The effect of red on male perceptions of female attractiveness: Moderation by baseline attractiveness of female faces

Abstract

Past research has demonstrated the importance of color in a variety of social contexts, including human mating. For example, red increases heterosexual men's feelings of attraction toward women. In the current work, this basic red-attraction link is qualified by the initial attractiveness of female faces. In two experiments, red enhanced men's ratings of female attractiveness, but only for faces pre-rated as attractive; red had no influence on perceptions of initially unattractive faces. Additionally, Experiment 1 manipulated how long participants viewed attractive and unattractive faces as an exploratory test of when color and face features are integrated. The findings show that initial female attractiveness moderates the influence of red on judgments of attractiveness even when the faces are viewed for extremely short exposures. The present findings identify an important boundary condition of the red-attractiveness effect and provide an initial indication of where in the processing stream color impacts social judgments.

Predicting Context-dependent Cross-modal Associations with Dimension-specific Polarity Attributions. Part 2: Red and Valence

“…The color red has been of particular interest, and studies have shown that the meaning of the color red is context-dependent (Elliot, 2015). For example, red has been proposed to elicit feelings of attractiveness (e.g., Elliot, Greitemeyer, & Pazda, 2013;Young, 2015, but see also Lehmann & Calin-Jageman, 2017;Peperkoorn, Roberts;Pollet, 2016 for studies which do not support this specific effect of the color red). Red also shows a strong association with danger (Pravossoudovitch, Cury, Young, & Elliot, 2014).…”

Facial Redness Increases Men’s Perceived Healthiness and Attractiveness

“…Recent research has shown that heterosexual men are more likely to rate a woman as more attractive when she is displaying red (e.g., when surrounded by red, holding something red, or wearing red clothing or lipstick; Elliot & Niesta, 2008;Gilston & Privitera, 2016;Guéguen, 2012aGuéguen, , 2012bGuéguen & Jacob, 2012a, 2012bLin, 2014;Pazda, Elliot, & Greitemeyer, 2014;Robert, Havilcek, & Owen, 2010;Stephen & McKeegan, 2010;Young, 2015). These findings are presumably due, in part, to a pervasive link between red and romance across time and cultures.…”

The effect of red color on perceived self‐attractiveness

“…Several further experiments have corroborated the reasoning that there is a positive effect of red on attractiveness judgments, which is caused by sexual receptivity expectations (Elliot, Greitemeyer, & Pazda, ; Guéguen ; Niesta Kayser, Elliot, & Feltman, ; Pazda et al ; Young ). In accordance with these findings on red and the perceived attractiveness of others, we now propose that sexual receptivity also functions as mediator regarding the red effect on self‐attractiveness.…”

“…Moreover, there is recent research on female participants indicating that women are (at least unconsciously) aware of the link between red and fertility; it was found that female participants were more inclined to wear red clothes at the peak of their fertility (Beall & Tracy, 2013). Several further experiments have corroborated the reasoning that there is a positive effect of red on attractiveness judgments, which is caused by sexual receptivity expectations (Elliot, Greitemeyer, & Pazda, 2013;Guéguen 2012;Niesta Kayser, Elliot, & Feltman, 2010;Pazda et al 2014;Young 2015). In accordance with these findings on red and the perceived attractiveness of others, we now propose that sexual receptivity also functions as mediator regarding the red effect on selfattractiveness.…”