Determinants and Consequences of Female Attractiveness and Sexiness: Realistic Tests with Restaurant Waitresses

Abstract

Waitresses completed an on-line survey about their physical characteristics, self-perceived attractiveness and sexiness, and average tips. The waitresses' self-rated physical attractiveness increased with their breast sizes and decreased with their ages, waist-to-hip ratios, and body sizes. Similar effects were observed on self-rated sexiness, with the exception of age, which varied with self-rated sexiness in a negative, quadratic relationship rather than a linear one. Moreover, the waitresses' tips varied with age in a negative, quadratic relationship, increased with breast size, increased with having blond hair, and decreased with body size. These findings, which are discussed from an evolutionary perspective, make several contributions to the literature on female physical attractiveness. First, they replicate some previous findings regarding the determinants of female physical attractiveness using a larger, more diverse, and more ecologically valid set of stimuli than has been studied before. Second, they provide needed evidence that some of those determinants of female beauty affect interpersonal behaviors as well as attractiveness ratings. Finally, they indicate that some determinants of female physical attractiveness do not have the same effects on overt interpersonal behavior (such as tipping) that they have on attractiveness ratings. This latter contribution highlights the need for more ecologically valid tests of evolutionary theories about the determinants and consequences of female beauty.

Characters and Significance of Female Breasts in Relation to Female Sexuailty

“…Alike, men, in a nightclub, approached women with larger breasts more than women with small breasts [20] . Moreover,, an American study [21] found that waitresses' tips increased with increase in breast size.…”

“…Among those physical characteristics theorized to reflect female fecundity and, therefore, to enhance women's physical attractiveness to men is large breast size and low waist to hip ratio. Some studies [10,11] found that women with large breasts and relatively narrow waists have higher fecundity as assessed by precise measurements of daily levels of E2 and progesterone. Women who are characterized by both narrow waists and large breasts have 26% higher mean E2 and 37% higher mean mid-cycle E2 levels than other women.…”

Work activity in food service: The significance of customer relations, tipping practices and gender for preventing musculoskeletal disorders

“…The present study also found a somewhat (but not significantly) larger proportion of men among older food servers. With the present sample, it is possible to hypothesize that women are selected out of food service as they age, because of musculoskeletal problems or because their tips drop due to their being seen as less attractive (Lynn, 2009). Alternatively, the higher proportion of students among women suggests that women may not see food service as a long-term career option.…”

Determinants of Gratuity Size in the Czech Republic: Evidence from Four Inexpensive Restaurants in Brno

“…Lynn and Latané (1984) and Strohmetz et al (2002) found that the gratuity is higher when the customers pay by card. Also, a physical attractiveness of waitresses affect the gratuity raised Simons, 2000, andLynn, 2009). Surprisingly, even the current or expected future weather conditions can influence the gratuity size, see Rind and Strohmetz (2001) and papers quoted there.…”