murstein

• Test whether people in real-life relationships are matched in physical attractiveness
• Photos of real couples and fictitious (randomly paured) couples were shown to independent judges. Judges rated each individuals physical attractiveness without knowing who was paired with whom.
• Findings real coups the ratins fo attractiveness were strongly correlated and partners tended to be similarly attractive

  In fictiious pairing there was no correlation
• Physical attractiveness is subjective therefore if the judges were different so would the data

  Social sensitivity – may cause outrage – may result in a lack of funding - Lack temporal validity – as the modern day would also include homosexual couples which this study did not – ingnoring big part of the population

  lacks protection from harm
• Cultural bias – took place in America – doesn’t convey the ideals of collectivist cultures – may not apply to arranged marriages - ethnocentric leads to making judgement

  A degree of science is used – replicable, falsifiable.
• Correlation rather than cause ana effect – don’t know the reasons why - internal validity is low

  ecological validity low fails to explain the complexities of attraction in a real life setting