Hostname: page-component-cd9895bd7-7cvxr Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-12-24T23:54:37.242Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Physical Attraction Scale — Short Version: Cross-Cultural Validation

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  21 December 2020

Victor Karandashev Open the ORCID record for Victor Karandashev [Opens in a new window] ,
Nicholas D. Evans Open the ORCID record for Nicholas D. Evans [Opens in a new window] ,
Elena Zarubko ,
Félix Neto ,
Makesha Evans ,
Veronika Artemeva ,
Kai Andito Damali Morgan ,
Cyrille Feybesse  and
Lali Surmanidze
Victor Karandashev*
Affiliation:
Aquinas College, Grand Rapids, Michigan, USA
Nicholas D. Evans
Affiliation:
College of Liberal Arts, University of Texas at El Paso, Texas, USA
Elena Zarubko
Affiliation:
Institute of Psychology and Pedagogics, Tyumen State University, Tyumen, Russia
Félix Neto
Affiliation:
Faculty of Psychology and Education Science, Universidade do Porto, Portugal
Makesha Evans
Affiliation:
International University of the Caribbean, Kingston, Jamaica
Veronika Artemeva
Affiliation:
Baltic Academy of Education, Saint-Petersburg, Russia
Kai Andito Damali Morgan
Affiliation:
University of the West Indies, Kingston, Jamaica
Cyrille Feybesse
Affiliation:
Institute of Psychology, Université de Paris, France
Lali Surmanidze
Affiliation:
Tbilisi State University, Georgia
*
Address for correspondence: Victor Karandashev, Aquinas College, Academic Building, 23 E, 1700 Fulton St., E. Grand Rapids, MI49506-1801, USA. Email: vk001@aquinas.edu
Get access

Abstract

Physical attraction is an important dimension of both romantic and companionate relationship of partners. This article presents a comprehensive cross-cultural validation of the short version of the Physical Attraction Scale (PAS-S) scale — the first and only multidimensional measure of physical attraction available for research and practice. The initial development of the scale was completed in a multisite study conducted with a large sample of university students, largely from the midwest and southeast of the United States. Results demonstrated a two-dimensional factor structure, excellent reliability, and evidence of content, convergent and discriminant validity. The following cross-cultural studies, which used the PAS-S, confirmed its robust factor structure, validity and reliability in the samples from 10 cultural regions in six countries. Therefore, this short version of the PAS-S can be recommended for cross-cultural practice and research. The versions of the scale in English, French, Portuguese, Russian and Georgian are provided in appendices. Based on the results of cross-cultural validation, authors recommend the PAS-S for research purposes and practical use in counselling and therapy. The scale provides a short and informative measure of (1) how a person feels attraction to their partner in close relationships and (2) which aspects of attraction are problematic.

Keywords

attraction between partnersphysical attractiondimensions of physical attractionpsychometrics of attractionmeasurement of physical attraction
Type
Research Article
Information
Journal of Relationships Research , Volume 11 , 2020 , e17
Copyright
Copyright © The Author(s), 2020. Published by Cambridge University Press

