Abstract

This study aimed at investigating the validity of WHR (or waist-to-hip ratio) and Golden ratio as standards of physical attractiveness. Each of 60 male and 60 female college students were divided into two groups of 30. Using the 3D game program, each person in one group drew a physically attractive figure of the opposite sex while the other group drew a physically attractive figure of the same sex. Then, WHR and Golden ratio of the figures were measured and compared with the ideal WHR (.7 for women and .9 for men) and Golden ratio 1.618. It was found that WHR and Golden ratio for the physically attractive figures were lower than the ideal standards regardless of the participant’s gender. That is, the participants preferred to men and women having curvaceous body shapes with a narrow waist and a wide pelvis. In most cases, Golden ratios measured in many ways were not correspondent to the ideal ratio, 1.618. In regards to BR (or Body Ratio), the legs and waist of the physically attractive figures were shorter relative to the Golden ratio and this was more salient for physically attractive man figures. Regarding the facial ratio measured by FR(or facial ratio) and FR_VP(or facial ratio_vertical point), the faces of figures made by participants, regardless of their sex, were shorter and wider compared to the Golden ratio. Further, the participants preferred baby-faced woman and masculine man figures. Finally, implications of the findings, limitations the of the present study, and the suggestions for future research were discussed.