Discrepancy between objective and subjective profile measures

abstract — As a part of an overall project to develop an index of "psychologic need" for orthodontic treatment, a method was devised to determine how accurately one perceives his own profile. In a preliminary study, 21 unselected Swedish females (Ss), aged 18 to 30, were asked to recreate their own and desired profiles from three adjustable cardboard pieces representing the nose, upper lip, and lower lip/chin. Angular and linear measurements were obtained from soft tissue profile landmarks of cephalometric tracings. To discern differences in perceptual-motor ability, and to provide practice in manipulating the device, each S performed replicated simulation of an idealized test profile. A semantic differential self-evaluation of attractiveness of each facial feature was also completed for comparison with subjective and subjective-objective discrepancy measures. The results indicated that Ss differed in their ability to recreate their own profiles as a function of some combination of intervening psychologic, perceptual, or motor variables. In general, Ss underestimated less desirable features. The significant correlations between simulation measures of one's own and desired profiles, and between the simulation of desired profile and idealized test figure suggested the Ss were satisfied with their own appearance and/or were more influenced by the idealized test profile.