Abstract

The aim of this study was to determine how attractiveness of persons with symptoms of personality disorders is assessed and whether there are differences between men and women. The study was conducted on adult heterosexual individuals. We investigated attractiveness of persons with the symptoms of histrionic, borderline, obsessive-compulsive, dependent and schizotypal personality disorders. Participants were given descriptions of persons with the above stated disorders and estimated their perceived likableness by answering five questions relating to a degree of liking and willingness to enter into close relationships with each person described. Data were collected online using the snowball method. It was found that men systematically assigned higher scores to each question. Women with borderline and dependent personality disorders were assessed by men as most attractive and women with dependent personality disorder as most suitable for friendship or long-term partnership. Men were most willing to enter into a short-term relationship with women with borderline and histrionic personality disorders. Women were most attracted to men with borderline and dependent personality disorders and preferred to choose them for long-term partnerships. Women chose men with dependent personality disorder for friends and were most willing to enter into a short-term relationship with men with borderline personality disorder.