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.
A) social perception
B) social role
C) evolutionary
D) behaviorist

Question

Quizplus · 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.

Research Has Found That There Is Agreement Across Cultures Concerning