factors affecting attraction : physical attractiveness

Question 1

explaining the importance of physical attractiveness

Answer 1

why physical attractiveness seems to be so importnat in forming relationships

one explanations draws upon evolutionary theory related to sexual selction

Shackelford and Larsen found that people with symmetrical faces are rated as more attractive

this is because it may be an honest signal of genetic fitness

people are also attracted to faces with neotenous (baby faces) features such as widely separated and large eyes a delicate chin and a small nose - because these trigger a protective or caring instinct

Question 2

the halo effect

Answer 2

physical attractiveness may also matter because we have preconceived ideas about the personality traits attractive people must have

they are almost universally positive

this is the physical attractiveness stereotype

Dion et al
found that physically attractive people are consistently rated as kind strong sociable and successful compared to unattractive people

the belief that good looking people probably have these characteristics makes them even more attractive to us so we behave positively towards them - self-fulfilling prophecy

physical attractiveness tends to have a disproportionate influence on our judgements of a persons attributes

Question 3

research on the matching hypothesis

Answer 3

Walster and walster suggests that we look for partners who are similar to ourselves in terms of physical attractiveness , instead of choosing the most appealing people

Walster et al - computer dance study

Question 4

procedure

Answer 4

male and female students were invited to a dance

they were rated for physical attractiveness by objective observers at the start

also completed a questionnaire about themselves

they were told the data about themselves and that this information would be used by computer to decide their partner for the evening (actually paired up randomly

Question 5

findings

Answer 5

hypothesis was no supported

most like partners were also the most phcyaily attractive rathe than taking their own level of attractiveness into account

Berscheid replicated the study bu this time each participant was able to select their partner from people of varying degrees of attractiveness

this time participants tended to choose partners who mateched them in physical attractiveness

Question 6

conclusions

Answer 6

we tend to seek and choose partners whose attrativeness matches our own

choice of partner is compromise - we risk rejection in selecting the most attractive people availed so we settle on those who are in our league

Question 7

strength

Answer 7

research support for the halo effect

evidence that physical attractiveness is associated with a halo effect

palmer and peterson

found that physically attractive people were rated as more politically knowledgeable and competent than unattractive people

halo effect was so powerful that it persisted even when participants knew that these knowledgeable people had no particular expertise

findings has implications for the political process - it suggests there are dangers for democracy if politicians are judged as suitable for office just because they are considered physically attratacitve y enough voters

Question 8

strength

Answer 8

evolutionary explanation

tole of physical attractiveness is research support for evolutionary processes

Cunningham et al found that women who has features of large eyes prominent cheekbones small nose and high eyebrows were rated as highly attractive by white hispanic and asian men

these researchers concluded that what is considered physically attractive as is remarkably consistent across different societies

attractive features are a sign of genetic fitness and therefore perpetuated similarly in all cultures

therefore the importance of physical attractiveness makes sense at an evolutionary level

Question 9

limitation

Answer 9

matching hypothesis is not supported by real-world research into dating

Taylor et al studied the activity logs of popular online dating site

this was a real-world test of matching hypothesis because it measured actual date choices and not merely preferences

this is in keeping with the original hypothesis which concernered realistic as opposed to fantasy choices

the researchers found that online daters soight mettings with potential partners who were more physically attractive the them

undermines the validity of the matching hypothesis because it contradicts the central prediction about matching attractiveness