LS3 - Physical Attractiveness

Question 1

Physical Attractiveness

Answer 1

Men and women create a big deal out of physical attractiveness.

Question 2

Halo Effect

Answer 2

When the general impression of someone is incorrectly formed on a singular characteristic. People assume attractive people are more successful and behave more positively towards them creating a self-fulfilling prophecy causing them to also act better.

Question 3

Halo Effect (+)

Answer 3

Political Knowledge Study

Question 4

Political Knowledge Study (+)

Answer 4

Palmer & Peterson - Physically attractive people were rated as more politically knowledgable, they even thought this after they were told they weren’t politically knowledgeable.

Question 5

Halo Effect (-)

Answer 5

MACHO Scale

Question 6

MACHO Scale Study (-)

Answer 6

Asked males and females to rate someone on their photograph, everyone who scored high on the MACHO scale were influenced by physical attractiveness and low scores didn’t care about it. The MACHO scale measures sexist attitudes suggesting that the halo effect relies more on personal factors e.g. personality.

Question 7

Matching Hypothesis

Answer 7

People desire partners that have the same level of social desirability, physical attractiveness, this then becomes the main determining feature of this due to it’s accessibility.

Question 8

Matching Hypothesis (+)

Answer 8

Meta Anaylsis

Question 9

Matching Hypothesis (-)

Answer 9

Uni Dance
Complex Matching

Question 10

Meta Analysis Supporting Physical Attraction (+)

Answer 10

Towkey - Carried out a meta-analysis on 17 studies of real-life couples and found a strong positive correlation between physical attractiveness.

Question 11

Uni Dance Study (-)

Answer 11

Walster - Invited 752 uni students to a dance and randomly matched them to a partner scored on attractiveness. 4-6 months later students were asked whether they would date their partner, the study showed appreciation of their partners attractiveness regardless of their own.