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Lookup NU author(s): Dr Martin Tovee
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Body mass index (BMI) and body shape as measured by the waist-to-hip ratio (WHR) are important components in judgments of women's bodily attractiveness. The relative importance of each of these cues was examined in three countries: Britain, Spain, and Portugal. Male participants from Britain, Spain, and Portugal, respectively, were asked to rate a set of images of real women with known BMI and WHR. The results showed that, regardless of the cultural setting, BMI was the primary determinant of women's physical attractiveness, with consistent preferences for relatively slender women. WHR emerged as a significant predictor of attractiveness judgments for the Spanish and Portuguese groups (with preferences for low WHRs, indicative of a curvaceous female body), but not the British group. These findings are discussed in terms of the different cultural values ascribed to participants in the three countries. © 2007 Hogrefe & Huber Publishers.
Author(s): Swami V, Neto F, Tovee MJ, Furnham A
Publication type: Article
Publication status: Published
Journal: European Psychologist
Year: 2007
Volume: 12
Issue: 3
Pages: 220-228
Print publication date: 01/01/2007
ISSN (print): 1016-9040
ISSN (electronic): 1878-531X
Publisher: Hogrefe Publishing Corp.
URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.1027/1016-9040.12.3.220
DOI: 10.1027/1016-9040.12.3.220
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