> > the most desirable mate has symmetrical features (both body and face).
Kim wrote:
> I can't really see this. I think Lyle Lovett would be
> unattractive even if you saw only half his face, and were
> unable to judge its symmetricalness.
>
> Isn't Shannon Dorety (sp?) (the tv actress) considered
> attractive? Her face is wildly asymmetrical. Is she just an
> exception to the rule?

Kim-- virtually all scientific research on humans, whether biological or
behavioral, report findings in terms of averages (which range from simple
means to weighted means based on complex statistical modelling).
Researchers (and competent interpreters of their research) always report
their findings in probability terms.  In short, not only will you always
find expections to any reported finding, but the exceptions are fully
expected. . . but they do not negate it.

Rick-- I dug up a few more references:
        *D. Buss (1989), Sex Differences in Human Mate Preferences:
Evolutionary Hypotheses Tested in 37 Cultures (Behav. Brain Sci., v. 12,
pp. 1-49).
        *D. Singh (1993), Adaptive Significance of Female Physical
Attractiveness: Role of Waist-to-Hip Ratio (J. Pers. Soc. Psychol. v. 65,
pp. 293-307).
        *R. Thornhill and S. Gangestad (1993), Human Facial Beauty:
Averageness, Symmetry, and Parasite Resistance (Hum. Nature, v. 4, pp.
237-269).

Cheers!

Gregg C.
[log in to unmask]