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Asking Questions in Bars

The Girls (and Boys) May not Get Prettier at Closing Time and Other Interesting Results

University of Wisconsin at Madison

John DeLamater

University of Wisconsin at Madison

Nancy Neuman

University of Wisconsin at Madison

Michael Neuman

University of Wisconsin at Madison

Pam Kahn

University of Wisconsin at Madison

David Orbuch

University of Wisconsin at Madison

Kathleen McKinney

Oklahoma State University

Pennebaker, Dyer, Caulkins, Litowitz, Ackreman, & Anderson (1979) found support for the hypothesis, based on Gilley's (1975) country and western hit, that "all the girls get prettier at closing time, they all get to look like movie stars. " A retest of this country and western hypothesis, and tests of additional hypotheses were conducted using bars in Madison, Wisconsin as a natural laboratory. The results indicated little support for the hypothesis that the opposite sex becomes more attractive as closing time approaches. Rather, the overall results suggest that physical attractiveness ratings decline as bar closing time approaches, especially in the ratings women give to men. An alternative explanation, offered by Pennebaker et alt, that alcohol consumption (rather than the passage of time) affects physical attractiveness ratings was also not supported in this study. The hypothesis that interest in meeting the opposite sex affects how physically attractive the opposite sex are perceived to be was supported for women. Finally, it was also found that men reported more interest than women in meeting members of the opposite sex.

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