Dr. Andrea Meltzer is an Associate Professor in the Department of Psychology at Florida State University. Her program of research uniquely integrates relationship science and evolutionary psychology to examine how evolved processes shape our closest relationships. Using cutting-edge methodologies—including longitudinal studies of newlywed couples, behavioral observations, hormone analysis, and implicit cognitive measures—her work reveals fascinating insights about human relationships, attraction, and sexual functioning.
Core Research Areas
Physical Attractiveness in Relationships
One core area of Dr. Meltzer’s research examines how physical appearance influences relationship dynamics, particularly in long-term relationships like marriage, and her findings have appeared in top journals including the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology and Psychological Science. Her work in this area has demonstrated that partner attractiveness plays different roles for men and women in marriage satisfaction, challenging and expanding our understanding of how evolution shapes modern relationships. For example, she has shown that:
- Men report higher marital satisfaction when married to physically attractive wives, while women’s marital satisfaction is not similarly influenced by their husband’s attractiveness (Meltzer et al., 2014, Journal of Personality and Social Psychology).
- Couples report higher satisfaction when women have relatively more attractive bodies (lower BMI) than their male partners (Meltzer et al., 2011, Social Psychological and Personality Science).
- Women with more attractive partners experience increased marital satisfaction near ovulation (Meltzer, 2017, Evolutionary Behavioral Sciences).
More recently, she has expanded this work to examine important moderating factors, such as individual differences in partner preferences (French & Meltzer, 2019, Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin) and the role of hormonal changes in partner evaluations.
Sexual Functioning in Long-Term Relationships in Relationships
Another core area of Dr. Meltzer’s research investigates how various factors influence sexual functioning in established relationships. This work integrates biological, psychological, and environmental influences to understand sexual satisfaction and desire. Key findings include:
- Sexual satisfaction after intimate encounters serves as a crucial mechanism for pair bonding (Meltzer et al., 2017, Psychological Science).
- Individual differences in personality significantly impact couples’ sexual frequency and satisfaction (Meltzer & McNulty, 2016, Journal of Research in Personality).
- Early childhood experiences shape adult sexual desire patterns, particularly for women (French, Makhanova, & Meltzer, 2024, Archives of Sexual Behavior).
- Sexual disgust (Peters & Meltzer, 2021, Archives of Sexual Behavior) and perceived vulnerability to infection (Hicks, Meltzer et al., 2022, Archives of Sexual Behavior) influence couples’ sexual satisfaction.
Hormonal Influences on Relationship Dynamics
A more recent core area of Dr. Meltzer’s research examines how both natural hormone variations and medical interventions affect relationship processes. Notable findings include:
- Individual differences in testosterone explain sex differences in daily sexual desire (French et al., 2022, Biological Psychology)
- Changes in hormonal contraceptive use can impact women’s sexual satisfaction (French & Meltzer, 2020, Evolution and Human Behavior)
- Peak fertility influences women’s partner preferences (Salvatore, Meltzer et al., 2017, Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin)