Attraction - Physical Attractiveness

4 important questions on Attraction - Physical Attractiveness

Early effects of attractiveness 

Attractive infants receive more attention from mothers than less attractive babies 

Misbehavior by attractive children seen as less problematic 

3 months children prefer attractive adult and child faces over less attractive faces

Why does physical attractiveness have such impact?

Immediacy: Physical appearances are the first thing we notice when encountering other people. 

Prestige: Physical attractiveness is socially valued 

Biology: Responses to physical attractiveness may serve biological purposes

Gender Differences in Mate Selection  

Evolutionary perspectives argue that males and females seek different characteristics in potential mates 

  • Males and females play different roles in reproduction 
  • Different offspring investment 
  • The biological cost of reproductive cells

Throughout the animal kingdom, investment in offspring drives how selective animals are when choosing mates

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Critique of Evolutionary Perspectives 

Evidence that men and women have different preferences for potential mates may also be due to social factors 

 Differences may be due to norms and not to evolutionary drives 

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