The relative and combined influences of faces and bodies on judgments of physical attractiveness were assessed in a factorial design crossing 3 levels (high, moderate, and low) of face and body attractiveness. Based on preratings, 3 sets of slides were created that super imposed faces onto bodies. A second sample of subjects then rated these 27 slides (3 faces X 3 bodies X 3 sets) on physical attractiveness, intelligence, sociability, and morality. Strong effects of both face and body on attractiveness ratings were obtained. In addition, a significant interaction was obtained between faces and bodies on ratings of physical attractiveness. Faces significantly influenced ratings of intelligence, sociability, and morality, whereas bodies had a significant effect on ratings of intelligence and sociability.
Get full access to this article
View all access options for this article.
References
1.
Beck, W. H. , Ward-Hull, C. I., & McLear, P. M. (1976). Variables related to women's somatic preferences of the male and female body. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 34, 1200-1210.
2.
Berscheid, E. , Dion, K., Walster, E. H., & Walster, F. W. (1971). Physical attractiveness and dating choice: A test of the matching hypothesis. Journal of Experimental Social Psychology, 7, 173-189.
3.
BMDP Statistical Software Manual. (1983). Berkeley, CA: University of California Press.
4.
Brigham, J. C. (1980). Limiting conditions of the "physical attractiveness stereotype": Attributions about divorce. Journal of Research in Personality, 14, 365-375.
5.
Clifford, M. M. , & Walster, E. H. (1973). The effect of physical attractiveness on teacher expectations. Sociology of Education, 46, 248-258.
6.
Crouse, B. B. , & Mehrabian, A. (1977). Affiliation of opposite-sexed strangers. Journal of Research in Personality, 11, 38-47.
7.
Dion, K. K. (1973). Young children's stereotyping of facial attractiveness. Developmental Psychology, 9, 183-188.
8.
Dion, K. K. , Berscheid, E., & Walster, E. H. (1972). What is beautiful is good. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 24, 285-290.
9.
Efran, M. G. (1974). The effect of physical appearance on the judgment of guilt, interpersonal attraction, and severity of recommended punishment in a simulated jury task. Journal of Experimental Research in Personality, 8, 45-54.
10.
Horvath, T. (1979). Correlates of physical beauty in men and women. Social Behavior and Personality, 7, 145-151.
11.
Kleinke, C. L. , & Staneski, R. A. (1980). First impressions of female bust size. Journal of Social Psychology, 110, 123-134.
12.
Landy, D. , & Aronson, E. (1969). The influence of the characteristics of the criminal and his victim on the decisions of simulated jurors. Journal of Experimental Social Psychology, 5, 141-152.
13.
Maruyama, G. , & Miller, N. (1980). Physical attractiveness, race, and essay evaluation. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 6, 384-390.
14.
May, J. L. , & Hamilton, P. A. (1980). Effects of musically evoked affect on women's interpersonal attraction toward and perceived judgment of physical attractiveness of men. Motivation and Emotion, 4, 217-228.
15.
Murstein, B. I. , & Christy, P. (1976). Physical attractiveness and marriage adjustment in middle-aged couples. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 34, 537-542.
16.
Price, R. A. , & Vandenberg, S. G. (1979). Matching for physical attractiveness in married couples. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 5, 398-399.
17.
Stewart, J. E. (1980). Defendant's attraction as a factor in the outcome of criminal trials: An observational study. Journal of Applied Social Psychology, 10, 348-361.
18.
Stretch, R. H. , & Figley, C. R. (1980). Beauty and the boast: Predictions of interpersonal attraction in a dating experiment. Psychology, a Quarterly Journal of Human Behavior, 17, 34-43.
19.
Stroebe, W. , Insko, C. A., Thompson, V. D., & Layton, B. D. (1971). Effect of physical attractiveness, attitude similarity, and sex on various aspects of interpersonal attraction. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 18, 79-81.
20.
Walster, E. H. , Aronson, E., Abrahams, D., & Rottman, L. (1966). Importance of physical attractiveness in dating behavior. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 4, 508-516.
21.
White, G. L. (1980). Physical attractiveness and courtship progress. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 39, 660-668.
22.
Wiggins, J. S. , Wiggins, N., & Conger, J. C. (1968). Correlates of heterosexual somatic preference. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 10, 82-90.
