Research Reveals Clues To Mysteries Of Physical Attractiveness

Score one for body language: It seems that body shape and the way people walk hold major cues to their attractiveness to others, according to collaborative research findings published by Texas A&M University professor Louis G. Tassinary and co-author Kerri Johnson of New York University.

“People have always tried to identify the magical formula for beauty, and we knew body shape was important, but we found movement was also key,” Johnson says.

Titled “Compatibility of Basic Social Perceptions Determines Perceived Attractiveness,” their article was published in the most recent issue of the prestigious Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, a peer-reviewed publication of the National Academy of Sciences and one of the most highly cited multidisciplinary scientific journals.