The relative contribution of profile body shape and weight to judgements of women's physical attractiveness in Britain and Malaysia

Body Image. 2007 Dec;4(4):391-6. doi: 10.1016/j.bodyim.2007.07.002. Epub 2007 Sep 21.

Abstract

Ninety-six Malaysian and British men rated for physical attractiveness a set of photographs of real women in profile, with known body mass index (BMI) and waist-to-hip ratio (WHR). Results showed that BMI accounted for the greater amount of variance in all settings. There were also significant differences in preferences for body weight, with low resource, low socioeconomic status (SES) raters preferring a significantly heavier partner than high resource, high SES raters. The disparity with previous findings using line drawings of women in profile was discussed in terms of the weaknesses of line-drawn stimuli.

Publication types

  • Comparative Study

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Beauty*
  • Body Mass Index
  • Body Size*
  • Body Weight*
  • Choice Behavior
  • Courtship
  • Cross-Cultural Comparison*
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Judgment*
  • Malaysia
  • Male
  • Regression Analysis
  • Social Desirability
  • Socioeconomic Factors
  • United Kingdom
  • Waist-Hip Ratio