Effects of Humor Production, Humor Receptivity, and Physical Attractiveness on Partner Desirability. (9th October 2015)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Tornquist, Michelle; Chiappe, Dan
• Is Part Of: Evolutionary psychology. Volume 13:Number 4(2015)
• Publication Date: 2015-10-09
• Subjects: humor production -- humor receptivity -- physical attractiveness -- mating preferences -- sexual selection; Evolutionary psychology -- Periodicals; Human evolution -- Psychological aspects -- Periodicals; Biological Evolution; Psychology; Periodicals; 155.705
• DOI: 10.1177/1474704915608744
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1474-7049

Abstract

This study examined women's and men's preferences for humor production and humor receptivity in long-term and short-term relationships, and how these factors interact with physical attractiveness to influence desirability. Undergraduates viewed photographs of the opposite sex individuals who were high or low in physical attractiveness, along with vignettes varying in humor production and receptivity. Participants rated physical attractiveness and desirability for long-term and short-term relationships. The main findings were that individuals desired partners who were high in humor production and receptivity, though the effects were particularly pronounced for women judging long-term relationships. Moreover, humor production was more important than receptivity for women's ratings of male desirability. Notably, we also found that ratings of physical attractiveness were influenced by the humor conditions. These results are discussed in terms of the fitness indicator, interest indicator, and encryption hypotheses of the evolutionary functions of humor.