A ground breaking new study from Florida State University has determined that we look at attractive people! Who woulda thought!
But really:
In a series of three experiments, Maner and his colleagues found that the study participants, all heterosexual men and women, fixated on highly attractive people within the first half of a second of seeing them. Single folks ogled the opposite sex, of course, but those in committed relationships also checked people out, with one major difference: They were more interested in beautiful people of the same sex.
Ok.. for reals.. It is a pretty interesting finding that people in relationships look at people of the same sex. Does that suggest that they are checking out their competition?
There is one serious flaw to the study though, I don't think they had any pictures of horrendously ugly people - like this person:
Ugly scary looking people should capture attention much quicker than a potential attractive mate. After all acting on the fear that they are going to eat you or are carrying a disease is probably the most basic of human instincts.
Humanities & Social Science
Comments
"Does that suggest that they are checking out their competition?"
...perhaps more likely that people in heterosexual relationships get so fed up with the opposite sex that they subconsciously consider becoming homosexual
Posted by: Ginny | September 17, 2007 1:06 PM
that had crossed my mind ;)
Posted by: Steve Higgins | September 17, 2007 1:55 PM
yes, it's about checking out the competition.
Attractive people tend also to have higher social status, so there is also more reason to pay attention to them from a social perspective.
Posted by: David Dufty | September 23, 2007 7:40 AM
I check out competition.
Posted by: catonia | January 1, 2008 4:24 PM
i look for ways i can better myself.
Posted by: kayna | January 14, 2008 4:48 PM