In this study, we investigated the effects of both structural and dynamic factors on the ratings of female body attractiveness and health. Structural factors were specified by the sizes of feminine body characteristics: the lower the waist-to-hip ratio and the larger the breasts and buttocks, the higher the body femininity. Dynamic factors were specified as feminine, neutral, and non-feminine poses and gaits. Stimuli were generated using the DAZ 3D program. Ninety-two male and female participants rated the attractiveness and health of figures with four levels of femininity in a feminine, a neutral, and a non-feminine pose (session 1) and gait (session 2). The main effect of body femininity was significant. Post hoc tests indicated that the figures on two medium (average and supernormal) femininity levels were rated as more attractive and healthier than the lowest (subnormal) and the highest (super-supernormal) femininity levels. The main effect of pose/gait was obtained as well. Post hoc tests indicated that the feminine pose (contrapposto) and gait (?catwalk?) increased attractiveness and perceived health, while the non-feminine (awkward) pose and gait (?zombie walk?) decreased attractiveness and perceived health with respect to the neutral pose/gait. Finally, a significant positive correlation between ratings of attractiveness and health was obtained. These results fit an evolutionary model according to which the attractiveness-femininity relationship is best described by an inverted U-curve with the peak of preference shifted toward supernormality.
Marković et al. (2026) studied this question.