Seven deadly sins: Lust – is love blind?
Do you dare to delve into the science of attraction? On Valentine’s Day we investigated with the RiAus what men and women really desire. When it comes to meeting new people, can you judge a book by its cover? Can a man’s face predict his likely parenting skills? Thanks to your hormones, will what you see as attractive today be the same judgement you make next week?
This entertaining and interactive evening, hosted by performance artist Helen Statman, explored attractiveness and how it is measured and rated in our society. We discovered what evolution has to do with our mating choices, and heard about the subtle (and not-so-subtle) courtship behaviours and cues behind dating and mating.
Our scientists of love for the evening included evolutionary biologist Rob Brooks from the Sex Lab, and social psychologist Bill von Hippel, who studies some of the crazy things that boys do to try to get girls.
Watch videos from the event
Introduction by artist Helen Statman
Bill von Hippel discusses differences between men and women, and the science of attraction
Rob Brooks explores mating choices and gives us the good news
Q&A moderated by Helen Statman
Related Content
Blog Articles:
Finding the right match by Captain SKellett
Movie stars and the rest of us by Captain SKellett
The Economist: Sexual selection – Hunkier than thou
