''They make a lovely couple'': Perceptions of couple attractiveness

The current study investigated perceptions of ''couple attractiveness.'' Perceptions were assessed of supposedly currently dating couples who were comprised of members varying in level of physical attractiveness. Participants rated photographs of these couples. They also responded to questionnaire items designed to assess their judgments of the couples' attractiveness and the present and future quality of the relationships. Results indicated that the attractive male-attractive female and the unattractive male-attractive female couples were rated as more attractive and were viewed more favorably than the other pairs. In addition, although dyads in which both members were physically unattractive were not perceived as attractive, they were viewed as less likely to break up than the other couples. Lastly, the pattern of results suggested that a pair in which the man was physically attractive but the woman was not was generally rated lowest in favorability.