-individuals have cognitive biases/ preconceived ideas about physically attractive people.
-As a result of schemas, physically attractive people are perceived to have other positivequalities like intelligent, funny which increases attractiveness.
Matching hypothesis
-Proposed by Walster.
-Individuals are more attracted to those who match/similar level of attractiveness to ourselves.
-Matching is a result of a programmatic balance between the drive to obtain a partner with good genes and but minimising the chance d rejection.
Evolutionary explanations
-Humans have evolved to find some traits as physically attractive as these increase the chances of reproductive success and passing on of genes.
-E.g. males preferences are that females should have a 0.7 hip:waist ratio which is an indicator of fertility.
