Chin up! Strong jaws are not the only type of chin people find attractive (bad news for Brad Pitt)



For many the strong jaw is a key feature of a handsome man or beautiful woman.

But a commanding chin might not be the most attractive facial characteristic after all, researchers have found.

U.S. authors found that a strong jaw-line isn't as universally admired as previously thought, and offers no advantage over other chin-shapes.

Jaw dropping: The strong jaws of Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt might be tempting for some - but are not universally admired

So while Brad Pitt's jutting chin may be lusted after by many an admirer, his chin isn't the ideal shape for many.

In fact, weak-chinned or round jaws could be perceived as equally attractive - good news for anyone who can't claim to be the spitting image of Pitt, or his strong-jawed partner, Angelina Jolie.

Lead author Zaneta Thayer, a doctoral student at Northwestern University, and Seth Dobson of Dartmouth College, said one theory of universal facial attractiveness is that some facial features are universally preferred.

Many hanker for a strong jaw - but it's not necessary to be considered beautiful, the authors found

This is based on the premise that some features are reliable signals of mate quality.

But the chin is an exception to the rule, research found, UPI reported.

Research conducted in 2010 by the pair stressed humans are the only primates with a chin, one of the unique characteristics that defines our species.

'We found that the indigenous Australian population had the most unique chin shape pattern relative to other populations,' Thayer said in a statement.

'That said, even after removing this population from the analysis, significant differences remained between other populations.'

The study, published in the journal PLoS One, found significant geographic differences in the chin shapes, challenging Darwin's theory that sexual selection results in particular physical features that are an advantage in the struggle to find a mate.

The study comes after research found that certain facial features deemed beautiful can actually make someone appear guilty.

Women charged with murder who plead self defence are more likely to be perceived as guilty if have 'thick lips' and 'smooth and harmonious facial features', a study said in October last year.

The findings made by a team from the University of Grenada, Spain, contradict the generally held stereotype that beauty deflects criminal responsibility.

They found that in the case of a woman claiming self defence in the killing of an abusive husband, police officers were more likely to regard as innocent defendants who were described as unattractive.