ANDROGYNOUS AND GENDERED FACE PERCEPTION

Abstract

Studies in face perception often use androgynous faces as a tool. The common assumption about androgynous faces is that they lie at the halfway point of a continuum that features "male" and "female" at the extremes. However, this definition has not been verified by research. This thesis uses a variety of methods, with an emphasis on data-driven methods, to test common assumptions about androgynous faces. Chapter 2 compared morphed faces, which were created using the common definition of facial androgyny, to naturally androgynous faces. Although the two groups were rated as equally androgynous, the naturally androgynous faces were rated as significantly more feminine. Chapter 3 focused on understanding androgynous face perception while minimizing prior assumptions. In a series of experiments, participants handled androgyny-related tasks and stimuli in a way that was qualitatively and quantitatively different than their gendered counterparts. Overall, these results suggest androgyny as a category cannot be accurately summarized as halfway between male and female and that a more nuanced approach to studying face gender is needed.