An evolutionary assessment of the relationship between female partner preference and pupil size preference

The present study emanated from evolutionarily based hypotheses regarding the relationship between pupil size and perceived attractiveness. For females it was considered that high levels of aroused attention by males would be superfluous for mating success and potentially dangerous. Thus, female ratings of male targets were expected to show an inverse curvilinear function. with moderate pupil size rated most attractive. Background research in which female ratings of moderate pupil size (though rated most attractive) did not differ significantly from large pupil size suggested a relationship between the latter and preference in dating partners for personality traits which appeared to reflect Eysenck's "psychoticism factor". Thus, it was predicted that female ratings of pupil size would show a positive correlation with these traits, and with partner's score on the psychoticism scale (EPQ-R). It was also considered, on the basis that females preferring large male pupils may be seeking out the extraordinary interest this conveys, that they would score high on the personality measure of sensation-seeking. Thus, a positive correlation was also predicted between pupil ratings and score on the Sensation Seeking Scale (Form 5). The inverse curvilinear pattern of pupil preference was replicated, with moderate pupil size rated most attractive, though not differing significantly from that of the large. Hypothesized correlations did not obtain. There were, however, some incidental findings. Pupil preference correlated significantly and negatively with partner's measure of extroversion, while the correlation between sensation seeking score (Disinhibition) and partner's measure of psychoticism approached significance. Results are discussed in terms of the possibility that partner characteristics influence pupil size preference, rather than the reverse.