There's also a social bias in the commercial. People are socialized not to say negative things about other people, particularly not other people's looks, and particularly not women's looks. The artist was drawing off a verbal description; if people consciously filter out their negative thoughts before expressing them ("If you don't have anything nice to say about someone, don't say anything at all"), then that verbal description will be biased.

The subject herself, however, is probably socialized not to brag, and so her verbal description filters out the most positive aspects.

On a side note, I'm curious what the results would be if you took someone on the autism spectrum and had them describe a woman they just met. Many such people have no such tact filters; would you get a more accurate drawing from them?

My girlfriend was telling me about Vietnamese culture the other day (her family is Vietnamese). She put particular emphasis on the the vastly different social norms between Vietnam and the Western world. From what she told me, woman are much more forthcoming about their true opinions of another woman's looks in Vietnam and the Eastern world.

Similar to how getting a description from someone on the autism spectrum would product vastly different results, I'm curious as to how the results of the experience would differ in different countries and different parts of the world.

Interesting...I have a Vietnamese friend that's always complaining about how her mother and her fiancee's mother are always talking about how she's not pretty enough or not pretty enough for her fiancee. Explains a lot.

That was my reaction, too. The idea seemed ridiculous from a scientific perspective (although it may be very good advertising).

It's hard to believe these completely.