.

According to University of Barcelona researchers, people have an inaccurate view of their own appearance and rate themselves as more attractive than they actually are. This effect is stronger when they view themselves in the first person as opposed to the third person.

The leading theory is that we're hardwired to appreciate forms and patterns that are pervasive in nature, such as fractals, the Golden Ratio and symmetry, because they helped our ancestors survive. A symmetrical face, for instance, suggests good health and strong genes in a potential mate.

Facial symmetry has been shown to be considered attractive in women, and men have been found to prefer full lips, high forehead, broad face, small chin, small nose, short and narrow jaw, high cheekbones, clear and smooth skin, and wide-set eyes.

According to science, men find women more attractive when they are smart, intelligent, caring, confident, humorous, kind, independent, and supportive. Although these qualities may generally apply, what one man may find the most attractive may differ from another.

The human curiosity about faces and what the features tell us about the person are hardwired into how we perceive reality. In fact, neurological centers located deep within our brain that scientists refer to as the brain reward system was found to be involved in how we evaluate the attractiveness of a face we look at.

The sex hormones, testosterone in men and estrogen in women, largely drive the body and facial features that define attractiveness, and also reshape the brain to detect and value these features. The onset of puberty ramps up hormone levels and reshapes the male and female bodies.

So what part of our brain responds to beauty? The answer depends on whether we see beauty as a single category at all. Brain scientists who favour the idea of such a beauty centre have hypothesised that it may live in the orbitofrontal cortex, the ventromedial prefrontal cortex or the insula.

What is the science behind beauty? ›

The Appearance of Health

hom*ogeneity of color: Evenness of skin tone can be a signal to our brains that someone is healthy and might be good mate material. Smooth texture: Minimal blemishes and lines on a face can signify youthfulness and vitality. These qualities are felt to signify overall health.

A beautiful thing is a joy forever. It provides happiness and moves away all the depression and sadness.

This is because the reflection you see every day in the mirror is the one you perceive to be original and hence a better-looking version of yourself. So, when you look at a photo of yourself, your face seems to be the wrong way as it is reversed than how you are used to seeing it.

The mirror is a reflection.

It's a reflection, so it shows how we look like in reverse. Because we're so used to seeing the reverse version of ourselves, seeing how we look in pictures can be jarring. And unless you're blessed with a perfectly symmetrical face, the photo version of yourself can be even more wonky.

First, take a look at how people react to you when you walk into a room. Do people give either a prolonged or quick smile and look happy to see you, or do they seem to avoid you? If it's the former, then it's likely that others think you're attractive, and you simply don't.

In fact, we could say that each person has his or her own concept of beauty, established by both culture and tradition and by individual temperament and sensibility. At the same time, a beloved face that is less than perfect is often found beautiful regardless of any cultural or his- torical standard.

The concept of a “perfect” face leans heavily towards symmetry and balance. Typically, features such as larger eyes, a slender nose, pronounced cheekbones, plump lips, and overall harmonious proportions are deemed attractive. However, beauty is subjective and varies across cultures and individuals.

Physical attraction is often the spark that inspires a connection between people. Many factors can play a role, including facial features, physical dimensions, facial expressions, and non-visual cues. Evolutionary and sociocultural factors also play a part.

There are a few signs that you may be a physically attractive person. Others often find you easy to approach and talk to. You may also receive compliments on your appearance regularly, but you should also know that some attractive people don't receive compliments at all.