What you see is what you want to get

Perceived abilities outperform objective test performance in predicting mate appeal in speed dating

Datos Bibliográficos

ID11065728
AutoresGabriela Hofer (0000-0003-4407-1487, University of Graz, autor de correspondencia), Roman Burkart (0000-0003-1574-9770, University of Graz), Laura Langmann (University of Graz), Aljoscha C Neubauer (0000-0002-1326-3104, University of Graz)
Año2021
Volumen93
Páginas104113
Fecha de publicación2021-08-01
Peer ReviewedSí
Open AccessSí
TipoARTICLE
RevistaJournal of Research in Personality (JOURNAL)
Identificadores de la revistaISSN: 0092-6566 • E-ISSN: 1095-7251
EditorialElsevier BV (PUBLISHER)
DOI10.1016/j.jrp.2021.104113
OpenAlexW3165699048
IdiomaEN
Citas recibidas3
Referencias citadas63

Are intelligent, creative, and emotionally competent people more desirable? Evolution-based theories and studies on the ideal partner suggest that they are. We aimed to assess whether verbal, numerical, and spatial intelligence, creativity, and intra- and interpersonal emotional competence are associated with higher real-life mate appeal. In speed dates, 87 women and 88 men met up to 14 members of the opposite sex (2188 observations). While only one measured ability—women’s creativity—was significantly associated with mate appeal, ability perceptions by speed-dating partners could broadly predict mate appeal. Effects of perceived and measured abilities were substantially reduced after controlling for physical attractiveness. These results suggest that the investigated abilities play a lesser role in initial attraction than proposed in the past

Appeal · Attraction · Attractiveness · Competence (human resources) · Creativity · Developmental psychology · Interpersonal attraction · Interpersonal communication · Perception · Physical attractiveness · Test (biology) · Consumer Behavior in Brand Consumption and Identification · Evolutionary Psychology and Human Behavior · Personality Traits and Psychology · Psychology · Social Psychology