Summary
Facial aesthetics offer valuable insights into the portrayal of gender through physical attributes, with eyebrow thickness being a prominent feature in this context. Studies (Mogilski-2018) have shown that eyebrow prominence is typically larger in men, associated with a masculine face shape and inversely related to a feminine face shape. Men often have heavier, straighter eyebrows positioned closer to the eyes, while women tend to possess more arched eyebrows that peak at the lateral limbus (Spiegel-2011). It is important to note that aging can cause changes in women’s eyebrows, potentially introducing a more masculine aspect due to eyebrow descent and reduced eye size. Overall, eyebrow thickness significantly influences our perception of gender and contributes to the depiction of femininity and masculinity.
Research
The intricate realm of facial aesthetics opens a window into our understanding of gender and its portrayal through physical features. One such feature that commands significant attention is the thickness of eyebrows, which has come to play an increasingly pivotal role in distinguishing femininity from masculinity.
In the study in 2018, “The Relative Contribution of Jawbone and Cheekbone Prominence, Eyebrow Thickness, Eye Size, and Face Length to Evaluations of Facial Masculinity and Attractiveness: A Conjoint Data-Driven Approach” by Justin K. Mogilski at el, Department of Psychology, University of South Carolina Salkehatchie, find that “eyebrow prominence, is reliably larger in men (i.e., are positively related to a masculine face shape and negatively related to a feminine face shape)”.
Comparative observations by Spiegel (2011) highlighted that while men’s eyebrows are typically heavier, straighter, and closer to the eyes, women’s eyebrows tend to be more arched, peaking at the lateral limbus. However, aging can bring about changes in women’s eyebrows, making them descend, straighten, and come closer to the eyes, thereby potentially introducing a more masculine aspect to the face due to the relative reduction in eye size.
In conclusion, the thickness of eyebrows plays a crucial role in our perception of gender, contributing to the portrayal of femininity and masculinity.
Reference
Mogilski, J. K., & Welling, L. L. (2018). The relative contribution of jawbone and cheekbone prominence, eyebrow thickness, eye size, and face length to evaluations of facial masculinity and attractiveness: A conjoint data-driven approach. Frontiers in psychology, 9, 2428.
https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2018.02428/full
Spiegel, J. H. (2011). Facial determinants of female gender and feminizing forehead cranioplasty. The Laryngoscope, 121(2), 250-261. https://doi.org/10.1002/lary.21187