Nancy Etcoff

Nancy Etcoff is an American psychologist and researcher known for her work on the psychology of aesthetics, attractiveness, and evolutionary perspectives on beauty. She is affiliated with Harvard University and has been associated with Massachusetts General Hospital. Etcoff is the author of *Survival of the Prettiest: The Science of Beauty* (1999), a widely cited book that examines how perceptions of beauty influence human behavior and social life. Her research and writing explore topics such as facial attractiveness, emotion, and the ways cultural ideals interact with biological preferences. Through academic work and public-facing scholarship, she has helped bring scientific study of beauty to a broad audience.