05 Apr When Choosing A Mate, Women Choose Looks Over Personality
MedicalResearch.com Interview with:
Dr. Fugère
Madeleine A. Fugère, Ph.D.
Professor of Psychology
Eastern CT State University
Willimantic, Connecticut
MedicalResearch.com: What is the background for this study? What are the main findings?
Response: Previous research has shown that both daughters and their parents rate many traits as more important than physical attractiveness in a potential mate (for daughters), including traits such as respectfulness, honesty, and trustworthiness. Previous research also shows that women rate physical attractiveness as more important in a mate for themselves than parents do in a mate for their daughters.
In our research project, we experimentally manipulated the physical attractiveness of male targets (using photographs) and we experimentally manipulated the traits associated with each male target. The trait profiles included the “respectful” trait profile which consisted of the traits respectful, honest, and trustworthy, the “friendly” trait profile which included the traits friendly, dependable, and mature, and the “pleasing” trait profile which contained the traits pleasing disposition, ambitious, and intelligent.
We found that both women and their mothers were strongly influenced by the physical attractiveness of the men and preferred the attractive and moderately attractive targets. Both women and their mothers rated the attractive and moderately attractive men most favorably, especially when they were paired with the most positive trait profile (the “respectful” trait profile).
However, the unattractive man was never rated more positively than his more attractive counterparts even when he possessed the most favorable trait profile.
MedicalResearch.com: What should readers take away from your report?
Response: Our findings suggest that we may not accurately detect the traits which are most important to us in a mate (for ourselves or for our offspring). Physical attractiveness more strongly impacts our dating decisions than the traits we say are most important to us in a potential mate. Alternatively, when we say that traits such as respect are more important than physical attractiveness, we may assume that a potential mate will be at least moderately attractive. If a mate is at least moderately attractive, personality traits seem to have a bigger impact on our mate preferences than physical attractiveness, but if a mate is unattractive, physical attractiveness has a bigger impact on our mate preferences than other traits.
MedicalResearch.com: What recommendations do you have for future research as a result of this study?
Response: Our research suggests that asking participants to self-report their preferred traits may not be an accurate way to assess mate preferences, we recommend using experimental research to assess mate preferences in addition to self-report measures. In this research project, we only explored favorable personality traits, in future research, we hope to explore the relative impact of negative personality traits vs. physical attractiveness on mate preferences. In future research we also hope to extend this research to men and their parents. Men more willingly state that physical attractiveness is more important to them in a mate, so we expect that, similar to women’s results, physical attractiveness will more strongly impact men’s mate preferences than other characteristics.
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Last Updated on April 5, 2017 by Marie Benz MD FAAD