Manly beauty not in the eyes, but in the jawline

It seems like the world of scientific investigation provides us with important, life-altering developments on an almost daily basis. And, as an added bonus, it also provides us with other information that may not be quite so earth-shaking but is interesting in a “how ‘bout that?” sort of way nevertheless.

Add to the latter category new research reported this week at the web site livescience.com (a great source of readable scientific stuff, both earth-shaking and otherwise) that links male facial features to preconceived notions women carry with them when sizing up potential mates.
In the study researchers digitally altered head shots of various male subjects to emphasize or minimize what are generally considered to be masculine facial features. To “man up” the photos they emphasized strong, square jaws and prominent brow lines and they minimized the same features to make the faces appear more feminine.

Women who looked at these retouched photos tended to prejudge the more masculine faces to be guys who were more likely to take risks, get into fights, challenge authority, cheat on their spouses, and show little interest in parenting. The same women thought that the more feminine-faced dudes were more likely to be the nurturing, dependable, supportive types.

This facial stereotyping tendency in women appears be an organic reaction that is based on solid biological principles. The facial structures of guys with heavy brow lines and jutting jaws are usually influenced by high levels of testosterone, and we all know what high levels of testosterone leads to – aggression, ambition, and the need to chase skirts.

When asked about the desirability of the men in the pictures as potential mates, the answers were, perhaps, also predictable. For a quick fling the ladies preferred the square-jawed bad boys, but when it came to choosing a long-term companion they preferred the sturdy, sensitive, testosterone-challenged dudes.

If you’re a guy, like me, only one thing comes to your mind when you hear about this research – what does my face tell women about me? When they look at me, do they see a manly man, a rogue who is to be desired but not necessarily trusted? Or do they see safe, dependable, and “sweet”?

I think I speak for most guys when I say I would much rather be thought of as the risk-taking lady-killer type, even if the events of my life don’t support such a characterization. Most guys want to be James Dean and not some poetry-quoting Romeo.

So of course I spent some time studying my own picture. You can see it there at the top of the column. What do you think?

I couldn’t come to a definitive conclusion. The brow line looks fairly prominent, but the chin is neither ominously prominent nor squarely-shaped. So where does that leave me, with a split decision?

I’m afraid that may be the case, and my personality traits may bear out such a duality. I seem to have just enough testosterone to think about taking crazy chances, but in the end I tend to stay on the safe side of the street, live up to my responsibilities, and stay off of other people’s toes.

I’m sure a lot of guys can relate to this situation. Deep down you feel like John Wayne is dying to get out, but the little Alan Alda on your other shoulder keeps you home with the wife and kids most nights and restrains you from punching out your boss when he passes over you for that well-deserved promotion. Such is the fate of those of us who testosterone is destined to trouble, but not control.

Well, cheer up guys. You aren’t Brad Pitt, but neither are most of the highly testosterone-saturated dudes out there. I bet a lot of them probably end up in jail at some point. Sometimes a little balance ain’t a bad thing.