Physical Attractiveness in Dating (Chapter 5)

I chose Chapter 5: Social Interaction and Structure as my first chapter. It talks about institutions and their roles in society. Roles, statuses and behaviors all play a part in interaction and society. From this chapter and the broad topics discussed, I have decided to focus on attractiveness and its effects on dating. How important is physical attractiveness in dating really? Does it make people choose partners based on attractiveness? Yes, physical attractiveness is the most important factor in choosing partners. It is actually so important, that people will usually only settle down with people who of the same attractiveness level as their own.

In this scholarly article, Webb discusses the importance of physical attractiveness in dating in adolescence and the effects it has. The intro suggests that intelligence, social skills and athletic skills are attributed to attractiveness. Peer preference has a correlation with attractiveness in this study with adolescence. Attractiveness is the first thing we see in a perspective partner and it even has a connection to our self-worth. 

http://trace.tennessee.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1110&context=utk_graddiss&sei-redir=1&referer=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.google.com%2Furl%3Fsa%3Dt%26rct%3Dj%26q%3Dscholarly%2520article%2520on%2520physical%2520attractiveness%2520in%2520dating%26source%3Dweb%26cd%3D5%26ved%3D0CFkQFjAE%26url%3Dhttp%253A%252F%252Ftrace.tennessee.edu%252Fcgi%252Fviewcontent.cgi%253Farticle%253D1110%2526context%253Dutk_graddiss%26ei%3DW5t8UaCBD4zBiwKQl4CIBw%26usg%3DAFQjCNGfpmrfWGPcljUmaNzHQPKOEy7R8g%26sig2%3DPOUjJZm60TYuY5cG4v0nSA%26bvm%3Dbv.45645796%2Cd.cGE#search=%22scholarly%20article%20physical%20attractiveness%20dating%22

Figure 1: Comparative Levels of Attractiveness

(Source: Science of Relationships, 2012)

In the YouTube video, Dr. Dar talks about whether or not attractive people have less dating issues on a news broadcast. Physical attractiveness comes into play in dating and in relationships. 

The link below shows a news website with an article about the research that Elaine Walster did about attractiveness. I posted the scholarly journal above. But this article goes more in depth about how personality is a minor part on the first date. Physical attractiveness overcomes all over characteristics.

http://www.chicagonow.com/male-perspective/2012/04/if-looks-could-kill-the-importance-of-physical-attractiveness-in-dating-behavior/

The link below shows an academic paper on a blog. It explains a lot about physical attractiveness and its effects on dating. It mentions equilibrium in the relationship; if people are not equals in looks, they need to compensate with something else. One might need to bring financial security to the table (usually the man), while the other brings looks (the woman).

https://sites.google.com/site/msbrittanyhardy/research-and-interests/the-importance-of-physical-attraction-in-dating-behavior

"Love is often nothing but a favorable exchange between two people who get the most of what they can expect, considering their value on the personality market."- Erich Fromm

(Source: The Sane Society, 1955)