Factors affecting attraction; physical attraction

Question 1

how is physical attraction linked to evolutionary explanation

Answer 1

shackelford and larsen
- symmetrical faces rated more attractive = may signal genetic fitness
- neotenous (baby face) features, e.g., small nose, large eyes, delicate chin = trigger caring/protective instinct

Question 2

what is the halo effect

Answer 2

explains how one distinguishing factor (physical attractiveness), tends to have disproportionate influence on judgement of person’s other attributes, such as personality

Question 3

what is the attractiveness stereotype

Answer 3

preconceived ideas about personality traits
attractive people must have, almost universally positive

e.g. kind, sociable, successful

Question 4

matching hypothesis

Answer 4

walster and walster 1969

= suggests we look for partners who are similar to ourselves in terms of physical attractiveness (and personality, intelligence etc), instead of choosing most appealing person

Question 5

what was ‘the computer dance’ by walster

Answer 5

-students invited to a dance, rated for physical attractiveness by objective observers and also completed questionnaire about self

• told computer would use info to decide partner of evening (acc used random selection)

Question 6

findings of ‘the computer dance’

Answer 6

matching hypothesis not supported
- most liked partners = most physically attractive, as opposed to taking into account own attractiveness

Question 7

what did replication of walster’s study find, how did it differ

Answer 7

• each pps able to select partner, from ppl of varying attractiveness degrees

= pps tended to choose partners who were matched in physical attractiveness

Question 8

how can the matching hypothesis lead to compromise

Answer 8

if we judge ourselves 6/10, we are likely to seek equivalent in partner, we risk rejection in selecting most attractive, so settle instead

go for ppl ‘in our league’

Question 9

strength of physical attractiveness theory

Answer 9

research support
palmer and peterson = physically attractive people rated as more politically knowledge/competent than unattractive ppl
- halo effect = so powerful it persisted despite pps knowing ‘knowledgable’ ppl acc had no particular expertise

= implications for political process
- suggests dangers for democracy, if politicians judged as suitable for office, only because physically attractive enough to voters

Question 10

further strength of physical attractiveness theory

Answer 10

evolutionary explanation
- role of physical attractiveness = research support for evolutionary explanation
- cunningham at al = found women with large eyes, prominent cheekbones, small nose and high eyebrows = rated highly attractive by white, hispanic, asian men

= physically attractive features (e.g. symmetry) consistent across diff cultures = sign of genetic fitness, so perpetuated similarly in all cultures (sexual selection)

• physical attractiveness can be applied at evolutionary level

Question 11

weakness of physical attractiveness theory

Answer 11

counter support
- matching hypothesis not supported by real life research into dating
taylor et al = studied activity logs of popular online dating site
- online daters sought meetings with potential partners who were more physically attractive

= undermines validity of matching hypothesis due to contradicting central prediction

Question 12

counter of weakness of physical attractiveness

Answer 12

• can be argued that just because taylor et al found that online daters sought most attractive, does not mean they got them
• also need to consider diff between face to face and online, e.g. ability to catfish