When risky is attractive: sensation seeking and romantic partner selection

Henderson, Vani R.; Hennessy, Michael; Barrett, Daniel W.; Curtis, Brenda; McCoy-Roth, Marci; Trentacoste, Nicole; Fishbein, Martin

doi:10.1016/j.paid.2004.04.010

Cited by 39 publications

(34 citation statements)

References 26 publications

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“…Males and females agree on AA descriptions, but there is a gradient of disagreement on both the risk and attractiveness values: as the partner descriptions become dominated by more risky and less attractive features, the risk and attractiveness evaluations by gender diverge. It is interesting to note that comparisons of high and low sensation-seekers also show the same interactive pattern relative to risk and attractiveness assessment (Henderson et al, 2005) but the association between sensation-seeking and male gender was only .34 so it is unlikely that sensation seeking tells the entire story.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 98%

Evaluating the Risk and Attractiveness of Romantic Partners When Confronted with Contradictory Cues

et al. 2006

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Research shows that people engage in "risky" sex with "safe" partners and in "safer" sex with "riskier" partners. How is the determination of "risky" or "safe" status made? Factorial survey methodology was used to randomly construct descriptions of romantic partners based on attractive and/or risky characteristics. Respondents evaluated 20 descriptions for attractiveness, health risk, likelihood of going on a date, likelihood of unprotected sex, and likelihood of STD/HIV infection. Respondents were most attracted to and perceived the least risk from attractive descriptions and were least attracted to and perceived the most risk from the risky descriptions. The differences between the "conflicting information" descriptions are attributable to a primacy effect: descriptions that began with attractiveness information but end with risk information were evaluated more positively than those that began with risk and ended with attractive information.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 98%

Evaluating the Risk and Attractiveness of Romantic Partners When Confronted with Contradictory Cues

et al. 2006

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“…For example, Henderson et al (2005) demonstrated that high sensation seekers rate potential partners as both more attractive and less risky than low sensation seekers do. The researchers concluded that specialized prevention programs designed for high sensation seekers could capitalize on these individuals' personality characteristics.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Perceived Physical Attractiveness, Sexual History, and Sexual Intentions: An Internet Study

et al. 2007

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This study was designed to examine the influence a potential date's physical attractiveness and sexual history has on an individual's intentions to engage in safer sex. Over 1,200 participants completed an Internet survey. The questionnaire presented a randomized biography and photograph and asked participants to rate their interest in dating and having a sexual relationship with the target. Participants were randomly assigned to one of six conditions based on the target's physical attractiveness (low vs. high) and sexual experience (low, medium, or high). Results indicated that men reported greater intentions to have sex than women did, and all participants reported greater likelihood of having sex when the potential partner was highly attractive. Participants rated men and more experienced targets as more risky sexual partners, and the level of a target's sexual experience was directly related to participants' willingness to discuss sexual risks. Results indicate a continuing need to include discussion of cognitive factors in all HIV prevention efforts.

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“…Hence, high sensation seekers tend to engage in risky situations when given the opportunity to do so. Henderson et al (2005) presented participants with vignettes like personal ads, which described the person in terms of attractiveness, risk, likelihood of dating, likelihood of engaging in risky sexual behavior and likelihood of becoming infected with a sexual disease. They found that high !…”

Section: Romantic Beliefsmentioning

confidence: 99%