Do women find men in expensive cars more attractive than men in less expensive cars? Some people believe that the answer to this question is so patently self-evident as to not require any thought. But my guest today conducted actual scientific research into this age-old stereotype. Rob Searle is a Welsh psychologist who co-authored a paper evaluating the status-enhancing effects of luxury vehicles on the attractiveness of both men and women to heterosexual members of the opposite sex. He asked participants to rate the attractiveness of an average-looking man, first in a Bentley Continental GT, then in a much more modest Ford Fiesta. The findings were published in the *British Journal of Psychology*, and he discusses them in this episode of *Crazy Money*. The results build on the work of David Buss and others who found that perceived affluence does influence mating patterns.
See Paul’s upcoming shows. Connect with Rob Searle on LinkedIn.
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