LONDON: Have you ever wondered why men are attracted to fair-complexioned females while women prefer the tall, dark and handsome types? Well, the attraction is driven by preferences based on moral assumptions, says a study.
Researchers have found that men are subconsciously attracted to fairer skin due to its association with purity, innocence, modesty and goodness, while women feel that darker complexions are associated with sex, virility and danger.
"What the research shows is that our aesthetic preferences operate to reflect moral preferences. Within our cultures, we have a set of ideals about how women should look and behave.
"Lightness and darkness have particular meanings attached to them and we subconsciously relate those moral preferences to women," Independent quoted the study's lead author Dr Shyon Baumann of Toronto University as saying. The researchers came to the conclusion after they analysed over 2,000 advertising photographs of men and women. They found that the skin of white women was 15.2% lighter than the skin of white males while the skin of black women 11.1% was lighter than the skin of black men.
According to the researchers, many judgments about beauty are made at a conscious level, such as about leg length, height, weight and the shape of the nose as well as the mouth. "In contrast, other physical attractiveness ideals, including complexion... are made at the subconscious level."
When the researchers analysed adverts featuring white women only, they found that females with darkest complexions were more likely to be in an advanced state of undress. They were also more likely to have a bared midriff, and only they are shown with bared feet or are implied to be totally nude.
The darkest-complexioned women in this group were also likely to be provocatively dressed, wearing underwear or similar clothing. Women with the lightest complexion are more likely to be conservatively dressed and portrayed as friendly and honest.
According to the researchers, the scale of the differences between male and female skin color selected for their attractiveness is too big to be explained by pure biology.
Baumann said: "I contend the complexion findings should be understood as a product of deeply rooted and enduring cultural values. My argument to explain the findings has two key features.
"First, it is based on the meanings that lightness and darkness have in our culture. Second, it highlights the links between moral and aesthetic judgments. Physical lightness and darkness are aesthetic characteristics that... exemplify the link between aesthetic and moral judgments."
The article delves into the intriguing dynamics of human attraction, linking it to moral and cultural perceptions. As for the concepts discussed:
Attraction Preferences: The study suggests that men's attraction to fairer skin and women's preference for darker complexions are rooted in subconscious associations with moral ideals. Men are drawn to fair skin, perceiving it as indicative of purity and goodness, while women associate darker skin with attributes like virility and danger.
Cultural Ideals: Cultural norms greatly influence aesthetic preferences. The study emphasizes how societal values shape perceptions of beauty. Lightness and darkness of skin, in this context, symbolize deeper moral judgments within specific cultures.
Advertising and Perception: The analysis of over 2,000 advertising photographs revealed intriguing patterns. Advertisem*nts featuring white women displayed contrasts in how individuals with different complexions were portrayed. Darker-complexioned women were often shown provocatively dressed or in suggestive poses, while lighter-complexioned women were depicted more conservatively as friendly and honest.
Subconscious Associations: The research highlights that while some attractiveness criteria are consciously assessed (like leg length or facial features), preferences related to complexion operate at a subconscious level. These preferences are deeply ingrained and linked to cultural perceptions of morality.
Cultural Values and Physical Appearance: The researcher, Dr. Shyon Baumann, emphasizes the profound impact of cultural values on our perceptions of physical appearance. The study contends that the differences in attractiveness based on skin color are more a product of cultural values than solely biological predispositions.
The study's findings underscore the intricate connections between aesthetics, culture, and morality in shaping human preferences and perceptions of attractiveness.
