Hemispheric and facial asymmetry: Gender differences

Facial asymmetry (facedness) of female and male college students was invest igated. Comparisons of facedness were made between 45 female and 45 male Da rtmouth undergraduates. Facedness was defined in terms of the relative size s (in square centimetres) of the two hemifaces. Data were derived from meas urements of two-dimensional frontal photographs of the subjects. Reliable differences in facedness were found between the two groups. The fe males on average were found to be right faced, the males left faced. This d ifference was interpreted in terms of the contralateral control (below the eyes) of the two sides of the face by the two hemispheres, and the known di fferences in cognitive processing by the two hemispheres (left hemisphere-v erbal; right hemisphere-visuospatial) in females and males. The observed di fference in facial asymmetry between the two sexes is attributed to differe ntial muscular development of the two sides of the face as related to the f actors just noted. Suggestions are made for further research on facedness, particularly in relation to different age groups.