Abstract

The present study examined the relations between physical attractiveness and likability and we also investigated whether these variable’s effects differ depending on generation (young and middle-aged) × evaluator gender (male and female) × target gender (male and female). Second, when assessing these variables, we figured out whether evaluators more preferred ‘the same-sex preference’ than ‘the opposite-sex preference’. To that end, 120 college students participated in the 3D program to sample their ideal looks and bodies. Then, another 240 people (60 young men and women each, 60 middle-aged men and women each) evaluated the physical attractiveness, likeability, relationship preference, and personality of the sample. The result is that physical attractiveness is a positively related to likability. There were evaluator gender and target gender differences in the judgment of physical attractiveness, but there were generation and target gender differences in the judgment of likability. Lastly, the effect based on target-maker gender was different for evaluator gender in each factor evaluation. These results were discussed from the evolutionary and sociocultural perspectives on physical attractiveness.