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Back, M.D., Schmukle, S.C., & Egloff, B. (2011). A Closer look at first sight: Social relations lens model analysis of personality and interpersonal attraction at zero acquaintance. European Journal of Personality, 25, 225–238.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Berscheid, E. & Hatfield, E. (1969). Interpersonal attraction. New York, NY: Addison-Wesley.Google Scholar
Breckler, S.J. (1984). Empirical validation of affect, cognition, and behavior as distinct components of attitude. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 47, 1191–1205.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Breckler, S.J., & Wiggins, E.C. (1989). Affect and evaluation in the structure of attitudes. Journal of Experimental Social Psychology, 25, 253–271.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Brosseau-Liard, P.E., & Savalei, V. (2014). Adjusting incremental fit indices for nonnormality. Multivariate Behavioral Research, 49, 460–470.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Brosseau-Liard, P.E., Savalei, V., & Li, L. (2012). An investigation of the sample performance of two nonnormality corrections for RMSEA. Multivariate Behavioral Research, 47, 904–930.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Buss, D.M. (1994). The evolution of desire: Strategies of human mating. New York: Basic Books.Google Scholar
Buss, D.M., & Barnes, M. (1986). Preferences in human mate selection. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 50, 559–570.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Buss, D.M., Abbott, M., Angleitner, A., Asherian, A., Biaggio, A., Blanco-Villasenor, A., … Yang, K.-S. (1990). International preferences in selecting mates: A study of 37 cultures. Journal of Cross-Cultural Psychology, 21, 5–47.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Byrne, B.M., Shavelson, R.J., & Muthén, B. (1989). Testing for the equivalence of factor covariance and mean structures: The issue of partial measurement invariance. Psychological Bulletin, 105, 456–466.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Byrne, D. (1971). The attraction paradigm. New York: Academic Press.Google Scholar
Cheung, G.W., & Rensvold, R.B. (1999). Testing factorial invariance across groups: A reconceptualization an proposed new method. Journal of Management, 25, 1–27.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Coulson, M., Barnett, J., Ferguson, C.J., & Gould, R.L. (2012). Real feelings for virtual people: Emotional attachments and interpersonal attraction in video games. Psychology of Popular Media Culture, 1, 176–184.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Dion, K., Berscheid, E., & Walster, E. (1972). What is beautiful is good. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 24, 285–290.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Eagly, A.H., Ashmore, R.D., Makhijani, M.G., & Longo, L.C. (1991). What is beautiful is good, but …: A meta-analytic review of research on the physical attractiveness stereotype. Psychological Bulletin, 110, 109.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Eastwick, P.W., Eagly, A.H., Finkel, E.J., & Johnson, S.E. (2011). Implicit and explicit preferences for physical attractiveness in a romantic partner: A double dissociation in predictive validity. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 101, 993–1011.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Feingold, A. (1990). Gender differences in effects of physical attractiveness on romantic attraction: A comparison across five research paradigms. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 59, 981–993.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Fishbein, M., & Ajzen, I. (1972). Attitudes and opinions. Annual Review of Psychology, 23, 487–544.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Hambleton, R., & Zenisky, A. (2010). Translating and adapting tests for cross-cultural assessments. In Matsumoto, D. & Vijver, F. (Eds.), Cross-cultural research methods in psychology (pp. 46–74). New York, NY: Cambridge University Press.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Hatfield, E. & Sprecher, S. (1986). Measuring passionate love in intimate relationships. Journal of Adolescence, 9, 383–410.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Hatfield, E. & Rapson, R.L. (2000). Physical attractiveness. In Craighead, W.E. & Nemeroff, C.B. (Eds.), The Corsini encyclopedia of psychology and behavioral science (vol. 3, pp. 1203–1205). New York: John Wiley & Sons.Google Scholar
Hu, L., & Bentler, P.M. (1998). Fit indices in covariance structure modeling: Sensitivity to underparameterized model misspecification. Psychological Methods, 3, 424–453.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Hu, L., & Bentler, P.M. (1999). Cutoff criteria for fit indices in covariance structure analysis: Conventional criteria versus new alternatives. Structural Equation Modeling, 6, 1–55.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Karandashev, V., & Fata, B. (2014). Change in physical attraction in early romantic relationships. Interpersona: An International Journal on Personal Relationships, 8, 257–267.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Karandashev, V., Zarubko, E., Artemieva, V., Neto, F. Surmanidze, L., & Feybesse, C. (2016). Sensory values in romantic attraction in four Europeans countries: gender and cross-cultural comparison. Cross-Cultural Research, 50, 478–504.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Karandashev, V., Zarubko, E., Artemeva, V., Evans, M., Morgan, K.A.D., Neto, F., Feybesse, C., Surmanidze, L., & Purvis, J. (2020). Cross-cultural comparison of sensory preferences in romantic attraction. Sexuality & Culture, 24, 23–53.