relationships physical attractiveness

• Evolutionary processes involved in physical attractiveness

  Factors affecting attraction in romantic relationships
• Research by Cunningham et al. on physical attractiveness as a factor affecting attraction


  1995
• There are many similarities across cultures when studying physical attractiveness as a factor affecting attraction in romantic relationships
• Features rated attractive by Hispanic and Asian males


  • Large eyes
  • Prominent cheekbones
  • Small nose
  • High eyebrows
• Attractive features display


  Genetic fitness (sexual selection)
• It is possible to generalise findings from western cultures to non-western cultures as they have displayed similarities when investigating evolutionary explanations of physical attractiveness as a factor affecting attraction in romantic relationships
• Research by Taylor et al. to contradict the matching hypothesis


  2011
• Online daters sought meetings with potential partners who were more physically attractive than them
• This contradicts the prediction about matching attractiveness


  Lowering the validity of the matching hypothesis as a factor that affects attraction in romantic relationships
• Choosing individuals for dating could be considered as different from selecting a partner for a romantic relationship
• Many studies have found a significant correlation in ratings of 'matched' physical attractiveness in established romantic relationships
• There is support for the matching hypothesis and physical attractiveness as a factor affecting attraction in romantic relationships
• Much of the research carried out into physical attractiveness as a factor affecting attraction is correlational
• A cause and effect cannot be established between physical attractiveness and levels of attraction in romantic relationships
• There could be another intervening factor impacting the attraction within the romantic relationship such as, the amount of time partners spend together, the amount they disclose or similarity in attitudes
• This limits the support and internal validity of the research into physical attractiveness as a factor affecting attraction in romantic relationships