Wear red and drive men wild with lust – or so says scientific research on color’s role in human mating. But can a simple color swap really boost a woman’s hotness score? In this episode, we delve into the evidence behind the Red Dress Effect, from a controversial first study in college men to what the latest research says about who this trick might work for (and who it might not). Along the way we encounter red monkey butts, old-Internet websites, the Winner’s Curse in scientific research, adversarial collaborations, and why size (ahem, sample size) really does matter.
Statistical topics
- Reproducibility crisis in psychology
- Sample size
- Selection bias
- Winner’s curse
- Cohen’s d standardized effect size
- Adversarial collaboration
- Meta-analysis
- Preregistration
- Publication bias
- Statistical moderators
Methodological morals
“The smaller the sample, the flashier the result, the less you should trust it.”
“Good scientists learn from their statistical mistakes and fix them.”
References
- Clarke, G. How to Be Sexy: 7 Weird (But True) Rules of Attraction. Allure. January 23, 2013.
- Nuzzo, R. Vying for a soul mate? Psych out the competition with science. Los Angeles Times. December 8, 2008.
- Vying for a Soul Mate on the Today Show, December 30, 2008.
- Elliot, A.J. and Niesta, D. Romantic red: red enhances men's attraction to women. Journal of personality and social psychology. 2008; 95: 1150 – 1164.
- Lehrer, J. The Truth Wears Off. The New Yorker, December 5, 2010.
- MacMahon, B., Yen, S., Trichopoulos, D., Warren, K. and Nardi, G. Coffee and cancer of the pancreas. New England Journal of Medicine. 1981; 304: 630-633.
- Ioannidis, J.P. Why most published research findings are false. PLoS medicine. 2005; 2(8), e124
- Lehmann, G.K., Elliot, A.J. and Calin-Jageman, R.J. Meta-analysis of the effect of red on perceived attractiveness. Evolutionary Psychology. 2018; 16: 1474704918802412.
- Pazda, A.D., Thorstenson, C.A. and Elliot, A.J. The effect of red on attractiveness for highly attractive women. Curr Psychol. 2023; 42: 8066–8073
Kristin and Regina’s online courses:
Demystifying Data: A Modern Approach to Statistical Understanding
Clinical Trials: Design, Strategy, and Analysis
Medical Statistics Certificate Program
Epidemiology and Clinical Research Graduate Certificate Program
Chapters
- (00:00) - Introduction
- (06:04) - Red Dress Effect on TV
- (10:01) - Red Monkey Butts
- (12:56) - 2008 S
Popular Podcasts
Bookmarked by Reese's Book Club
Welcome to Bookmarked by Reese’s Book Club — the podcast where great stories, bold women, and irresistible conversations collide! Hosted by award-winning journalist Danielle Robay, each week new episodes balance thoughtful literary insight with the fervor of buzzy book trends, pop culture and more. Bookmarked brings together celebrities, tastemakers, influencers and authors from Reese's Book Club and beyond to share stories that transcend the page. Pull up a chair. You’re not just listening — you’re part of the conversation.
On Purpose with Jay Shetty
I’m Jay Shetty host of On Purpose the worlds #1 Mental Health podcast and I’m so grateful you found us. I started this podcast 5 years ago to invite you into conversations and workshops that are designed to help make you happier, healthier and more healed. I believe that when you (yes you) feel seen, heard and understood you’re able to deal with relationship struggles, work challenges and life’s ups and downs with more ease and grace. I interview experts, celebrities, thought leaders and athletes so that we can grow our mindset, build better habits and uncover a side of them we’ve never seen before. New episodes every Monday and Friday. Your support means the world to me and I don’t take it for granted — click the follow button and leave a review to help us spread the love with On Purpose. I can’t wait for you to listen to your first or 500th episode!
Dateline NBC
Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. Follow now to get the latest episodes of Dateline NBC completely free, or subscribe to Dateline Premium for ad-free listening and exclusive bonus content: DatelinePremium.com