The Matching Hypothesis

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Abstract

My study aimed to test the matching hypothesis and see if there was a correlation between the ratings of physical attraction for real couples. In order to test this hypothesis an opportunity sample was used at a local shopping centre where willing participants were given a questionnaire which had 20 pictures of the opposite sex. They were asked to rate the physical attractiveness of the individuals on a scale of 1-10. The questionnaires comprised of males and females (from a real relationship) and also males and females that were randomly selected (fake couples - control group). Once the results had been collected they were analysed and then run through a statistical test to measure the strength of the correlation (rho) – Spearman’s rank correlation test. The critical value of rho at a 5% level for a one tailed hypothesis with 10 pieces of data was 0.564. The observed value of rho for the correlation of the real couples in my study was 0.327. This number was lower than the critical value and as a result deemed insignificant.  For this reason I decided to reject my alternative hypothesis and accept the null. This shows similar physical attraction is not the only decider when individuals are looking for a partner.

Introduction

Physical attractiveness is characterised by many things and it is very often the reason for the formation of relationships.  An individual may be attracted to certain features of another person’s physical appearance. Examples which are relevant for females being attracted to males can include height and physique. Examples which are relevant for males being attracted to females can include: waist-hip ratio, body mass index (BMI), a youthful appearance and skin tone. The example of waist hip ratio mentioned which was relevant for a male to be attracted to a female provides a certain degree of support for a theory of relationship formation.

Dr Devendra Singh (1993), an evolutionary psychologist from the University of Texas proposed that a female’s waist-hip ratio was significant to male attraction and in turn the formation of a relationship. This is because a female who has wide hips has a good physique to bear and comfortably give birth to a child without putting it at risk and thus passing on the males genes. This is an evolutionary take on the formation of relationships and provides support for the sociobilogical theory. The sociobilogical theory explains social behaviour in evolutionary terms. In the theory males place a high value on a female’s physical attractiveness and females highly value a man who is resourceful who can provide for a possible family/child. In the case of both male and female passing on their genes successfully is the main priority.

As mentioned, in the sociobilogical people seek the most physically attractive individual as a physically attractive person is associated with good genes and according to this theory both males and females want their genes being passed on. However according to another theory, relationships are not formed by individuals being attracted to the most physically attractive person,  but formed by people being attracted to those who are similar in physical attractiveness. The Matching hypothesis was formulated by Goffman (1952). The hypothesis was based upon the idea that individuals select other individuals who have similarities in certain aspects to form relationships with; a key example being physical attractiveness. Walster et al. (1966) set out to test the Matching hypothesis proposed by Goffman and to see whether people are attracted to others who are of a similar physical attractiveness. In order to test the hypothesis Walster et al. conducted a research piece, the ‘computer dance’ study. In the study 752 students from the University of Minnesota were required and asked to fill out a questionnaire. The students filling out the questionnaires were under the assumption that the results from their questionnaires would determine their ideal partner for the dance. In fact a computer randomly allocated a male and a female together for the dance.  Also at the same stage of filing in questionnaires four judges rated the physical attractiveness of the students participating in the study. After the dance the students were asked whether they liked their date and whether they would go out with them again. At this stage it was found that physical attractiveness was one of the biggest factors for deciding whether they enjoyed the date and would go out with them again. The males in the study seeking future dates depended nearly entirely on the physical attractiveness of the female (irrespective of their own). These findings did not support the Matching hypothesis.

However the study was criticised for a number of reasons. One of these reasons was the study being too artificial and irrelevant. In real life situations the majority of people do not allow others to choose their date for them. In this sense it shows that the findings of the study cannot be generalised as the process to gain the findings is not representative of normal actions. The sample they used was also a problem. University students made the sample up and for this reason it means it is not possible to generalise the findings to a wider population other than the one studied. 

Further research into exactly the same field was carried out by Walster et al. (1969) 3 years later and another ‘computer dance’ study was conducted. The repeat study was different in that the participants this time were allowed to firstly meet one another and say what kind of relationship they would like.  A very different finding was observed from the 1966 study in that the student participants selected an individual who was of a similar level of physical attractiveness to themselves. This major finding provides supporting evidence for Goffman’s Matching hypothesis.

Silverman (1971) also carried out research which provided support for the matching hypothesis. His study was an observational study where he hired 2 males and 2 females to rate couples on a scale of 1-5 in public settings.  Silverman found that there was a high degree of similarity between the physical attractiveness ratings of couples and suggests that partners who are similar in physical attractiveness form stronger and more intimate relationships. This was because 60% of the couples who were similar in physical attractiveness engaged in intimate actions (hugging, holding hands etc.) as opposed to 22% in the couples who were not similar in physical attractiveness.

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Other support for the matching hypothesis also comes from Murstein’s study (1972). In the study photographs of real couples (who were either engaged or in a stable relationship) were rated as more similar in physical attractiveness than for random couples created for comparison. This finding provides support for the Matching hypothesis as it shows that individuals in a real couple are more similar in physical attractiveness than random couples. It also shows that the matching hypothesis may be applied to long term relationships as stable relationships or engagements signal a successful relationship. These findings show evident support for the ...

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