Confirmed: Beauty Is in the Eye of the Beholder

New research from OkCupid, the research-focused dating site, finds that beauty really is in the eye of the beholder. OkTrends assessed male perceptions of female attractiveness and found that “when?some men think you’re ugly, other men are more likely to message you. And when some men think you’re cute, other men become less interested.” OkTrends suggests a game-theoretic explanation: “Suppose you’re a man who’s really into someone. If you suspect other men areuninterested, it means less competition. You therefore have an added incentive to send a message … On the other hand, a woman with a preponderance of?‘4’ votes, someone conventionally cute, but not totally hot, might appear to be more in-demand than she actually is. To the typical man considering her, she’s obviously attractive enough to create the impression that?other guys are into her, too.” OkTrends recommends women play up their flaws, instead of minimizing them. [%comments]