Does Beauty Bring You Farther
Does Beauty Bring You Farther?: The Connection between Physical
Attractiveness and Success
Theories have long supported the notion that what is beautiful is
good (Dion, Berscheid, & Walster, 1972). In the study entitled “What is
Beautiful is Good,” Dion et al. (1972) investigates the physical
attractiveness stereotype in a broad study that looks at how
attractiveness affects one’s perceived personality traits. The study also
looks at whether physical attractiveness leads to a better life. Studies
continue to focus on the question of how physical attractiveness affects
one’s success in life. Through factors of attractiveness including gender,
body size and age, it is apparent that physical attractiveness affects
success in three areas of life- popularity, perceptions of performance and
social interaction.
When looking at studies about physical attractiveness, researchers
often focus on gender, body size and age as three common factors. We
will first discuss these three different factors to understand what
researchers look at when considering physical attractiveness. Later, we
will explore the effects that physical attractiveness has on success,
specifically in three categories of life that were commonly found within
our eight studies.
Factors of Attractiveness
Physical appearance according to Dion et al. (1972) “is the personal
characteristic most obvious and accessible to others in social
interaction” (p. 285). Gender, body size, and age are important to focus
on when studying the most obvious and accessible characteristic that
people see – one’s physical attractiveness.
Beauty and Success 3
Gender
Gender is one area often focused on when studying physical
attractiveness. In the studies we viewed, the outcomes of males and
females often differed because of gender. For example, in Schumaker,
Krejci, Small and Sargent’s
Attractiveness and Success
Theories have long supported the notion that what is beautiful is
good (Dion, Berscheid, & Walster, 1972). In the study entitled “What is
Beautiful is Good,” Dion et al. (1972) investigates the physical
attractiveness stereotype in a broad study that looks at how
attractiveness affects one’s perceived personality traits. The study also
looks at whether physical attractiveness leads to a better life. Studies
continue to focus on the question of how physical attractiveness affects
one’s success in life. Through factors of attractiveness including gender,
body size and age, it is apparent that physical attractiveness affects
success in three areas of life- popularity, perceptions of performance and
social interaction.
When looking at studies about physical attractiveness, researchers
often focus on gender, body size and age as three common factors. We
will first discuss these three different factors to understand what
researchers look at when considering physical attractiveness. Later, we
will explore the effects that physical attractiveness has on success,
specifically in three categories of life that were commonly found within
our eight studies.
Factors of Attractiveness
Physical appearance according to Dion et al. (1972) “is the personal
characteristic most obvious and accessible to others in social
interaction” (p. 285). Gender, body size, and age are important to focus
on when studying the most obvious and accessible characteristic that
people see – one’s physical attractiveness.
Beauty and Success 3
Gender
Gender is one area often focused on when studying physical
attractiveness. In the studies we viewed, the outcomes of males and
females often differed because of gender. For example, in Schumaker,
Krejci, Small and Sargent’s
References: Boyatzis, C., Baloff, P., & Durieux, C. (1998). Effects of perceived attractiveness and academic success on early adolescent peer popularity. Mulford, M., Orbell, J., Shatto, C., & Stockard, J. (1998). Physical attractiveness, opportunity, and success in everyday exchange. The American Journal of Sociology, 103, 1565-1593 Patterson, M. Churchill, M., Burger, G., & Powell, J. (1992). Verbal and nonverbal modality effects on impressions of political candidates: Perlini, A., Bertolissi, S., & Lind, D. (1999). The effects of women’s age and physical appearance on evaluations of attractiveness and Reis, H., Wheeler, L., Spiegel, N., Kernis, M., Nezlek, J., & Perri, M. (1982) Schumaker, J., Krejci, R., Small, L., & Sargent, R. (1985). Experience of loneliness by obese individuals