Physical Attraction Predicts Support for Certain Evolutionary Psychology Principles

Release date: August 4, 2021

https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0254725

Explanation

Evolutionary psychology has emerged as a controversial field for claims about the biological basis of sex differences in human spousal preferences.

Utilizing the theory of motivated reasoning, it has been postulated that those who are most likely to be privileged by a particular aspect of the theory are most likely to endorse the theory.

In particular, we predicted that physical attractiveness would be positively associated with support for evolutionary psychology's predictions about mating strategies.

Two studies have confirmed this hypothesis.

In Study 1, participants who rated their physical attractiveness as high were more likely to endorse certain principles of evolutionary psychology.

In Study 2, manipulations designed to increase self-perceived physical attractiveness increased support for the same principles. Observer-rated physical attractiveness generally predicted individual support for the theoretical principles more than gender, political orientation, or self-esteem.

These results suggest that those most likely to benefit according to the specific predictions of evolutionary psychology are also those most likely to be sympathetic to the relevant principles.