Effects of Associating with Musical Genres on Heterosexual Attraction

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Abstract
Male and female college undergraduates estimated numerous behavioral traits and evaluated the desirability of a potential heterosexual date. Following videodating conventions, the date provided information about her-or himself in a videotaped presentation. This presentation was manipulated. With other revelations about self held constant, the date disclosed her or his love of classical music, country music, soft rock, or heavy metal rock music. A musical preference was not articulated in a control condition. Disclosure of musical preference was found to influence heterosexual attraction as well as the perception and evaluation of pertinent traits. A date's devotion to country music was found to diminish attraction in respondents of both genders. In contrast, devotion to classical music and to heavy metal rock proved to be gender specific. Fascination with heavy metal rock greatly enhanced the appeal of men, but it proved detrimental to that of women. Adoration of classical music produced the reverse consequences. It tended to facilitate the appeal of women, but to diminish that of men. The effects of sharing musical preferences also proved to vary with gender. Men were more strongly attracted to women with whom they shared musical tastes than to women with whom they did not. The sharing of musical tastes had only a negligible effect on women's attraction to men, however.

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