physical attractiveness

• What is Hypothesis 1 regarding attractive people?

  Attractive people expect an attractive partner
• What is Hypothesis 2 about couples?

  Couples who are equally matched are happier
• What is the matching phenomenon in attraction?

  • The idea that people are attracted to others who are similar in attractiveness
  • Suggests that physical attractiveness influences relationship satisfaction
• Who conducted research on the Matching Hypothesis?


  Walster et al
• How does physical attractiveness influence perceptions of personality traits?

  • Physically attractive people are rated as kind, strong, sociable, and successful
  • This belief enhances their attractiveness to others
• What is a self-fulfilling prophecy in the context of attractiveness?

  It is the belief that good-looking people possess positive traits, leading to positive behavior towards them
• What is the evolutionary basis of physical attractiveness?

  • Physical attractiveness is believed to have an evolutionary basis
  • It may signal good genes and health
• What facial feature is associated with higher attractiveness according to Shackelford and Larsen?


  Symmetrical faces
• What do symmetrical faces indicate in terms of evolutionary psychology?


  They are a sign of good genes
• What are neotenous faces characterized by?


  Widely separated large eyes, small chin, and nose
• What instinct do neotenous faces trigger?


  A caring instinct
• Halo effect

  The phenomenon where attractive people are perceived more positively
• What did Buss show regarding men's preferences in romantic partners?

  Men value a woman's physical attractiveness as a cue to her fertility and reproductive success.
• How do women's preferences for physical attractiveness differ between short-term and long-term relationships?

  Women value physical attractiveness more in short term relationships than in long term relationships.
• What is the key difference in how men and women value physical attractiveness in relationships?

  Men value physical attractiveness in both short term and long term relationships, while women do not prioritise it as much in long-term relationships.
• What is the matching hypothesis proposed by Walster and Walster?


  Individuals seek partners whose social desirability equals their own when initiating romantic relationships.
• What must individuals assess before selecting a partner according to the matching hypothesis?

  Individuals must assess their own value in the eyes of a potential mate.
• How does the matching hypothesis relate to maximizing chances of a successful romantic outcome?

  By opting for a partner of similar social desirability, individuals can maximize their chances of a successful outcome.
• How has the interpretation of the matching hypothesis evolved over time?

  It has come to be associated primarily with matching on physical attractiveness alone.
• What does Walster refer to as 'realistic' choices in partner selection?

  'Realistic' choices consider the chances of having affection reciprocated and various factors influencing attraction.
• What factors must be considered in making realistic choices for a partner?

  Factors include personal desires, mutual attraction, and availability of other desirable alternatives.
• What does the phrase "settle for mating 'within their league'" imply?

  People tend to choose partners who are similar in social desirability, whether they want to or not.
• What was the procedure of Walster's study known as The Dating Dance?

  • Advertised a computer dating dance for new students.
  • 752 participants
  • Participants rated for physical attractiveness by accomplices.
  • Participants completed a questionnaire assessing IQ and personality.
  • Pairing was random, and follow-up questionnaires were distributed.
• What were the findings of Walster's study regarding the matching hypothesis?

  There was no support for the matching hypothesis; participants preferred physically attractive dates regardless of their own attractiveness.
• What did the follow-up study by Walster reveal about partner selection?

  When participants met before the dance and chose their partners, they preferred those who matched their perceived physical attractiveness.
• What did Murstein's research support regarding the matching hypothesis?


  Murstein found that couples were judged similarly in terms of physical attractiveness on a scale of 1 to 5.
• Physical Attraction AO3. Not all people place importance on physical attractiveness.

  Towhey ( 1979 ) asked male and female participants to rate how much they would like an individual based on a photo of them and some biographical information. They also completed a questionnaire to measure sexist attitudes. Participants scoring high on the questionnaire were most influenced by physical attractiveness, and low scores were less influenced.

  However, questionnaires are self report measures, meaning participants may have lied about themselves due to social desirability bias.
• Physical Attraction AO3. There is research contrary to matching hypothesis.

  Walster ( 1966 ) conducted the computer dance study where 752 students were invited to a dance. They were told information about themselves would be matched to a computer and they would be given an " ideal " match. They were actually assigned a random partner. An unseen observer marked them by attractiveness. It was found after two hours that those who were most attractive were liked most by their random partners, regardless of their own level of attractiveness.
• Physical Attraction AO3. There is more research against the matching hypothesis.

  Taylor ( 2011 ) studied online dating choices and found that online daters sought meetings with potential partners that were more physically attractive than them.

  This shows that people do not always look for partners that equally attractive to them.
• Physical Attraction AO3. Sometimes third parties are involved in matching partners.

  People can be influenced by friends and family when selecting a partner. Spencer ( 2009 ) suggests that third parties are more likely to judge based on compatibility rather than similarity or attractiveness alone.

  This shows that selection of a partner is not always down to attractiveness.