This document summarizes biological, psychological, and social explanations for attraction. Biologically, we are attracted to potential mates who can produce healthy offspring, as shown in a study where women found the scents of men with dissimilar immune systems most pleasant. Psychologically, the attraction-similarity model suggests we are attracted to similar others, as a 1971 study found. Socially, proximity increases relationship formation, as seen in a 1950 college dorm study, and social proof influences attractiveness perceptions, as demonstrated in a 2007 face preference experiment.

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The Psychology of Attraction

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Learning Outcome
 HR.1.A- Examine biological, psychological (cognitive) and
social origins of attraction.

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Biological Explanation
 Based on Evolutionary Theory:
 We find potential mates attractive based on whether we think they
will produce healthy offspring.

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Wedekind (1995)-The Dirty Shirt Study
 Aim: To determine how scent impacts attraction.
 Method: Recruited 49 females and 44 men with a wide variety
of the MHC Gene (which impacts the immune system).
 Asked men to sleep in a shirt for two nights while avoiding and
odour impacting behaviors (using odor free soap, no spicy
food, etc).
 Women smelled 7 shirts (3 similar MHC, 3 dissimilar MHC, one
control) and ranked each from pleasant to unpleasant.

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Biological: Wedekind (1995)
 Findings: Women generally ranked the smell of shirts from men
who had dissimilar immune systems as more pleasant.
 Conclusion: Women are attracted to the scents of men with
dissimilar genes as their own. This allows their potential
offspring a stronger and more diverse immune system.

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Cognitive Explanation
 We process information on a cognitive level and determine our
feelings of love.
 Attraction-Similarity Model - Byrne (1971)
 We are attracted to people who we believe share common traits as
us.
 Our perception of our partners is dependent on our relationship with
them.
 Relationships can impact our own self-concept

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Cognitive: Byrne (1971)
 Aim: To determine if humans are more attracted to people they
perceive to be similar to themselves.
 Method: Participants completed a questionnaire on personal
characteristics. They then were shown a list of description of
fictional people and asked to rate their attractiveness.

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Byrne (1971)
 Findings: Participants ranked people they perceived similar to
themselves as being more attractive and desirable.
 Conclusions:
 We are attracted to people who we believe share common
traits as us.
 Our perception of our partners is dependent on our relationship
with them.
 Relationships can impact our own self-concept

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Sociocultural Explanation
 Our culture and environment impact the way we perceive
attractiveness.

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Proximity Theory:
Festinger et al (1950)
 Aim: To investigate the formation of friendships within a college
dorm.
 Method: Conducted regular interviews and observations with
residents at a dorm at MIT.
 Findings: Living close to another person increased the chances
of forming friendships with them.
 Conclusion: Proximity is an essential part of the formation of
relationships. Being close to another person increases the
chances that you will bump into them and spend time with
them.
 Critical Thinking: How might the internet change this theory?

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Which face do you prefer?

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Which face do you prefer?

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Social Proof:
Jones et al (2007)
 Aim: To investigate the role that mate choice
copying impacts women's’ perceptions of
attractiveness.
 Method:
 Control: Showed male faces to male and female
participants
 Treatment: Showed the same male faces with either a
smiling or neutral female face looking at the model.

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Jones et al (2007) continued
 Findings:
 Female: Women were more likely to view men who were
smiled at as being more attractive than the neutral or control
groups.
 Men: Preferred the male faces where neutral women looking
at them in comparison to smiling faces.
 Conclusions:
 Females: Social transmission impact the perceptions of
attraction towards potential mates.
 Males: Social transmission of face preferences influences
judgments of men's attractiveness, potentially demonstrating
a mechanism for social transmission of mate preferences.
 Critical Thinking?