IS BEAUTY IN THE EYE OF THE BEHOLDER? SIGNS OF WEALTH AND INTEREST IN THE PERCEIVER AS THE DETERMINANTS OF THE PHYSICAL ATTRACTIVENESS OF THE OPPOSITE SEX

Young participants (N=144) varying in material status were asked in a field experiment to rate physical attractiveness of an opposite sex person who varied in apparent material wealth (high vs. low) and interest in dating the perceiver (interest vs. no information). The result showed that men (but not women) increased their ratings of attractiveness of the target person interested in dating them. Women (but not men) perceived the wealthy target as more physically attractive. This, however, was found only in unwealthy women who were convinced that the man was interested in dating them. The results were discussed in terms of evolutionary-based sex differences in reproductive strategies.