physical attractiveness

• which gender is more likely to place more importance on physical attractiveness when choosing a mate?

  males
• what are the general attitudes within males and females on physical attractiveness when looking for mates? How do they differ?

  • for males, physical attractiveness means a female is healthy and fertile
  • for females, physical attractiveness may be more important in the short term, (eg one night stands) but in the long term they place less value on physical attractiveness
  • whereas males are more likely to place more value on physical attractiveness for long-term partners
• what is the matching hypothesis and who was it proposed by?

  • Walster and Walster
  • claims that when people are looking for a romantic relationship, they seek out a partner whose social desirability equals their own
• how does the matching hypothesis work?

  • individual assesses first their own value in the eyes of a potential romantic partner
  • select the best available candidates who would most likely be attracted to them
  • theoretically individuals would be more attracted to the most socially desirable person, however by picking someone whose social desirability matches their own they have a greater chance at success
• Why are mating choices referred to as realistic by Walster?

  • Each individual seeks to have their affection reciprocated
  • In real life, people have to settle for dating within their league, with someone who matches them in terms of physical attractiveness
• Describe the study by Walster et al investigating the matching hypothesis

  • Advertised computer dance for students at uni of Minnesota
  • 347 males and females randomly selected to take part from the purchased tickets
  • When they came to pick up tickets, 4 student accomplices rated them on physical attractiveness
  • Pps completed questionnaire abt personality, told that this would match them to a date, but matched randomly instead.
  • Completed questionnaire abt dates, follow up questionnaire 6 mths later
• What were the findings of Walster et al‘s study?

  • DIDNT support the matching hypothesis
  • Once pps met dates, regardless of their own physical attractiveness, they responded more positively to physically attractive dates
  • More likely to subsequently arrange dates with them if they were physically attractive
  • Personality and intelligence didn’t affect liking the dates or subsequent attempts to date them
• Evaluation of physical attractiveness?

  • ☹️ complex matching- People compensate for lack of physical attractiveness with other qualities- may be other factors influencing mate choice eg money (Sprecher and Hatfield) which is why research fails to find evidence of matching in physical attractiveness
  • 😊 Support for sex differences in preferences for physical attractiveness- Melzter et al- males attraction for women is positively related to length of marriage and marital satisfaction, womens' ratings of attractiveness were not related to satisfaction at beginning or over time during marriage
  • ☹️ Walster et al - didn’t support matching hypothesis
  • ☹️ To counter Melzter et al- both sexes desire partners who are trustworthy and warm- Pasch and Bradbury- less attractive women who have these qualities don’t tend to have less satisfied partners