Perceived Physical Attractiveness in Early, Steady, and Engaged Daters

Abstract

Summary Early daters (n = 34), steady daters (n = 42), and engaged daters (n = 32) provided physical attractiveness ratings for self, a dating partner, an ideal dating partner, and the expected rating of self by the dating partner. Within-person correlations on these ratings showed that, independent of gender or intensity of relationship, daters evidenced a need for partners to support their own view of physical attractiveness. On the basis of judgments provided by objective raters (n = 16), Ss generally erred in physical attractiveness attributions made to self and partner.