Female attractiveness

Devendra Singh

Singh was the first to theorise that the waist to hip ratio (WHR) of females is an indicator of attractiveness in 1993Link opens in a new window, as opposed to the bust to waist ratio previously theorised by Glenn Wilson in the 1970s. Singh showed male participants 12 drawings of women with varying WHR and body fat. Drawings of women of average weight and a low WHR were associated with the most positive attributes e.g., attractive, sexy, intelligent and healthy. The WHR may be a way for males and females to determine how healthy a woman is and their potential value as a mate, thus increasing the chances of producing healthy offspring.

The ideal WHR differs across cultures and ethnicities:

• 0.6 WHR in ChinaLink opens in a new window
• 0.7 WHR in Indo-European culturesLink opens in a new window
• 0.8 WHR in Cameroon Link opens in a new windowand certain tribes in TanzaniaLink opens in a new window
• African-American men prefer women with a lower WHR than White menLink opens in a new window
• In non-industrial, indigenous societies, such as Sub-Saharan Africa, Siberia, South America and South Asia, WHR is a reliable measure of female reproductive history and healthLink opens in a new window

Race-related issues in social psychology

A review of research on the impact of race on social psychology in the 21st century covering areas such as stereotyping and prejudice, intergroup relations and interactions, diversity, and social stigma, as well as how this will impact social psychology research going forward:

Richeson and Sommers (2016). Toward a social psychology of race and race relations for the twenty-first centuryLink opens in a new window

Video: Inside the Psychologist's Studio with Jennifer RichesonLink opens in a new window

An article on how race and ethnicity has not been suffciently incorporated in social psychology research, why it is important to consider race and race-specific issues:

Hunt et al., (2000). Color-blind: The treatment of race and ethnicity in social psychologyLink opens in a new window

Video: Crash course psychology - prejudice and discriminationLink opens in a new window

Video: Dr. Kira Hudson Banks discusses the psychology of raceLink opens in a new window

Levin, (2003). Social psychological evidence on race and racism.Link opens in a new window

Identity crisis in BAME people

People from a BAME background may often experience an identity crisis, where they either do not feel themselves, or are not considered, to be part of an in-group. For example, an Asian-American may be "too Asian" to be considered American, and "too American" to be considered Asian. When being a member of the in-group is considered to be importan or ideal, Asian-Americans may overcompensate for this by displaying overt displays of "Americanness".

Cheryan and Monin (2005). Where are you really from? Asian Americans and identity denialLink opens in a new window

Culture and generational differences

Cultural differences between Asian and Latino immigrant generations and generations born in the US can have implications for family relationships. This accultural mismatch correlated positively with intergenerational conflict which then had wider implcations, correlating negatively with younger generations' mental health and educational outcomes.

Lui (2015). Intergenerational cultural conflict, mental health, and educational outcomes among Asian and Latino/a AmericansLink opens in a new window

Thinking beyond the Western perspective in social psychology

Eastern schools of thought have had tremendous influence on Western thought processes. It is important to consider these influences and observe the global interconnectedness of societies worldwide.

Kessi and Kiguwa, (2015). Social psychology and social change: Beyond Western perspectives. Link opens in a new window