Finally a reason to watch more handsome guys and beauties! Study: Viewing "attractive faces" can enhance memory and improve cognitive function
It’s human nature to like to look at good-looking men and beautiful women; but often watching good-looking members of the opposite sex or idols may have potential benefits for the brain? Research in “Evolutionary Psychology” shows that viewing photos of good-looking members of the opposite sex can temporarily improve memory and cognitive abilities, and the same benefits are relevant to both men and women.
Is watching handsome guys and beauties good for brain health? Study: Gazing at “attractive faces” can increase memory
East Carolina University in the United States has launched two experiments to confirm the impact and benefits of men and women looking at different faces on brain activity. The research team first recruited 58 college students, who were randomly assigned to watch 10 faces of the opposite sex for 7 seconds each. Fifty percent of the subjects looked at handsome or beautiful faces; the other subjects saw relatively average-looking faces.
The research team further tested the subjects’ memory ability (a full score of 3 points). The results showed that men who had seen attractive faces had a higher memory score (2.81 points) than men who had seen ordinary faces (1.50 points); however, in women In terms of performance, the difference is negligible (2.44 points for the handsome face group and 2.79 for the ordinary face group).
The second experiment involved 123 students. The 10 photos of opposite-sex faces were all the same as the previous experiment, but the experiment method was different. The subjects were divided into 3 groups. The subjects in the first group first looked at the beautiful ones. Good faces, and then look at the faces of ordinary faces; the order of the second group is reversed, and the third group sees the faces of ordinary faces from beginning to end.
The test results showed that compared with the other two groups, the subjects in the first group remembered more details in the memory test, and the brain’s attention, memory and executive ability were improved, especially the effects were most obvious among female subjects; However, men can also get the benefit of temporarily improving their memory by watching beautiful women, which is exactly the opposite of the results generally supported by previous academic circles.
Do you think more about the benefits of good looks regardless of gender? Expert: Promote individual development “reproductive advantage”
“Previous literature has suggested that men’s cognitive abilities will temporarily decline when talking to attractive strangers of the opposite sex; in order to make a good impression on the opposite sex, men will exhaust their mental resources. However, our study did not find this Results.” said study author Michael D. Baker Jr. However, he also admitted that the research has limitations. “After all, just looking at photos of the opposite sex is less stressful and may stimulate the brain differently than actual interactions.”
As for why viewing “good-looking faces” is related to a short-term increase in brain memory? Baker explained that from a human evolutionary perspective, memory is a basic cognition related to important survival skills; and seeing attractive faces will encourage individuals to develop various “reproductively beneficial” traits, such as Pursue short-term mating goals, etc., thereby improving the subjects’ attention, memory and executive abilities.
Does a man’s IQ drop instantly when faced with a woman? Striving for performance may damage cognitive function of the brain
Even though looking at photos of attractive faces may be good for the brain, it may be a challenge for men when it comes to talking and interacting with the opposite sex. Research in the “Journal of Experimental Social Psychology” shows that just face-to-face interaction with women can cause men to “temporarily become stupid,” impairing their cognitive functions and even affecting their behavior.
A research team from the Netherlands recruited 71 students with an average age of 21. The subjects need to complete tasks related to brain cognitive functions through a remote video lens under the gaze of the opposite sex. The results showed that men who were stared at by women for a long time had lower task completion and worse task performance. In contrast, no such results were obtained in women.
Study author Sanne Nauts explained that the basis of the argument is evolutionary biology, which shows that males always seek potential mating opportunities, consciously or unconsciously. Therefore, men are more likely than women to perceive relatively neutral situations from a “sexual” perspective, such as “She is looking at me, I must perform well” or “If I perform poorly, my sexual value will decrease.” Waiting for ideas.
“We always say jokes like ‘men’s IQ will decrease in the presence of women’. Facts have proved that men’s cognitive function may indeed decline, and the pressure to choose a mate can further cause substantial mental harm.” Nauts said that this result may It is related to factors such as the social atmosphere that requires men to be more masculine, decisive, and not to show emotions. Invisibly, it not only causes great pressure, but may also damage the relationship with the opposite sex.
Source:
Interacting with women can impair men’s cognitive functioning
Mating and Memory: Can Mating Cues Enhance Cognitive Performance?
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