The Study Of Effects Of Race And Sex On Facial Multidimensional Evaluation

In this study, digital facial photographs were applied as experimental material and software as Adobe Photoshop was used to unify the complexion, facial outline and hairstyle. Through examining the rating of attractiveness, familiarity, distinctiveness, racial judgment and sexual judgment, the effects of race and sex were separately investigated.The study included two experiments. Experiment 1 was conducted to explore the effect of race and sex on facial multidimensional evaluation in upright orientation of face. Experiment 2 was like experiment 1, but faces were upside down.There were five conclusions as follows:(1) In general, the effects of race and sex on facial multidimensional evaluation embodied concentratedly in several aspects, such as the main effects for race, sex and of face and sex of rater, and interaction between sexes of face and rater.(2) Race and sex of face affected the rating. Caucasian and female faces were received higher attractiveness rating. Asian and female faces were received higher familiarity rating. Caucasian and male faces were received higher distinctiveness rating. And raters' performance was better in racial judgment of own-race faces and female faces and in sexual judgment of male faces.(3) Sex of rater affected the rating. All faces were received higher distinctiveness rating by male raters. Female did much better in racial judgment, while male were better in sexual judgment.(4) An interaction between sex of face and rater on facial multidimensional evaluation was found, which is named cross-sex effect. Raters preferred own-sex faces in attractiveness rating. And female faces were received higher familiarity rating by female raters, while male faces were received higher distinctivenessrating by male raters. (5) Orientation of face affected the rating. And inversion effect was found in rating ofattractiveness, familiarity, racial judgment and sexual judgment.