| dc.description.abstract | The purpose of this study was to examine the association between certain psychological and
physical attributes and attractiveness in males and females. The psychological attributes studied
included body-esteem, intelligence, and academic achievement. The physical attributes included
body mass index (BMl) and the fluctuating asymmetry of 17 bilateral traits of the body. Seventy six
female and 77 male undergraduate students from Lakehead University participated in the
study. Pictures of the participants were taken (face, both head profiles, and full frontal profile),
their hands were scanned, imprints of their feet were obtained, and their height and weight were
measured. They also completed the Concerns about Shape and Weight Scale as a measure of
body-esteem, and the Shipley Institute for Living Scale as an index of IQ. Sixteen raters
evaluated participants' attractiveness from the facial and whole person pictures. BMI and body-esteem
were correlated with attractiveness, with BMI being a much stronger correlate of
attractiveness for females than for males. Also, females reported greater concerns about shape
and weight. Finally, the relationship between attractiveness and body-esteem was mediated by
BMI. These results do not replicate the Davis et al. (2001; 2000) studies where more facially
attractive females had greater weight and shape concerns. This study supports the idea of a
"looking glass self where our own self-perceptions reflect the perceptions of others about our
appearance. | |
