attractiveness

Conversely, men find women who look happy and smiling most sexy, and have a strong sexual disliking for women who look proud and confident, the study suggests.

The study, first-of-its-kind to report gender difference in the attractiveness of smiles, might help explain the 'enduring allure of bad boys.'

Many studies in past have established that people are generally drawn to those who fit the conventional notion of attractiveness, 'masculinity' in men and 'femininity' in women, the Businessweek reports.

However, psychologists Christopher P. Said of New York University and Alexander Todorov of Princeton University are of the view that attractiveness is much more complex than previously thought.

One of the lead researchers, Christopher Said said in a press release, “This paper helps sort out the uncertainty about whether masculinity is attractive or not in male faces.”

The ratio between the two fingers, known as the 2D: 4D ratio, is linked to sex hormone and determines how attractive a male face is considered. A lower ratio, that is, a longer ring finger than index, might explain for attractive and symmetrical features in men.

Previously, this ratio has been linked with fertility, sexuality, and competitive spirit in men.