Physical Attractiveness

• Physical Attractiveness


  Refers to how appealing we find someone
• Why is physical attractiveness important?

  • Symmetrical faces are found more attractive
  • This is because it shows genetic fitness so people will want to mate with them
  • Baby face features are also more attractive because these trigger a caring instinct which is a valuable resource for females wanting to reproduce
• The Halo Effect

  • Physically attractive people are consistently rated as kind, strong and successful compared to unattractive people
  • This means people are more likely to behave more positively towards them
• What is the Matching Hypothesis?


  The belief we do not go for the most attractive person but instead find someone who 'matches' us in physical attractiveness
• Research on Matching Hypothesis: Computer Dance

  1. Males and females were invited to a dance and were rated for physical attractiveness by objective observers at the start and completed a questionnaire about themselves
  2. They were then paired up with someone based on the data
  3. This did no support the hypothesis as people wanted to be with people more attractive than them
• Physical Attractiveness AO3: Research Support for Halo Effect

  • Physically attractive people were rated as more knowledgeable and competent than unattractive people
  • The halo effect persisted even when PPs knew these “knowledgeable” people had no particular expertise
  • This raises implications particularly when applied to politics as it endangers democracy if politicians are deemed suitable based on their physical attractiveness
• Physical Attractiveness AO3: Individual Differences

  • There are individual differences and not all people place importance on physical appearance
  • PPs did a questionnaire designed to measure sexist attitudes and results found that those rated highly on the questionnaire were more greatly influenced by physical attraction while lower scorers were less influenced
  • This study also raises real world applications as challenging sexist attitudes can be key to influencing mate choice e.g in Japan where relationships are reportedly more difficult to form
• Physical Attractiveness AO3: Evolutionary Explanation

  • The evolutionary process may support physical attractiveness
  • Features of physical attraction were consistent across cultures
  • Female features such as large eyes, prominent cheekbones and high eyebrows were rated as attractive by white, Hispanic and Asian males
  • Korean and American students judged physical attractive people to be more trustworthy, caring and friendly demonstrating that the stereotype for attraction is evident across collectivist and individualistic cultures
• Physical Attractiveness AO3: Complex matching

  • The matching hypothesis does not consider complex matching where someone may be with someone more attractive than them as they offer other desirable qualities
  • This may explain how an older man may be with a more attractive younger woman
  • Matching hypothesis is oversimplified
  • Arranged marriages occur when someone may be selected due to having qualities beyond looks