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Kiesler, C.A., & Goldberg, G.N. (1963). Multidimensional approach to the experimental study of interpersonal attraction: Effect of a blunder on the attractiveness of a competent other. Psychological Reports, 22, 693–705.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Lemay, E.P. Jr, Clark, M.S., & Greenberg, A. (2010). What is beautiful is good because what is beautiful is desired: Physical attractiveness stereotyping as projection of interpersonal goals. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 36, 339.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Li, N.P., Yong, J.C., Tov, W., Sng, O., Fletcher, G.J.O., Valentine, K.A., … Valiet, D. (2013). Mate preferences do predict attraction and choices in the early stages of mate selection. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 105, 757–776.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Lorenzo, G.L., Biesanz, J.C., & Human, L.J. (2010). What is beautiful is good and more accurately understood: Physical attractiveness and accuracy in first impressions of personality. Psychological Science, 21, 1777.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
McCroskey, J.C., & McCain, T.A. (1974). The measurement of interpersonal attraction. Speech Monographs, 41, 261–266.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
McCroskey, J.C., & Richmond, V.P. (1996). Fundamentals of human communication: An interpersonal perspective. Prospect Heights, IL: Waveland.Google Scholar
Motoya, R.M., & Horton, R.S. (2004). On the importance of cognitive evaluation as a determinant of interpersonal attraction. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 86, 696–712.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Montoya, R.M., & Horton, R.S. (2014). A two-dimensional model for the study of interpersonal attraction. Personality and Social Psychology Review, 18, 59–86.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Montoya, R.M., & Insko, C.A. (2008). Toward a more complete understanding of the reciprocity of liking effect. European Journal of Social Psychology, 38, 477–498.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Muthén, L.K., & Muthén, B.O. (2017). Mplus user's guide (8th ed.). Los Angeles, CA: Muthén & Muthén.Google Scholar
Neto, F. (2005). The satisfaction with love life scale. Measurement and Evaluation in Counseling and Development, 38, 2–13.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Neto, F. (2013). Satisfaction with love life scale. In Simmons, C.A., & Lehmann, P. (Eds.), Tools for strengths-based assessment and evaluation (pp. 406–407). New York: Springer Publishing Company.Google Scholar
Poulsen, F.O., Holman, T.B., Busby, D.M., & Carroll, J.S. (2013). Physical attraction, attachment styles, and dating development. Journal of Social and Personal Relationships, 30, 301.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Raju, N.S., Laffitte, L.J., & Byrne, B.M. (2002). Measurement equivalence: a comparison of methods based on confirmatory factor analysis and item response theory. Journal of Applied Psychology, 87, 517–529. doi:10.1037/0021–9010.87.3.517CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Rubin, Z. (1970). Measurement of romantic love. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 16, 265–273.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Sartorra, A., & Bentler, P.M. (2010). Ensuring positiveness of the scaled difference chi-square test statistic. Psychometrika, 75, 243–248.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Simpson, J.A., Collins, W.A., Tran, S., & Haydon, K.C. (2007). Attachment and the experience and expression of emotions in romantic relationships: A developmental perspective. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 92, 355–367.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Stafford, L. (2010). Measuring relationship maintenance behaviors: Critique and development of the revised relationship maintenance behavior scale. Journal of Social and Personal Relationships, 28, 278–303.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Swami, V., & Furnham, A. (2008). The Psychology of physical attraction. New York, NY: Routledge.Google Scholar
Triandis, H.C. (1964). Exploratory factor analysis of the behavioral component of social attitudes. Journal of Abnormal and Social Psychology, 68, 420–430.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Vandenberg, R.J., & Lance, C.E. (2000). A review and synthesis of the measurement invariance literature: Suggestions, practices, and recommendations for organizational research. Organizational Research Methods, 3, 4–70.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Walster, E., Aronson, V., Abrahams, D., & Rottman, L. (1966). Importance of physical attractiveness in dating behavior. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 5, 508–516CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Wheeler, L., & Kim, Y. (1997). What is beautiful is culturally good: The physical attractiveness stereotype has different content in collectivistic cultures. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 23, 795–800.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Yuan, K., & Bentler, P.M. (1998). Robust mean and covariance structure analysis. British Journal of Mathematical and Statistical Psychology, 51, 63–88.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Zarubko, E., Karandashev, V., Artemieva, V., Neto, F., Surmanidze, L., & Feybesse, C. (2016, February). What sensory impressions from a romantic partner do people value in Russia, Georgia, Portugal, and France? Paper presented at 45th Annual Meeting of the Society for Cross-Cultural Research, Portland, OR.Google Scholar