# Views of Facial Attractiveness of Faces of Individuals With and Without an Intellectual Disability

## TL;DR

This study explores how people with and without intellectual disabilities rate facial attractiveness and perceive their own desirability.

## Contribution

The study provides new insights into the perceptions of facial attractiveness among individuals with intellectual disabilities.

## Key findings

- Participants with intellectual disabilities gave consistent attractiveness ratings to faces of people with and without intellectual disabilities.
- They often perceived themselves as desirable to those they found attractive.
- Participants with intellectual disabilities felt positive about their own attractiveness despite being unable to articulate reasons for their judgments.

## Abstract

Little is known about people with intellectual disabilities' views of facial attractiveness and and how desirable they feel they are (self‐desirability).

Twenty‐four adults with intellectual disabilities and twenty‐five adults without disabilities were recruited from further education colleges and voluntary community organisations. Participants were asked to rate the attractiveness of facial images of typically developing individuals and individuals with Down syndrome. This was followed by a semi‐structured interview, exploring participants with intellectual disabilities' perceptions of self‐desirability.

The participants with intellectual disabilities gave consistent attractiveness ratings when evaluating images of people with an intellectual disability. They were also more likely, than not, to perceive themselves as desirable to those they found attractive.

The findings suggest that people with intellectual disabilities make sophisticated intuitive judgments about the facial attractiveness of other people with and without intellectual disabilities, and remain positive about their own attractiveness.

Finding a romantic partner is important part of most people's lives. However, few studies have asked people with intellectual disabilities about who they find attractive.We asked twenty five people with an intellectual disability to tell us how attractive they thought faces of individuals with and without intellectual disabilities were.Most study participants gave the same ratings of attractiveness to faces. They also thought that those they found attractive would be willing to ask them out on a date.The study participants share the same views about facial attractiveness, even if they are unable to say why they find the faces attractive. They also feel positive about themselves and their own attractiveness.

Finding a romantic partner is important part of most people's lives. However, few studies have asked people with intellectual disabilities about who they find attractive.

We asked twenty five people with an intellectual disability to tell us how attractive they thought faces of individuals with and without intellectual disabilities were.

Most study participants gave the same ratings of attractiveness to faces. They also thought that those they found attractive would be willing to ask them out on a date.

The study participants share the same views about facial attractiveness, even if they are unable to say why they find the faces attractive. They also feel positive about themselves and their own attractiveness.