Relationships : Attraction Physical Attractiveness

Question 1

Physical Attractiveness

Answer 1

Physical attractiveness is a key factor that influences attraction in romantic relationships. Evolutionary theorists claim that men are more likely to value physical
Attractiveness important, as it is a cue that a female is healthy and able to reproduce.

Question 2

Matching Hypothesis

Answer 2

The matching hypothesis is a theory of interpersonal attraction which argues that relationships are formed
between two people who are equal or very similar in terms of social desirability. This is open examined in the form of level of physical attraction. The theory suggests that people assess their own value and then make ‘realistic choices’ by selecting
the best available potential partners who are also likely to share this same level of attraction.

Question 3

What is the Halo Effect?

Answer 3

One explanation for the importance of attractiveness is the halo effect. This is the idea that people who are judged to be attractive are typically perceived in a positive light. For example, Dion et al. (1972) found that attractive people are consistently rated as successful, kind and sociable when compared with unattractive people. This means that we not only believe that good-looking people are more physically attractive , we expect them to have other desirable characteristics as well and tend to behave more positively towards them.

Question 4

What is the matching hypothesis

Answer 4

• In real life people also use common sense to estimate whether a prospective partner will find us attractive , and therefore they don’t automatically go for the most attractive person around, but choose a partner who matches their own level of physical attractiveness . This is referred to as the matching hypothesis. According to the matching hypothesis, a person’s choice of partner is a balance between a desire to have the most physically attractive partner possible and their wish to avoid being rejected by someone who is ‘way out of their league’. As a result, people open settle for a partner who has roughly the same level of physical attractiveness.

Question 5

Who supported the Halo effect?

Answer 5

The idea of halo effect was supported by
Palmer and Peterson (2012), who asked participants to rate attractive and unattractive people in terms of how politically competent and knowledgeable they believed them to be. It was found that attractive people were consistently rated higher on these characteristics compared to unattractive ones.

Question 6

What did walster do? (1966) (Aim and method)

Answer 6

• Aim: To examine the Matching Hypothesis
• Method:
• Advertised a ‘computer dance’ for freshers in the first week at University of Minnesota. 376 males and 376 females volunteered and let in for $1.00. Four independent judges secretly rated the students in terms of attractiveness whilst they were collecting their tickets.
• Participants filled in a questionnaire and told the data would be used to determine the similarities between males and females, to find a partner for the dance. Pairing was however done completely randomly for the dance.
• During intervals at the dance, and 4-6 months later students were asked whether they found their partner attractive and whether they would like to go on a date with them

Question 7

What did walster do? (1966) (Results and conclusions )

Answer 7

• Results: One participants were paired in a male and female partnership, partners responded more positively to others who had been rated as physically attractive, irrespective of their own level of attractiveness. Pattern was echoed in willingness to ask out the paired partner on another date. Females who were rated as physically attractive were frequently asked out on a second date by males who were not rated as physically attractive.
• Conclusion: Students expressed higher appreciation of their partner if the partner was attractive, regardless of their own level of attractiveness.

Question 8

Support for the Matching Hypothesis

Answer 8

• Feingold (1998)
  • Meta-analysis of 17 studies
  • Found a significant correlation in ratings of attractiveness between romantic partners
  • Hypothesis supported when referring to physical attractiveness
• Cunningham et al (1995)
  • Female features – large eyes, small nose, high cheekbones rated highly attractive by white Hispanic and Asian males
• Wheeler and Kim (1997)
  • Korean and American students judged physically attractive people to be more trustworthy, mature and friendly
  • Stereotype strong in both individualist and collectivist cultures

Question 9

Taylor et al (2011)

Answer 9

Previous research has failed to support the matching hypothesis
• Investigated the activity log on a dating website
• Found that website users were more likely to try and arrange a meeting with a potential partner who was more physically attractive than them.
• Contradict the Matching Hypothesis – website users should seek more dates with a person who is similar in terms of attractiveness because it provides them with a better chance of being accepted by a potential partner.

Question 10

What did Feingold?

Answer 10

Feingold (1988) found suppor4ve evidence for the matching hypothesis by carrying out a meta-analysis of 17 studies using real-life couples. He established a strong correla4on between the partners’ ratings of attractiveness, just as predicted by the matching hypothesis.