Document Type
Oral Presentation
Abstract
Because a waist-to-hip ratio (WHR) of approximately .7 is associated with higher rates of fertility, evolutionary psychologists have suggested that women with this WHR are generally rated as more attractive. Puhl and Boland (2001) challenged this idea as their study found that photographs of a model with a .86 WHR were rated as more attractive than the curvier figure of the model with a .7 WHR. Because WHR studies have traditionally used line drawings as stimuli, the use of actual photographs is novel and subject to question. This study examined the stimuli used by Puhl and Boland for the extent to which the photographs portray the true shape differential of the models. Results of measuring the photographs to calculate the depicted WHR are not significant (t (55) = 1.29, p. > .2), suggesting that the photographic stimuli do not accurately convey the WHR of the live models.
Publication Date
2003
Journal Title
Conference Proceedings: Undergraduate Social Science Research Conference
Volume
7
Issue
1
First Page
45
Last Page
48
Copyright
©2003 by the University of Northern Iowa
Language
en
File Format
application/pdf
Publisher
University of Northern Iowa
City
Cedar Falls, IA
Recommended Citation
DeSoto, M. Catherine and Buelow, Katie J.
(2003)
"Predicting Femal Attractiveness: A Second Look at Thinness and Waist to Hip Ratio,"
Conference Proceedings: Undergraduate Social Science Research Conference: Vol. 7:
Iss.
1, Article 8.
Available at:
https://scholarworks.uni.edu/csbsproceedings/vol7/iss1/8
