Abstract

It is human nature to notice those around us, and size them up by our own set of standards. This includes taking a measure of physical appearance and attractiveness. However, there are several factors that affect our perceptions of the world around us, and especially the people whom we see. Emotional states and a variety of emotions, play a strong role in dictating our behaviors and reactions (Most, Laurenceau, Graber, Belcher, & Smith, 2010). One factor that changes our human lives is the presence of romance. Intimacy, passion, and commitment are components associated with romance and relationships that take a toll on emotions and behaviors (Sternberg. 1986). The extent that these emotions alter our perceptions is essential to understanding the whole concept of love. When two people are committed to one another, do they start to view their environment differently? In the present study this question is investigated, and observed through self-report type measures. It was hypothesized that there would be a strong relation found between relationship status and ratings of the opposite sex. Individuals of different relationship statuses were given a questionnaire to disclose their relationship information and also given four photos of the opposite sex to rate on attractiveness. Their answers were then compared and analyzed in order to test the correlation a relationship status has on our visual perceptions of the opposite sex. Using an independent t-test for analysis the results showed no significance, but the descriptive data revealed interesting findings.

Recommended Citation

Cathey, Taylor L. (2012) "The Effects of a Relationship Status on Views of the Opposite Sex," Undergraduate Psychology Research Methods Journal: Vol. 1: Iss. 14, Article 10.
Available at: https://digitalcommons.lindenwood.edu/psych_journals/vol1/iss14/10