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<p>Evolutionary psychology posits that physical appearance provides cues to an individual’s underlying mate value, with attractiveness signalling health, fertility and genetic quality. However, limited research has examined how physical disabilities, which may not align with the evolved cues of physical attractiveness, affect mate evaluation. The present study (<i>N</i> = 145) investigated perceptions of people with physical disabilities (PWPD) through an evolutionary lens, assessing attractiveness, emotional intelligence, and relationship desirability across short- and long-term mating contexts. The influence of causal attribution (internal vs. external) and perceiver traits were also explored. Consistent with sexually dimorphic predictions from Sexual Strategies Theory, men, placing a premium on physical traits, rated non-disabled women as more attractive and were more likely to seek both short- and long-term relationships with non-disabled women than with disabled women. In contrast, women rated disabled men as more emotionally intelligent than non-disabled men. Attribution of disability origin was not found to significantly influence ratings of any outcome measure. Moreover, participant Social Desirability Bias positively influenced ratings of attractiveness and emotional intelligence. These findings suggest that target physical disability influences mate evaluation in a sex-dependent manner, potentially highlighting sexually dimorphic mating strategies.</p>

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Effects of Physical Disability and Origin on Mate Evaluation: Perceptions of Opposite-Sex Attractiveness, Emotional Intelligence and Relationship Desirability

  • 期刊论文

  • 发表日期：

    2026年7月8日

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  • Wylde M. C. Roberts-Mills,
  • Farid Pazhoohi

摘要

Evolutionary psychology posits that physical appearance provides cues to an individual’s underlying mate value, with attractiveness signalling health, fertility and genetic quality. However, limited research has examined how physical disabilities, which may not align with the evolved cues of physical attractiveness, affect mate evaluation. The present study (N = 145) investigated perceptions of people with physical disabilities (PWPD) through an evolutionary lens, assessing attractiveness, emotional intelligence, and relationship desirability across short- and long-term mating contexts. The influence of causal attribution (internal vs. external) and perceiver traits were also explored. Consistent with sexually dimorphic predictions from Sexual Strategies Theory, men, placing a premium on physical traits, rated non-disabled women as more attractive and were more likely to seek both short- and long-term relationships with non-disabled women than with disabled women. In contrast, women rated disabled men as more emotionally intelligent than non-disabled men. Attribution of disability origin was not found to significantly influence ratings of any outcome measure. Moreover, participant Social Desirability Bias positively influenced ratings of attractiveness and emotional intelligence. These findings suggest that target physical disability influences mate evaluation in a sex-dependent manner, potentially highlighting sexually dimorphic mating strategies.