Nursing students' perceptions of infant attractiveness

The current study examined the effects of infant gender, birth status, parental SES, and nursing students' level of experience on perceptions of attractiveness. Eighty-five nursing students rated perceived attractiveness of an infant based on a hypothetical description of that infant. Participants estimated the amount of time they would spend caring for that infant. Normal birth status males were perceived to be more attractive than their very low birth status counterparts. Least experienced students spent significantly less time with the infant (regardless of birth status) than median experienced students. Both infant health and nursing student experience level impacted reported amount of time spent with the target infant.