"We have all heard that beauty is only skin deep, yet visual appeal continues to be a big part of physical attraction, at least initially. Other qualities are very important when sparking romance beyond superficial appeal, such as kindness, honesty, compassion, compatibility, and of course the way a prospective partner makes us feel about ourselves. Many daters are faced with a mix of positive traits to analyze, both physical and emotional."
"They begin by acknowledging the reality that highly attractive potential partners may be in short supply, forcing singles to broaden their perspective. The participants in their study rated images of unattractive opposite- sex individuals for long-term and short-term relationships, after they learned either favorable or unfavorable information about them. They found that although the participants did not find the target individuals highly desirable or physically attractive, the men in their study were more willing than women to have casual sex."
Visual appeal remains an important initial component of physical attraction, but nonphysical qualities such as kindness, honesty, compassion, compatibility, and positive effects on self-esteem strongly influence romantic interest beyond appearance. Participants evaluated unattractive opposite-sex images for short-term and long-term relationships after receiving favorable or unfavorable background information. Participants generally did not rate targets as highly desirable or physically attractive. Men showed greater willingness than women to pursue casual sex and were open to long-term relationships with physically unattractive partners who displayed positive personal qualities. Women showed low interest in physically unattractive people regardless of mating context.
Read at Psychology Today
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