Saturday 28 September 2013

Meet the world's Mrs Averages: Scientists blend thousands of pictures together to reveal what the typical woman's face looks like in 41 different countries from around the globe

faces

Experimental psychologists at the University of Glasgow used pictures of hundreds of women from 41 different nationalities and ethnicities to achieve the result. Using a modern version of the technique that Sir Francis Galton pioneered in the 1800s, multiple images were carefully laid over one another using a computer programme. The programme then worked out the average look of each woman from every region.

The technique has been used ever since, particularly in the study of 'attractiveness' - which studies people's perception of beauty.

However, the results have attracted some controversy - with many saying the results do not reflect reality especially as the 'common' faces are all beautiful.


While many agree that it does make sense the women are all pretty - because averages rule out blemishes - many are perplexed that the women all seem to be in her early twenties -  not the average age of any nationality.

Those behind the project say that many of the criticisms are explained by the process.

Instead of having a lot of blurry images with undefined features, they say the method averages the shape of the features before blending the images together.

Some anomalies can be explained by how the pictures were compiled. The prevalence of mousy hair is a result of blondeness being easily 'diluted'.

Other results also suggest that the study has a few imperfections.

The average South African, for example, should not be pale-skinned as only 9.2 per cent of the population define themselves as white.


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