I only have eyes for you: Ovulation redirects attention (but not memory) to attractive men

Uriah S. Anderson, Elaine F. Perea, David Becker, Joshua M. Ackerman, Jenessa R. Shapiro, Steven Neuberg, Douglas Kenrick

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

60 Scopus citations

Abstract

A number of studies have found a disjunction between women's attention to, and memory for, handsome men. Although women pay initial attention to handsome men, they do not remember those men later. The present study examines how ovulation might differentially affect these attentional and memory processes. We found that women near ovulation increased their visual attention to attractive men. However, this increased visual attention did not translate into better memory. Discussion focuses on possible explanations, in the context of an emerging body of findings on disjunctions between attention to, and memory for, other people.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)804-808
Number of pages5
JournalJournal of Experimental Social Psychology
Volume46
Issue number5
DOIs
StatePublished - Sep 2010

Keywords

  • Attention
  • Evolutionary psychology
  • Fertility
  • Memory
  • Menstrual cycle
  • Ovulation

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Social Psychology
  • Sociology and Political Science

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