Developmental stability of perceived physical attractiveness from infancy to young adulthood
Main Article Content
We predicted that physical attractiveness ratings of individuals at birth, 6, 12, and 18 years of age would be relatively stable and females would rate babies as more attractive than would males, due to their socialization to care for infants (Berman, 1980).
One hundred and twenty-seven college-aged participants (92 = women) viewed 32 facial photographs of eight different models (four male, four female) at ages 0 (newborn), 6, 12, and 18 years. Photographs were presented in a random order and participants rated the attractiveness of each photograph using a 10- point Likert scale, unaware that the photographs were of the same individuals at different ages.
Overall, the ratings of the different aged models were significantly correlated, all rs > .54, ps < .001, with high internal consistency, α = .89, demonstrating uniformity between attractiveness ratings at different ages. Also females rated the newborns as more attractive compared to the ratings by males, t(125) = 3.75, p < .001, d = .67 .
These results suggest that the perception of physical attractiveness is relatively stable in ratings of infants through to young adults, and females perceive infants to be more attractive than do males. These areas of investigation are important since physical appearance influences personal perceptions, social interactions, and general life outcomes (Langlois et al., 2000).
References
Berman, P. W. (1980). Are women more responsive than men to the young? A review of developmental and situational variables. Psychological Bulletin, 88, 668-695.
Langlois, J. H., Kalakanis, L., Rubenstein, A., Larson, A., Hallam, M., & Smoot, M. (2000). Maxims or myths of beauty? A meta-analytic and theoretical review. Psychological Bulletin, 126, 390- 423.
Berman, P. W. (1980). Are women more responsive than men to the young? A review of developmental and situational variables. Psychological Bulletin, 88, 668-695.
Langlois, J. H., Kalakanis, L., Rubenstein, A., Larson, A., Hallam, M., & Smoot, M. (2000). Maxims or myths of beauty? A meta-analytic and theoretical review. Psychological Bulletin, 126, 390- 423.
Appreciation is due to anonymous reviewers.