The Role of Emotion Projection, Sexual Desire, and Self-Rated Attractiveness in the Sexual Overperception Bias

Iliana Samara,Mariska E Kret,Tom S Roth

doi:10.1007/s10508-021-02017-5

Iliana Samara, Mariska E Kret + Show 1 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.1007/s10508-021-02017-5

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Abstract

A consistent finding in the literature is that men overperceive sexual interest in women (i.e., sexual overperception bias). Several potential mechanisms have been proposed for this bias, including projecting one’s own interest onto a given partner, sexual desire, and self-rated attractiveness. Here, we examined the influence of these factors in attraction detection accuracy during speed-dates. Sixty-seven participants (34 women) split in four groups went on a total of 10 speed-dates with all opposite-sex members of their group, resulting in 277 dates. The results showed that attraction detection accuracy was reliably predicted by projection of own interest in combination with participant sex. Specifically, men were more accurate than women in detecting attraction when they were not interested in their partner compared to when they were interested. These results are discussed in the wider context of arousal influencing detection of partner attraction.

Highlights

Almost half a century of research findings shows that men overperceive sexual interest in women (e.g., Abbey, 1982; Henningsen, 2004; Koeppel et al, 1993; La France et al, 2009; Levesque et al, 2006; Treat et al, 2015), a finding aptly termed as the “sexual overperception bias” (Haselton, 2003; Haselton & Buss, 2000)
A Bayesian chi-square test showed that men indicated more often than women that they were interested in going on another date with their dating partner ( BF10 > 10; see Table 1), consistent with previous findings
We examined whether sex and own interest influenced attraction detection accuracy (Table 2; Model 1)

Summary

Introduction

Almost half a century of research findings shows that men overperceive sexual interest in women (e.g., Abbey, 1982; Henningsen, 2004; Koeppel et al, 1993; La France et al, 2009; Levesque et al, 2006; Treat et al, 2015), a finding aptly termed as the “sexual overperception bias” (Haselton, 2003; Haselton & Buss, 2000). Sex differences have been observed in these two factors, which revived the debate about the sexual

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