Papers from the International Association for Cross-Cultural Psychology Conferences
Publication Date
2016
Abstract
The purpose of the study is to explore the role of visual, auditory, tactile-kinesthetic, and olfactory factors in determining physical attraction to another person in romantic love. Participants from three regions (the USA, Russia, Caribbean countries) completed the survey evaluating the role, which senses play in their attraction to a romantic partner. The questions that were asked were about the importance of the impressions for physical attraction to a partner, rather than the specific physical characteristics, which make a person attractive. Factor analysis identified several factors, which cluster together various sensory experiences, such as expressive behavior, dancing, singing, facial structure, body characteristics, hair and eyes features, voice, expressive manner of speaking, skin, dressing, lips. In all three cultural groups, people value the expressive behavior and smile, expressive speaking, body characteristics and facial structure in their romantic partners. In addition, the participants revealed cross-cultural differences.
ScholarWorks Citation
Zarubko, E., Karandashev, V., Jameson-Charles, M., Hutcheson, S., & Carter, J. (2016). Sensory experience in interpersonal physical attraction: Cross-cultural comparison. In C. Roland-Lévy, P. Denoux, B. Voyer, P. Boski, & W. K. Gabrenya Jr. (Eds.), Unity, diversity and culture. Proceedings from the 22nd Congress of the International Association for Cross-Cultural Psychology. https://doi.org/10.4087/WMTB3911
