Let’s face it. Some of us are physically attractive. Others are…well…not so much. Logic tells us that we can’t all be above average in attractiveness. So how do you know if you are physically attractive or not? Who should you ask? Well, the answer to that question lies in the kind of answer you want. Do you want the truth, or would you rather just feel good about yourself? (Unfortunately, these aren’t always the same thing.)
Here at SofR, we have discussed the power of positive illusions in fostering more satisfying romantic relationships and assisting in the maintenance of long-distance relationships. It turns out evaluations of your “hotness” are no different. A group of researchers examined whether romantic partners have a more positive (biased?) view of how attractive their sweeties and honeys and schnookums are.1 Romantic couples rated their own physical attractiveness as well as their partner’s. Perhaps not entirely surprising, women rated their boyfriends/fiancés/husbands as more attractive than the men viewed themselves, and men rated their girlfriends/fiancés/wives as more attractive than th