Attractiveness and culture.

Cultural differences are documented in the consideration of attractiveness in a potential mate in some research (e.g. Wheeler & Kim, 1997). The saying “beauty is in the eye of the beholder” holds some validity as culture affects aspects of physical attractiveness. However, there is a growing body of literature that also supports the universality of certain physical attractiveness traits. When groups of cross-cultural judges were asked to evaluate the faces of European Americans, Asian, and Hispanic stimuli persons the results yielded very high correlations between the judges in attractiveness ratings. Judgments of attractiveness were based on similar facial characteristics in all cultures evaluating the eyes, nose, and smiles. A meta-analysis that examined the results of 1800 articles supported cross-cultural similarity in physical attractiveness ratings both within and across cultures suggesting universal standards for beauty and attractiveness (Langlois, Kalakanis, Rubenstein, Larson, Hallam, & Smoot, 2000). The similarity ratings may however be partially a response to the ubiquitous modeling of women in Western movies now viewed around the world, and the increased convergence of norms for a variety of behaviors and perceptions including the evaluation of physical attractiveness.

The universal norms of attractiveness appear to be related to evolutionary gender differences in the preferences for mates. For example Buss (1994) in his comparative study of attractiveness in 37 cultures found support for interesting differences in gender preferences. In nearly all cultures as we noted above females appreciated more the financial factors in choosing mates than males did, and consistently evaluated more highly the industriousness and ambition in prospective male partners. On the other hand for males the physical attractiveness of potential mates was more important than it was for females. Since the comparative gender agreement across cultures was so high Buss suggested a universal basis for mate preference related to different gender based evolutionary pressures experienced by males and females. On the other hand social constructivists researchers emphasizing the affects of culture found that despite the noted gender differences there are also gender similarities in mate preference. For example both genders appreciate honesty, kindness and a sense of humor in prospective mates (Goodwin, 1990). The emphasis on culture also explain the aforementioned cultural differences in perception of attractiveness, however the evolutionary pressures are probably more dominant in the final analysis leading men to appreciate female beauty that signal fertility, and women to look for the financial security that ensures the future of their children in mates.

Date: 2015-01-11; view: 747