Popularity in Environmental Context: Facial Feature Assessment of American Movie Actresses

The relationship between facial features of popular American movie actresses and the social and economic conditions of the United States from 1932 to 1995 was investigated. Facial photographs of popular American movie actresses were located and digitally converted to graphics files to allow measurement of facial features. When social and economic conditions in the United States were stagnant and pessimistic, American movie actresses with mature facial features (small eye size, thin cheeks, and large chins) were popular: When social and economic conditions were prosperous and optimistic, actresses with neonate facial features (large eye size, round cheeks, and small chins) were popular: Results support the hypothesis that popularity and facial feature preference is related to and changes based on environmental security.