Physical Attractiveness in Dating

I chose Chapter 5: Social Interaction and Structure as my first chapter. It talks about institutions and their roles in society. Roles, statuses and behaviors all play a part in interaction and society. From this chapter and the broad topics discussed, I have decided to focus on attractiveness and its effects on dating. How important is physical attractiveness in dating really? Does it make people choose partners based on attractiveness? Yes, physical attractiveness is the most important factor in choosing partners. It is actually so important, that people will usually only settle down with people who of the same attractiveness level as their own.

Hatfield talks about how the Matching Principle is at play with dating as a whole. People will only pair up with people in the same attractiveness level as them. People are more comfortable and less afraid of rejection this way. I chose this article because it is a clear cut example of people choosing partners based on attractiveness. http://www.elainehatfield.com/28.pdf

Figure 1: Comparative Levels of Attractiveness

(Source: Science of Relationships, 2012)

In the YouTube video, Dr. Dar talks about whether or not attractive people have less dating issues on a news broadcast. Physical attractiveness comes into play in dating and in relationships.

The link below shows a news website with an article about the research that Elaine Walster did about attractiveness. I posted the scholarly journal above. But this article goes more in depth about how personality is a minor part on the first date. Physical attractiveness overcomes all over characteristics.

http://www.chicagonow.com/male-perspective/2012/04/if-looks-could-kill-the-importance-of-physical-attractiveness-in-dating-behavior/

The link below shows an academic paper on a blog. It explains a lot about physical attractiveness and its effects on dating. It mentions equilibrium in the relationship; if people are not equals in looks, they need to compensate with something else. One might need to bring financial security to the table (usually the man), while the other brings looks (the woman).

https://sites.google.com/site/msbrittanyhardy/research-and-interests/the-importance-of-physical-attraction-in-dating-behavior

"Love is often nothing but a favorable exchange between two people who get the most of what they can expect, considering their value on the personality market."- Erich Fromm

(Source: The Sane Society, 1955) 

Sociology is Fun :)

Welcome! My name is Jade Rodgers and I am a student at the University of Idaho. I am a Biology major, just finishing up my second year. Hopefully, I will go to medical school in 3 years, and hopefully it is on the West Coast! I love animals and the outdoors. Horses and dogs are my passion; I grew up around the world of horse racing, and I'm still involved in it! I love traveling and want to explore a variety of different cultures. If I could travel for a year after I graduate from UI, I feel like my life would be complete. My dream is to live in Spain for a time! Maybe it will happen when I'm a doctor... I have travelled around the States frequently, from the Northwest to the Southwest, the Midwest to the South; I loved it all, especially the South. I have been to Mexico, Honduras and Belize on a vacation, and loved seeing how our cultures are different. I've even been to Canada, eh? Hopefully I will be able to add to this list in a few years. I love going to events such as Cruise the World at the UI, where different countries are set up at booths. They bring pieces of their culture and usually food, as well as live demonstrations such as dancing and music. It is so interesting to visit each table and see what each country offers to our complex world. Below, I have posted a video of something like this, but at a different university.

My biggest interest in Sociology is how the interactions and behaviors form different cultures and societies. Not one society in the world has another just like it, and I think that is incredibly interesting. Every society is formed in a different way and has different foundations. It is my goal to look at the differences in the ways societies perceive the same situation, and to find out why there are such differences. I also think it is interesting that society and culture play such a huge role in our lives. From the time we are born, we are shaped by society and the expected human behaviors. It is so interesting to think about how we would be if we did not have those pressures from society shaping our lives.