“Say it with flowers”: The effect of flowers on mating attractiveness and behavior

Abstract

For millennia flowers have been used to convey romance, yet their effect on human romantic behavior has not been explicitly tested. In two experiments we show that women's perception of male attractiveness and their potential mating behavior are positively affected by simple exposure to flowers. In Study 1 women who were exposed to flowers while they watched a video of a man perceived the man to be more attractive and sexier. They also reported being more inclined to accept a date from him. In Study 2 women who were exposed to flowers responded more favorably to an explicit solicitation from a male confederate in a subsequent interaction. The results show that the simple exposure to flowers had a significant effect on women's perception of mating attractiveness and behavior.