Question 1

Researchers used computer graphics to generate composite faces that reflected the exact mathematical average of the facial features of a large number of individual photographs. They then asked participants to rate the attractiveness of the composite photograph and the individual photographs that were combined to make up the composite. These researchers found that __________.

Accepted Answer

The researchers found that participants preferred the composite photo to the individual photos, indicating that the average features in the composite were perceived as more attractive than the individual features in the photos.

Question 2

According to research conducted by Cunningham and his colleagues (1986), there is overlap in what men and women find attractive in the opposite sex. For example, both men and women find __________ attractive in members of the opposite sex.

Accepted Answer

Cunningham and his colleagues (1986) state that both men and women find large eyes and prominent cheekbones attractive in members of the opposite sex.

Question 3

Recall that recent research finds that people rating the physical attractiveness of faces most prefer faces that resemble their own. This finding suggests that __________ is critically important in physical attraction.

Accepted Answer

The research finding that people prefer faces that resemble their own suggests that familiarity is critically important in physical attraction, as individuals are attracted to what is familiar to them. Self-esteem, ego defense, and heritability are not directly relevant to this finding.

Question 4

Men and women both view physical attractiveness as the most desirable characteristic in potential __________.

Accepted Answer

Research consistently shows that both men and women rate physical attractiveness as a highly desirable trait in sexual partners.

Question 5

When researchers suggest that people tend to prefer an "average" face as being most physically attractive, they mean that people prefer __________.

Accepted Answer

When researchers suggest that people prefer an "average" face as being most physically attractive, they mean that people prefer faces based on mathematically averaged composites. This means that researchers take multiple faces and use computer software to create an average of all those faces. This is typically seen as more attractive than any one individual face because it eliminates any unique or asymmetrical features that might be seen as less attractive.

Question 6

Which of the following statements does NOT match the research on attraction?

Accepted Answer

Research on attraction has found that large eyes and prominent cheekbones are generally considered attractive features across different cultures, but big noses are not universally seen as attractive. Instead, smaller noses are often preferred, making statement D incorrect in the context of what is generally found attractive.

Question 7

Stanley is building a robot in the year 2054. Fulfilling a fantasy and taking advantage of the technology available, he decides to make his robot have a female form and be physically appealing. To have the most success in this, what should he do?

Accepted Answer

Creating a robot with a face that is the composite of highly attractive faces would ensure that the robot has universally appealing features, rather than being limited to one specific culture's idea of beauty. This would increase the robot's chances of being appealing to a larger audience.

Question 8

Recall that Elaine Hatfield (Walster) and her colleagues (1966) randomly paired incoming students for a first-year orientation dance. They found that men __________.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Recall that Elaine Hatfield (Walster) and her...

Question 9

Research suggests that there is __________ between babies and adults, men and women, and people from several cultures as to what is considered physically attractive.

Accepted Answer

Research suggests that physical attractiveness is consistent among babies and adults, men and women, and people from various cultures. There is a high degree of agreement on what is perceived as physically attractive.

Question 10

Researchers (Sergios & Cody, 1985) conducted a replication of the study by Hatfield (Walster) and her colleagues (1966), in which men and women were paired at random for a "blind date" dance. In their study, Sergios and Cody studied gay men. They found that __________.

Accepted Answer

Sergios and Cody's study found that gay men are similar to heterosexuals in the importance of attractiveness, indicating that the value placed on physical attractiveness in potential partners is not limited to heterosexual individuals.

Question 11

There is mounting evidence suggesting that people who are more physically attractive are perceived and treated differently than those who are less attractive. One striking example of this was found in the context of __________.

Accepted Answer

Research has shown that more physically attractive premature infants tend to receive more attention and care, leading to better health outcomes compared to less attractive infants.

Question 12

Sheila is considered to be very attractive by both men and women. Which of the following features is she MOST likely to have?

Accepted Answer

The answer of Sheila is considered to be very attractive...

