EVOLUTION AND SOCIAL COGNITION - CONTRAST EFFECTS AS A FUNCTION OF SEX, DOMINANCE, AND PHYSICAL ATTRACTIVENESS

Previous research indicates that males, compared with females, evaluat e their relationships less favorably after exposure to physically attr active members of the other sex. An evolutionary model predicts a conv erse effect after exposure to opposite-sex individuals high in dominan ce, which should lead females to evaluate their current relationships less favorably than males. Women and men rated their current relations hips after being exposed to opposite-sex targets varying in both domin ance and physical attractiveness. Consistent with earlier research, ma les exposed to physically attractive, as compared with average, target s rated their current relationships less favorably. Males' relationshi p evaluations were not directly influenced by the targets' dominance, although the effects of physical attractiveness was significant only f or men exposed to women low in dominance. However, females' evaluation s of their relationships were unaffected by exposure to physically att ractive males but were lower after exposure to targets high in dominan ce. These data support predictions derived from an evolutionary model and suggest that such models can be used to generate testable hypothes es about ongoing social cognition.