Age, Health, and Attractiveness Perception of Virtual Human Hair

The document presents findings from a series of studies examining the impact of hair characteristics on perceptions of age, health, and attractiveness using virtual human hair models. The first experiment with 75 women aged 17-29 showed that hair type and color significantly affect perceptions, with straight hair perceived as younger and medium copper and brown hair seen as healthier and more attractive than blonde shades. The second experiment with 90 women aged 18-27 found that higher hair density was associated with perceptions of youth, health, and attractiveness, and that hair style had a stronger effect on these perceptions than hair color. The final study with 90 women aged 17 to 28 concluded that hair style plays a more significant role in perception than hair color, particularly for health and attractiveness judgments. Overall, the document suggests that hair is an important aspect of physical appearance that may signal reproductive potential and individual quality, and calls for further research into the condition-dependent nature of hairstyle choices and cross-cultural perceptions of hair color. The study was supported by Wella Professional R&D, Germany.