R3. FAA: Physical Atrractiveness

Question 1

Evolutionary Pre-disposed Attractive Traits

Answer 1

• females with more neotenous (child-like) features (soft chin, large eyes) more attractive as their facial features trigger an aggressive protective trait in men.
• facial symmetry

Question 2

The Halo Effect

Answer 2

• tendency to associate attractive people with disproportionately positive traits (e.g. personality and wealth)
• ‘what is beautiful is good’ (Dion et al)
• beliefs increase likelihood of attractive person developing these traits (Self-fulfilling prophecy)

Question 3

‘Matching’ Hypothesis

Answer 3

• balancing attractiveness of a mate, and the chances of attaining such a mate
• relies on self-assessed value, so mate will be of similar attractiveness ‘level’
• method reduced being rejected by more attractive mate, and potential disappointment of disproportionately less attractive mate

Question 4

• Eval: Halo Effect

Answer 4

• individual’s beliefs vary the effectiveness of halo effect
• selection pressure is not equal for all individuals; individuals with low MAHCO score (sexier beliefs) didn’t decided solely based on physical attractiveness

Question 5

+ Eval: Cultural Relativism

Answer 5

• both individualist and collectivist cultures find similar features attractive
• large eyes, high eyebrows, sharp cheekbones
• what is considered ‘attractive’ is consistent

Question 6

+ Eval: Real-life application

Answer 6

• people showed pictures of attractive people, told they were politically dumb
• respondents still judged them as people who were trustworthy, knowledgeable, etc.
• political parties may use this info when selecting candidates