According to a scientific study, which really attracts the look to female buttocks has nothing to do with the volume or the fall of kidneys. In reality, it is a much more discreet – but central – detail that would be deemed the most attractive. Led in Europe, this study mobilized 67 heterosexual volunteers, including 60 % of women. Their mission: to observe images of seven female glutes, taken from five different angles, while an eye tracking system precisely analyzed where their eyes arose, and for how long.
What the eyes look first
The results are enough to surprise: men and women did not prioritize the curve or the volume of the posterior. Their eyes were almost systematically directed towards … The Interfessier furrow. In other words, the famous “ray of the buttocks”.
This central furrow was not only the area watched first, but also the one that held the longest attention: about a second, then an additional second. Conversely, what is called the “Thigh Gap” – the space between the thighs – only retained the look 0.2 seconds.
These results call into question a widespread belief, largely nourished by popular culture, according to which female attractiveness depends on a fine size ratio/plump buttocks. However, this criterion is the one that many women are targeting, in particular through cosmetic surgery. According to ISAPS, interventions to modify the buttocks have increased by 20 % in five years. But this focus on the volume could be, basically, a misunderstanding.
A reaction anchored in human biology
The study, published in the journal Aesthetic Plastic Surgeryadvances a possible explanation for this instinctive focus on the central furrow of the buttocks. “”Biologically, humans can be programmed to notice specific physical attributes which historically meant an ability to reproduction“, Note the authors.
They also underline the contrast with the expected results. “”In many studies, this ratio has been highlighted as a key element in female attractiveness from a male point of view, mainly because of its potential associations with reproductive health“.
This new point of view therefore upsets preconceived ideas on female beauty canons. “”This unexpected discovery questions longtime hypotheses and underlines the complexity and the multifaceted nature of human attraction“.
At a time when aesthetic models are still dictating invasive interventions, these results could encourage to reconsider what is really perceived as attractive: a much more discreet detail … but universally observed.