Human physical appearance
Variation in the
physical appearance of
humans is believed by
anthropologists to be an important factor in the development of personality and social relations. There is a relatively low
sexual dimorphism between human males and females in comparison with other mammals.
However humans are acutely sensitive to variations in physical appearance for reasons of evolution.
Some people have traditionally linked some differences in personal appearance such as skeletal shape with
race, such as
prognathism or elongated stride (but this is a controversial and sensitive matter).
Some differences in human appearance are
genetic, others are the result of
age or
disease, and many are the result of personal
adornment.
A
dandy is a man who devotes particular attention to his physical appearance.
Physiological differences in human physical appearance from individual to individual
\n* Height, weight, skin color, sexual organs, moles, hair color and type, body shape, somatotype (ectomorph, mesomorph, endomorph), body deformations, mutilations and other imperfections such as amputations, scars, and wounds.
Long-term physiological changes in an individual
\n*Aging
Short-term physiological changes in an individual
\n*Blushing, crying, fainting, sexual arousal, reddening of the skin due to increased blood flow due to exertion. Sweating, Shivering, skin colour changes due to sunshine
Clothing and personal effects
\n*clothing, including headgear and footwear; some clothes alter or mold the shape of the body (e.g. corset, bra)\n* style and colour of haircut (see also dreadlocks, braids, ponytail, wig, hairpin, facial hair, beard and moustache)\n*cosmetics, stage makeup, body paintings\n*body modifications, such as body piercings and tattoos\n*decorative objects (jewellery) such as a necklaces, bracelets, rings\n*medical or body shape altering devices (e.g. tooth braces, bandages, hearing aids, calipers, cervical collar, glasses, gold teeth)
Other functional objects, temporarily attached to the body
\n*headphones\n*sunglasses\n*goggles\n*watch
See also
\n*Beauty, Body image, Common human variations, Eigenface, Fashion, Hair coloring, Sexual attraction, Social role of hair, Vanity.
References
\n*A discussion of the possible effect of physical appearance on personality development at personalityresearch.org\n*Page with a list of links to discussions of the role of physical appearance in sexual selection and evolution. We need to link to their links directly, having read them, as this page is a blizzard of pop-up ads\n* S. Ghirlanda, L. Jansson, M. Enquist; "Chickens Prefer Beautiful Humans", Human Nature, Volume 13, Number 3 (2002) pp. 383-389
Category:Human image
