Attractiveness and the memorability of faces : Only a matter of distinctiveness?

This study investigated the independent and combined effects of attractiveness and distinctiveness on face recognition. In a preliminary study, subjects rated the distinctiveness of 90 standardized facial photographs. These ratings and previously obtained ratings of attractiveness were used to select 12 target faces for a standard face recognition task. The results confirmed that more distinctive faces are remembered better. Attractiveness was a poor predictor of recognition, however, especially when variation in distinctiveness was controlled. These results indicate that a new perspective on the role of attractiveness in face recognition is needed, and they also support arguments that facial distinctiveness is a fundamental variable in recognition performance.