Factors Affecting Attraction: Physical Attractiveness

Question 1

What did Shackelford and Larson find

Answer 1

People with symmetrical faces are rated as more attractive

Question 2

Why are people with symmetrical faces rated as more attractive

Answer 2

It is thought it that this is a signal of genetic fitness that cannot be faked - an honest signal

Question 3

What is symmetries linked to genetic fitness seen as being desirable

Answer 3

Genes are likely to be passed on and there for symmetry will be passed on too

Question 4

What kind of explanations are based on physical attractiveness

Answer 4

Evolutionary- we have evolved a liking for attributes that signal high quality

Question 5

What are seen as attractive

Answer 5

Baby face features

Question 6

What does neotenous mean?

Answer 6

Baby face

Question 7

Why are baby face features seen to be attractive

Answer 7

They’re thought to trigger protective and caring instincts related to the formation of attachment in infancy

Question 8

Why is the baby face explanation evolutionary

Answer 8

Because features that strengthen attachment are adaptive

Question 9

What is important after the formation stage of a relationship

Answer 9

Attractiveness

Question 10

What did McNulty et al find?

Answer 10

Initial attractiveness continued to be an important feature of the relationship after marriage

Question 11

What does the halo effect describe

Answer 11

How physical attractiveness is generalised

Question 12

What is the halo effect

Answer 12

We hold preconceived ideas about the attributes attractive people. We believe that all their other attributes are overwhelmingly positive

Question 13

What did Dion et al find

Answer 13

Physically attractive people are consistently rated as kind, strong, sociable and successful compared with unattractive people

Question 14

What did Walster at al look at

Answer 14

Matching hypothesis

Question 15

What is the matching hypothesis

Answer 15

We choose a partner whose attractiveness matches our own

Question 16

What do people need to do with the matching hypothesis

Answer 16

We need to do it to assess our own value to a potential partner e.g. If we view ourselves 6/10 we will seek a mate of similar level

Question 17

What is choosing a person said to be

Answer 17

A compromise

Question 18

What do evolutionary theories suggest?

Answer 18

We would seek te most attractive mates

Question 19

What else do people have to do when choosing a partner

Answer 19

We have also have to balance the potential for being rejected because the partner we aim for is out of our league in terms of attractiveness

Question 20

Name a strength of physical attractiveness

Answer 20

Research support - Palmer and Peterson

Question 21

What did Palmer and Peterson find

Answer 21

Physically attractive people were rated more politically knowledgeable and competent than unattractive people

Question 22

What has Palmer and Peterson’s research led to

Answer 22

Has implications and suggests politicians might be elected merely because they are considered physically attractive by enough voters

Question 23

Why does Palmer and Peterson’s research support physical attractiveness are

Answer 23

Shows that the halo effect can be observed in real-life situations

Question 24

Name a limitation of physical attractiveness

Answer 24

Mixed support for matching hypothesis- Walster et al

Question 25

What was Walster’s initial study

Answer 25

It failed to support the theory as they found students preferred partners who were more physically attractive than matching their level