PHYSICAL ATTRACTION: FACTORS AFFECTING ATTRACTION

Physical Attraction → the degree to which a persons physical features are considered aesthetically pleasing or beautiful

~THE HALO EFFECT~

• Suggests that physical attractiveness is important because we have preconceived ideas about the personality traits that physically attractive people have, and they are universally positive

• Dion et al found that physically attractive people are consistently rated as kind, strong, sociable and successful when compared with unattractive people

• We tend to believe that good-looking people have other desirable characteristics

• Therefore we tend to behave more positively towards attractive people

~THE MATCHING HYPOTHESIS~

• It proposes that we seek out romantic partners whose level of physical attractiveness approximately matches our own

• We desire the most physically attractive partner possible for evolutionary reasons

• However, we balance this against our wish to avoid being rejected by someone ‘out of our league’

• Therefore there is a difference between what we would like and what we are prepared to settle for

• Proposed that both romantic partners will feel more secure in their romantic union with one another with less fear or jealousy

EVALUATION

Research Support:

→ PRESENCE OF SUPPORTING EVIDENCE FOR THE HALO EFFECT

• One strength is evidence that physical attractiveness is associated with a halo effect.

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

• This halo effect is so powerful that it persisted even when participants knew that these ‘knowledgeable’ people had no particular expertise.

• This finding has implications for the political process - it suggests that there are dangers for democracy if politicians are judged as suitable for office just because they are considered physically attractive enough by voters.

  → EVOLUTIONARY EXPLANATION

• Another strength is that the role of physical attractiveness is research support for evolutionary purposes.

• Psychologists found that female features of large eyes, prominent cheekbones, small nose and high eyebrows were rated highly attractive across many races.

• The researchers concluded that what is considered physically attractive is remarkably consistent across different societies. Attractive features (symmetry) are a sign of genetic fitness and therefore perpetuated similarly in all cultures (sexual selection).

• Therefore the importance of physical attractiveness makes sense at an evolutionary level.

Conflicting Evidence

→ RESEARCH CHALLENGING THE MATCHING HYPOTHESIS

• One limitation is the matching hypothesis is not supported by real- world research into dating.

• Psychologists studied the activity logs of a popular online dating site. This was a real-world test of the matching hypothesis because it measured actual date choices and not merely preferences.

• The researchers found that online daters sought meetings with potential partners who were more physically attractive than them.

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

• However, choosing individuals for dating could be considered a different situation from selecting a partner for a romantic relationship.

• In fact, a psychologist carried out a meta-analysis of 17 studies and found a significant correlation in ratings of physical attractiveness between physical partners.

• Therefore there is support for the matching hypothesis from studies of real-world established romantic partners.