Personal Relationships

Volume 14, Issue 4 p. 571-585

Personality goes a long way: The malleability of opposite-sex physical attractiveness

GARY W. LEWANDOWSKI Jr.,

Corresponding Author

GARY W. LEWANDOWSKI Jr.

^a Monmouth University and ^b State University of New York, Stony Brook

Gary W. Lewandowski Jr., Monmouth University, Department of Psychology, West Long Branch, NJ 07764, e-mail: [email protected].Search for more papers by this author

a ARTHUR ARON,

ARTHUR ARON

^a Monmouth University and ^b State University of New York, Stony Brook

Search for more papers by this author

b JULIE GEE,

JULIE GEE

^a Monmouth University and ^b State University of New York, Stony Brook

Search for more papers by this author

GARY W. LEWANDOWSKI Jr.,

Corresponding Author

GARY W. LEWANDOWSKI Jr.

^a Monmouth University and ^b State University of New York, Stony Brook

Gary W. Lewandowski Jr., Monmouth University, Department of Psychology, West Long Branch, NJ 07764, e-mail: [email protected].Search for more papers by this author

a ARTHUR ARON,

ARTHUR ARON

^a Monmouth University and ^b State University of New York, Stony Brook

Search for more papers by this author

b JULIE GEE,

JULIE GEE

^a Monmouth University and ^b State University of New York, Stony Brook

Search for more papers by this author

First published: 21 November 2007

https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1475-6811.2007.00172.x

Citations: 35

Gary W. Lewandowski Jr., Department of Psychology, Monmouth University; Arthur Aron, Department of Psychology, State University of New York at Stony Brook; Julie Gee, Department of Psychology, State University of New York at Stony Brook.

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Abstract

This study tested the influence of personality information on judgments of physical attractiveness. Employing a within-subject design, 56 female and 22 male college students rated attractiveness of opposite-sex photos; participated in a distraction task; viewed each photo again, along with personality information (desirable, undesirable, none); and then rated the photos for physical attractiveness, desirability as a friend, and desirability as a dating partner. Personality information produced significant changes in ratings of physical attractiveness for attractive, neutral, and unattractive targets. The pattern of results is consistent with a model in which desirability of the target’s personality leads to greater desirability as a friend, leading to greater desirability as a dating partner, leading to the target being judged as more physically attractive.

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Volume14, Issue4

December 2007

Pages 571-585

Personality goes a long way: The malleability of opposite-sex physical attractiveness

Abstract

References

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Personality goes a long way: The malleability of opposite-sex physical attractiveness

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