As per my topic is concerned I would like to share some avowal that whether people select partners like their opposite sex parent or people select partners that are like themselves or similar to them. There may be many reasons that one can select his/her life partner, girlfriend/boyfriend, on different grounds. But regarding to my topic that is physical attractiveness I will be discussing relationships which are based on wholly solely on one’s appearance or physical attractiveness. Importance of physical attractiveness:
There is no doubt that starting a relationship, the most important aspect is the physical attractiveness or physical appearance which appeals to one’s eye. On the other hand when choosing partners for sex or marriage, men place more emphasis than women on physical attractiveness and women place more emphasis than men on socioeconomic status (SES) (Berscheid & Walster, 1974) and men fall quickly in love rather than women. A woman takes more time to know a man rather than only looking at physical features.
Importance of physical attractiveness in women’s perception If we talk about women’s perception regarding physical attractiveness than mostly women don’t take decision of making one her life partner only on their good looks but they select very cautiously regarding all aspects like their mate is able to give her time, financially he should be strong and should have the capability to nurture her as well as their children or off springs (Houston, 1981). When coming to select a life partner a woman always wants to be satisfied almost in every aspect.
There are examples of several women who choose their life partner on the basis of physical attractiveness but after a certain period they get jaded because they want time and love from their partners which they don’t have the only thing they have is that they are attractive physically(Townsend & Levy,1990). Importance of physical attractiveness in men’s perception: Talking about men’s perception towards physical attractiveness then this is the most important aspect for them to choose their life partner. Attractive individuals are perceived as friendlier, sociable and sexually desirable than unattractive ones.
Like there are certain studies or surveys done by which people have seen couples of three types: one in which a male is paired with an attractive female and they show positive attitude or we can say they are happy couple, second is in which a male is paired with an unattractive female and they show negative attitude because male is not happy with his wife’s physical appearance and they come under sad couple, third and last couple is where both the genders are of almost moderate looks and they have been acting neutral.
After these studies it is shown that physical attractiveness plays a major role in male’s life rather than in female’s life (Sergiod & Cody, 1985). Conclusion: In the end I would like to conclude that people should take decisions not only regarding physical appearance but other factors as well. It’s in the nature of male that he is attracted toward beautiful things but to me only beautifulness can’t make you happy or give you all the satisfaction in your life.
If for instance a male wants a beautiful wife but on the other hand she is stubborn, ill mannered then what her beauty is for? There are people who live in an ideal world where they want everything to be perfect just as they want. Several people make their parents ideal for their upcoming life like a child seeing his/her parents who in his/her eyes is the best couple he/she ever seen then automatically his/her attitude towards life what he/she is looking from childhood since he/she became adult would be same that they want their partners just to be like his/her parents.
This can be a good way to find a partner but it never always happen because nobody is same, every individual has its own personality and have merits and demerits regarding their personality (Townsend & Levy, 1990). When men are unwilling or unable to invest sufficient levels of time, resources, and nurturance, women are less likely to love and to feel loved, and sexual relations become less desirable and less satisfactory.
Studies have shown that men have greater urge of sexual need as compare to women. Men wants that his partner should be attractive and on the other hand women want that her partner should be co-operative, loving and capable of giving enough time to her as well as to their children(Garcia & Khersonsky,1996). Sexual access thus becomes a bargaining chip that, consciously or unconsciously, women trade for emotional and material investment, whereas men trade investment for female sexuality and beauty.
To make my point stronger I would like to give another example that there was a study which was conducted in 1990 by Townsend & Levy in which they interviewed second year medical students and college undergraduates of United States in which they dressed both male and female in attractive and expensive outfits and give them style. After doing that they asked students of both genders that how they feel about their opposite sex now and the result shows that wearing expensive things doesn’t attract men towards women but physical features did and on the other hand women got attracted towards men on these basis.
Men place more emphasis than women on physical attractiveness and women place more emphasis than men on socioeconomic status (SES) (Berscheid & Walster, 1974). In the end talking about people who are attracted towards their own gender, in those cases if man is attracted to another man then they again go for physical attractiveness. Whether one is good looking or not but if he needs a partners of his own sex then that man should be more attractive than him.
After this research paper I came across the conclusion that physical attractiveness is more important to men to start his marriage and to women it’s the secondary thing to be worried of. References Berscheid, E. , & Walster, E. (1974). Physical attractiveness. Advances in experimental social psychology (Vol. 1, pp. 158-215). New York: Academic Press. Garcia, S. D. & Khersonsky, D. (1996). They Make a Lovely Couple”: Perceptions of Couple Attractiveness. Journal of Social Behavior & Personality, Vol. 11, Issue 4 Houston, L. N. (1981). Romanticism and eroticism among Black and White college students.
Adolescence, 16, 263-269. Sergiod, P. A. Cody, J. (1985). Journal of Social Psychology,Vol. 125 Issue 4, p505, 10p Townsend, J. M. , & Levy, G. D. (1990). Effects of potential partners’ physical attractiveness and socioeconomic status on sexuality and partner selection: Sex differences in reported preferences of university students. Archives of Sexual Behavior, 19, 149-164. Townsend, J. M. & Levy, G. D. (1990). Effects of Potential Partners’ Costume and Physical Attractiveness on Sexuality and Partner Selection. Journal of Psychology, 00223980,Vol. 124, Issue 4.