In the largest study of its kind Dr Michael Lewis of Cardiff University’s School of Psychology, collected a random sample of 1205 black, white, and mixed-race faces. Each face was then rated for their perceived attractiveness to others — with mixed-race faces, on average, being perceived as being more attractive. Dr Lewis, who will present his findings to the British Psychological Society’s annual meeting (April 14) said: ‘Previous, small scale, studies have suggested that people of mixed race are perceived as being more attractive than non-mixed-race people. This study was an attempt to put this to the wider test. ‘A random sample of black, white, and mixed-race faces was collected and rated for their perceived attractiveness. There was a small but highly significant effect, with mixed-race faces, on average, being perceived as more attractive.’ The study could also have wider implications than just attractiveness. First established by Darwin in 1876, heterosis (or hybrid vigour) is a biological phenomenon that predicts that cross-breeding leads to offspring that are genetically fitter than their parents. As heterosis is considered to be a universal biological effect, it is possible that humans are also subject to its influence and […]