Athletic Similarity and Attitudes towards Women as Factors in the Perceived Physical Attractiveness and Liking of a Female Varsity Athlete

Abstract

The present study examined athletic similarity and attitudes toward women as factors in the perceived physical attractiveness and liking of a female varsity athlete. Male and female athletes and nonathletes ( N = 120) responded to questions pertaining to a written description of a hypothetical female college student who was characterized as being either athletic or non-athletic. Subjects were also administered the Attitudes Toward Women Scale—Short Form. A 2 (sex) × 2 (athletic status of subject) × 2 (athletic description of stimulus person) analysis of variance was performed on each dependent variable. Athletic similarity was related to perceived physical attractiveness for both athletes and nonathletes in that athletes found the athletic stimulus person more attractive than the non-athletic stimulus person while the opposite was true for the nonathletes. Athletic similarity was also related to perceived liking but only for the athletic subjects. Sex of subjects was not a significant factor in ratings of either dependent variable, but the women were significantly more liberal than the men in their attitudes toward women. Attitudes toward women were not related to perceived physical attractiveness; however, a significant correlation indicated that a more liberal attitude toward women was related to increased liking of a female athlete.