Eye of the Beholder? Studies have shown that beauty can be defined as related to symmetry. What do you think?

Some people say art or beauty is in the eye of the beholder. But studies show otherwise.


I've seen this documentary where it says if the face has symmetry then it was seen with more ease.





What do you think?Eye of the Beholder? Studies have shown that beauty can be defined as related to symmetry. What do you think?
I think that people find symmetry to be beautiful because it's about finding something perfect in a chaotic world. This is why models get airbrushed on magazines and why America is so obsessed with looking a perfect way ( a lot of women want an hourglass figure, etc. etc. ). I think that symmetry has always been a part of society and the media. People who thrive on the media, in my opinion, may also enjoy symmetry. But again, I think subconsciously, symmetry is logic and reason in a chaotic world, which may appeal to many. The reason I think the media has such an incredible impact on what we judge as beautiful is due to so many credible studies out there that prove this to be true. One study looked at women in American, who are bombarded everyday with over a thousand ads (No kidding!) either through TV, the computer/internet, and outside on billboards and advertisements. It's everywhere. I think Americans thrive on symmetrical beauty because the media makes it so appealing. But they studied these women alongside women from another country (I don't remember the country at the moment) who never watched TV. The other country's advertisements about beauty were pretty much non-existent too. These women were also much curvier than the American women they were studying. They found that the non-American women were very happy with the way they looked, while most American women thought they were fat and needed to go on a diet (even if this wasn't so). Once they started putting TV's into the homes of these non-Americans (sorry I forgot the country's name, I read this a long time ago) they started to feel differently about the way they looked. They were more obsessed with this symmetrical beauty. They wanted to diet and lose their curves. They wanted to look like the American models that they saw on TV. It's amazing how the media affects people so quickly.


Also, I believe we are programmed to see symmetry as beautiful through media because babies are not like this. They did a study in which infants preferred attractiveness over symmetry. So these two things are not synonymous with each other. Children do not always find symmetry as beautiful. Attractiveness is viewed a different way; perhaps in a less media-affected way.Eye of the Beholder? Studies have shown that beauty can be defined as related to symmetry. What do you think?
It's both. There are certain things that are appealing on an unconscious level, like face symmetry. We are attracted to this because symmetry is subconsciously equated with healthiness, which a smart organism wants in their mate. Other things, such as eye color, aren't affected by this reproductive instinct, are merely a matter of personal preference.
Yes, I've heard that too. Like, people with eyes completely aligned and everything, is considered by more people to behold beauty. For me, eh. I don't know. When I think of someone as pretty I don't normally notice their facial lines of symmetry. But, maybe its just a subconcious thing.
Well-established in humans and many other species.
i know alot of ppl who like Picasso......not much symmetry there!