London, Aug 15 (IANS) People with beautiful, symmetrical faces are more selfish than the average guy and tend to pursue their own interests, says a new study.


The team from Edinburgh University, Britain, examined the facial features of 292 people aged 83 years, who had been followed for life under the Lothian Birth Cohort 1921 study.

They analysed 15 facial "landmarks", including the positions of the eyes, nose, mouth and ears, and were able to compare the facial symmetry of participants, reports the journal Economics and Human Biology.

Those with asymmetrical faces tended to be less healthy and more likely to have experienced deprived childhoods, according to the Daily Mail.

Factors such as a lack of nutrition, illness, exposure to cigarette smoke and pollution left their mark, the researchers concluded.

Even those who went from rags to riches could not escape the tell-tale signs. Deep lines and weather-beaten skin were instant giveaways about their hard lives, they said.

"As people with symmetrical faces tend to be healthier and more attractive, they are also more self-sufficient and have less of an incentive to cooperate and seek help from others," the study found.

Ian Deary, psychologist at the Edinburgh's Centre of Cognitive Ageing, said: "Symmetry in the face is thought to be a marker of what is called developmental stability: the body's ability to withstand environmental stressors (stress factors) and not be knocked off its developmental path."