Factors affecting attraction- Physical attractiveness Flashcards
(11 cards)
what is physical attractiveness?
- how appealing we find a person’s face.
- there is an assumption that we seek to form relationships with the most attractive person available
what the evolutionary explanations of physical attractiveness?
- People with symmetrical faces rated more attractive – sign of genetic fitness
- People with baby faces rated more attractive – triggers caring/ protective instinct
What is the halo effect?
The theory that attractive people are perceived in a more positive light.
what did Dion find about the halo effect?
Dion et al. found that attractive people are consistently rated as successful, kind and sociable compared to unattractive people
what is the matching hypothesis?
They have chosen a partner who is roughly of similar physical attractiveness to them
- Walster argues that our assessment of our own attractiveness plays a role in our choice of romantic partner
why might the matching hypothesis happen?
- Less chance of being rejected
- Feel more secure in a relationship with someone of equal physical attractiveness
a02: what is Walster’s research against the matching hypothesis (procedure)
- 752 students were invited to a dance.
They were asked to complete a questionnaire about themselves and were told this data would be fed into a computer and this would provide an, ‘ideal match’ date, and were randomly assigned any partner.
When students were giving their data, an unseen observer marked them on attractiveness.
a02: what is Walster’s research against the matching hypothesis (findings and results )
Results: Those who were physically attractive were liked the most. Men asked out a partner if they found her attractive, regardless of their own attractiveness.
Finding: The study does not support the matching hypothesis
A03: what is the research support of physical attractiveness?
P: There is evidence that physical attractiveness is associated with a halo effect.
EE: Palmer and Peterson found that attractive people were rated as more politically knowledgeable and competent than unattractive people
The halo effect is so powerful, people rated attractive people higher even when participants knew that these ‘knowledgeable’ people had no expertise.
L: This suggests there are dangers for democracy if politicians are judged as suitable leaders just because they are attractive.
A03: what is the research supporting the evolutionary explanation?
P: There is research to support for evolutionary processes
EE: Cunningham et al found that women who had large eyes, prominent cheekbones, small nose and high eyebrows were treated as highly attractive by white, Hispanic and Asian men.
This is remarkably consistent across different societies.
Attractive features (symmetry) are a sign genetic fitness and therefore perpetuated similarly in all cultures (sexual selection)
L:Therefore the importance of physical attractiveness make sense at an evolutionary level.
A03: What is the research against matching hypothesis?
P: Matching hypothesis not supported by real-world research into dating.
EE: Taylor et al studied the activity logs of a dating website
They found that online daters sought meetings with potential partners that were more physically attractive than them.
L: This undermines the validity of the matching hypothesis because it contradicts the idea that seek potential partners that are a similar level of attractiveness to us.