Question 13

Recall that Perrett et al. (1994) created two kinds of composite faces, an "average attractive" composite and a "highly attractive" composite, using photographs of Caucasian and Japanese men and women. They then asked participants in Great Britain and Japan to rate these faces. Which of the following was NOT a finding of their study?

Accepted Answer

This is a false statement. Perrett et al. (1994) found that Japanese and British participants did not differ in their assessments of the composites; both groups rated the highly attractive faces as more attractive than the average attractive faces.

Question 14

Research has found that there is agreement across cultures concerning what constitutes an attractive face; that infants prefer photographs of attractive faces to unattractive ones and that they prefer the same faces that adults do; and that statistically average faces tend to be seen as attractive. These findings provide support for a(n) __________ interpretation of the importance of physical attractiveness.

Accepted Answer

The idea that there are universal standards of attractiveness across cultures suggests an evolutionary interpretation of physical attractiveness. This is because the universality of attractiveness may be explained by the fact that certain physical features are associated with health, fertility, and genetic quality, which would have been adaptive in our evolutionary past. Furthermore, the finding that infants prefer the same faces that adults do supports the idea that attraction to certain physical features is innate and not learned through social roles or social perception. Lastly, the fact that statistically average faces tend to be seen as attractive is consistent with an evolutionary interpretation, since average features might signal genetic diversity and therefore a lower risk of harmful genetic mutations.

Question 15

Feingold (1990) conducted a meta-analysis of a number of studies that addressed gender differences in the importance that people place on physical attractiveness. Based on his findings, which of the following people is LEAST likely to be influenced by physical attractiveness?

Accepted Answer

Feingold's meta-analysis found that gender differences in the importance of physical attractiveness are more pronounced in attitudes than in behaviors. Women, like Susan, are generally less influenced by physical attractiveness in their attitudes compared to men.

Question 16

Evolutionarily speaking, one reason that people prefer the familiar over that which is unfamiliar is that __________.

Accepted Answer

Evolutionarily speaking, our brains are wired to prioritize survival, and unfamiliar things can pose a potential threat or danger. Therefore, we tend to prefer the familiar as a way of minimizing risk and increasing our chances of survival.

Question 17

Feingold (1990) conducted a meta-analysis of a number of studies of the importance that men versus women placed on the physical attractiveness of potential partners. According to his findings, there tends to be a larger gender difference (such that men are more influenced by physical attractiveness) when __________ are being measured than when __________ are being measured.

Accepted Answer

Feingold's meta-analysis found that the gender difference in the importance placed on physical attractiveness is larger when attitudes (what men and women say they prefer) are measured than when behaviors (actual choices or actions in dating contexts) are measured. This suggests that while both genders might act similarly, they express different preferences when asked.

Question 18

In studies on what people find attractive, the __________ of the face seems to be very important.

Accepted Answer

Studies have found that facial symmetry is a key factor in determining attractiveness. Symmetrical faces are generally perceived as more attractive because they are indicative of good health and genetic fitness. This preference for symmetry is thought to be rooted in evolution, as it may have served as a cue for good reproductive potential in our ancestors.

Question 19

When researchers reviewed the literature on standards of beauty across cultures, they found that the attractiveness ratings among participants of all different races and ethnicities ranged from .66 to .93. These relatively large positive correlations suggest that __________.

Accepted Answer

The large positive correlations suggest that regardless of culture or background, people can agree on what is attractive.

Question 20

When people are asked to rate the attractiveness of faces, the faces that they MOST prefer __________.

Accepted Answer

Multiple studies have found that people tend to rate faces that resemble their own as more attractive. This may be due to the fact that we are more familiar and comfortable with faces that look like ours, and we may prefer traits that we possess ourselves.

Quiz 10: Attraction and Relationships: From Initial Impressions to Long-Term Intimacy

According to research conducted by Cunningham and his colleagues (1986) , there is overlap in what men and women find attractive in the opposite sex. For example, both men and women find __________ attractive in members of the opposite sex.