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Original Articles

Something to smile about: The interrelationship between attractiveness and emotional expression

, &
Pages 298-310
Received 08 May 2012
Accepted 14 Jun 2013
Published online: 22 Jul 2013
 

Previous studies have suggested a link between the processing of the emotional expression of a face and how attractive it appears. In two experiments we investigated the interrelationship between attractiveness and happiness. In Experiment 1 we presented morphed faces varying in attractiveness and happiness and asked participants to choose the more attractive of two simultaneously presented faces. In the second experiment we used the same stimuli as in Experiment 1 and asked participants to choose the happier face. The results of Experiment 1 revealed that the evaluation of attractiveness is strongly influenced by the intensity of a smile expressed on a face: A happy facial expression could even compensate for relative unattractiveness. Conversely, the findings of Experiment 2 showed that facial attractiveness also influences the evaluation of happiness: It was easier to choose the happier of two faces if the happier face was also more attractive. We discuss the interrelationship of happiness and attractiveness with regard to evolutionary relevance of positive affective status and rewarding effects.

Additional information

Funding

Funding: JG was supported by a grant from the Pro*Doc program of the Swiss National Science Foundation awarded to FWM (PDFMP1_127238). JSL was supported by the Swiss National Science Foundation (grant number PZ00P1_121622/1).

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