Do men believe that physically attractive women are more healthy and capable of having children?
The purpose of this research was to test the hypothesis that men view physical attractiveness as an index of a woman's health and her capacity to have children. 21 men and 26 women from an introductory psychology course were shown photographs from 1972 of men and women college students, judged in 2002 to be attractive or unattractive. Subjects were asked to rate the photographed individuals' current health, the probability that they were married, the probability that they had children, and whether they had reproductive problems. The hypothesis was generally supported; the men rated the photographs of attractive women as healthier, more likely to be married, and more likely to have children.
Mathes
Eugene W
EW
Psychology Department, Western Illinois University, Macomb, IL 61455, USA. EW-Mathes@wiu.edu
Arms
Clarissa
C
Bryant
Alicia
A
Fields
Jeni
J
Witowski
Aggie
A
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001290:Attitude; D001504:Beauty; D005260:Female; D005298:Fertility; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D012928:Social Desirability; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires