The Influence of Sex-Appropriate and Sex-Inappropriate Sports and Hobbies on Perceived Physical Attractiveness (Athletic, Female)
Kane, Mary Jo
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Permalink
https://hdl.handle.net/2142/70941
Description
Title
The Influence of Sex-Appropriate and Sex-Inappropriate Sports and Hobbies on Perceived Physical Attractiveness (Athletic, Female)
Author(s)
Kane, Mary Jo
Issue Date
1985
Department of Study
Leisure Studies
Discipline
Leisure Studies
Degree Granting Institution
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Degree Name
Ph.D.
Degree Level
Dissertation
Keyword(s)
Recreation
Abstract
This investigation examined the influence of conformity (sex-appropriate versus inappropriate) role (sport versus hobby) and gender (female versus male) on social assessments of physical attractiveness. High school juniors and seniors rated the physical attractiveness of photographs matched with conformity and role variables. The experimental design manipulated sex of subject, sex of stimulus photograph, role and conformity to test differential effects of assessments regarding attractiveness.
Photographs with sex-appropriate activity labels were predicted to be perceived as more physically attractive than photographs with sex-inappropriate labels; within levels of conformity, an interaction was predicted between sex of subject and role type. Finally, female photographs were predicted to receive higher physical attractiveness ratings than male photographs.
Results revealed that photographs associated with sex-appropriate activities were judged as significantly more attractive than photographs assigned to sex-inappropriate activities. Individuals in sports received significantly higher physical attractiveness ratings than individuals engaging in hobbies. Additionally, there was a significant roles x conformity interaction: within appropriate activities, individuals assigned to sports were perceived to be more attractive than persons associated with hobbies. Within inappropriate activities, there was no difference between sports and hobbies with respect to physical attractiveness.
In contrast to predicted hypotheses, female subjects gave higher physical attractiveness ratings than male subjects. There was no significant difference between attractiveness ratings given to female versus male photographs. Also contrary to prediction, there was a significant interaction between sex of subject and sex of stimulus person: female subjects rated male photographs higher than did male subjects; there was no difference in attractiveness ratings for female photographs.
This investigation extended the physical attractiveness and sport literature in two ways. First, females in sex-appropriate sports were not only viewed to be as physically attractive as males in sex-appropriate sports, they were also seen as more physically attractive than males and females in sex-appropriate hobbies. Perhaps recent social changes towards some sports being more acceptable for women have actually enhanced the status of female athletes. Second, males in sex-inappropriate activities received significantly lower ratings of attractiveness. This was similar to previous findings regarding females in sex-inappropriate activities.
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