The effects of physical and vocal attractiveness on impression formation of politicians

In order to investigate the nature of the combination of varying levels of vocal and physical attractiveness on the perception of hypothetical political candidates, 90 adults rated photographs of target politicians on scales for the dimensions of competency, trustworthiness, qualification, and leadership ability. It was hypothesized and confirmed that the halo effect (higher ratings for highly attractive targets) elicited by physical attractiveness is stronger and more robust than the halo effect elicited by vocal attractiveness; however vocal attractiveness did impact the perception of the candidates by lowering the ratings associated with candidates that were presented as highly attractive but possessing an unattractive voice. This work was sponsored by the Jean D. Smith Center for Democracy and Citizenship at the New Hampshire Institute of Politics at Saint Anselm College. We are grateful to Donald Bucolo for helpful comments.     

Beyond Personality Impressions: Effects of Physical and Vocal Attractiveness on False Consensus, Social Comparison, Affiliation, and Assumed and Perceived Similarity

ABSTRACT We examined the effects of target persons' physical and vocal attractiveness on judges' responses to five measures: false consensus (the belief that the target shares one's behavior), choice of targets as comparison others, affiliation with targets, assumed similarity (similarity between self-ratings and ratings assigned to targets), and perceived similarity (direct questions about similarity). Higher physical attractiveness and higher vocal attractiveness were both related to higher scores on all variables. The effect of one type of attractiveness was more pronounced for higher levels of the other type of attractiveness. The joint effect of the two types of attractiveness was best described as synergistic, i.e., only targets high on both types of attractiveness elicited higher scores on the dependent variables. The effect of physical attractiveness on most dependent variables was more pronounced for subjects who were themselves physically attractive. The synergistic effect (the advantage of targets high on both types of attractiveness) was more pronounced for judges high in self-monitoring. The contribution of the study to the literature on attractiveness stereotypes is discussed.     

Cross-channel effects of vocal and physical attractiveness and their implications for interpersonal perception

Judges' ratings of senders' vocal attractiveness from face-plus-voice (F+V) cues were influenced by senders' physical attractiveness, and ratings of senders' physical attractiveness from F+V cues were influenced by senders' vocal attractiveness. This occurred even when judges were warned not to pay attention to face when rating vocal attractiveness and not to pay attention to voice when rating physical attractiveness. Instructions to judge attractiveness without being told which channel to attend to resulted in ratings influenced by both vocal and physical attractiveness of senders. Because of cross-channel effects, F+V attractiveness ratings should be more highly related to F+V personality impressions than attractiveness ratings based on only face or only voice. The results supported this hypothesis. Implications of cross-channel effects for research on the attractiveness stereotype were discussed.     

The effects of relationship context and modality on ratings of funniness

There is evidence to suggest that humour is an important part of mate choice and that humour may serve as an indicator of genetic quality. The current study investigated how rated funniness from a video clip was related to an individual’s attractiveness as a short-term or long-term partner. We additionally tested for the presence of an attractiveness halo effect on humour ratings by comparing ratings of funniness from video clips, audio-only presentations, and photographs. We found that funniness was most strongly correlated with attractiveness for short-term relationships, especially in videos of males. We also found that attractiveness was related to funniness ratings differently across video, audio-only clips, and photographs. Relative to their rated funniness in the audio-only condition, with no appearance cues, attractive individuals were rated as funnier in video clips than less attractive individuals. An additional study demonstrated that ratings of flirtatiousness and funniness were strongly correlated. Perceived similarity between producing humour and flirting may explain why humour is more preferable in a short-term partner as flirting may be seen to signal proceptivity. The effects of attractiveness on humour judgement may also be explained by an association with flirtation as flirting may be most enjoyable when directed by attractive individuals.     

Gender, Physical Attractiveness, and Electability: An Experimental Investigation of Voter Biases

In an examination of the impacts on electoral success of candidate gender, candidate physical attractiveness, prestige and responsibility of office sought, and voter characteristics, 219 college students evaluated six challengers to an incumbent in either a mayoral or county clerk's race. Challengers represented men and women of high, moderate, and low physical attractiveness. Male, but not female, voters discriminated against female candidates. While physical attractiveness accentuated perceptions of masculinity in a man and femininity in a woman, the appeal of an attractive (i.e., more feminine) woman seeking a masculine-stereotyped position was not damaged by the so-called "beauty is beastly" effect. However, attractiveness was less consistently an asset for female candidates than it was for male candidates. Male, but not female, candidates directly benefitted from being physical attractive and were also more positively evaluated to the extent that they were perceived as highly masculine. These findings not only contribute to understanding of the joint impacts of sex-role and attractiveness stereotypes, but call into question survey findings pointing to the demise of sexism in electoral politics.     

Index to Volume 122

I examined the impact of first names on ratings of physical attractiveness as judged by British undergraduate subjects using male and female full-face pictures presented on photographic slides. The photographs were identified with attractive names, unattractive names, or without any name indicated. Subjects rated the stimulus figures for physical attractiveness. Names accounted for approximately 6% of the variance in subjects' ratings of physical attractiveness. This effect was highly significant for pictures of women (p < .001), but nonsignificant for pictures of men (p > .05).     

Evidence of Predictive and Incremental Validity of Personality Factors,Vocal Attractiveness and the Situational Interview

This study evaluates the impact of the situational interview, personality measures, vocal attractiveness, and interactions between personality and vocal attractiveness on job performance. In a concurrent validity study with 154 customer service employees, a structured, situational interview was conducted and three of the Big Five personality factors (agreeableness, conscientiousness, and extraversion) are measured with two different frames‐of‐reference: at‐work and typical. Among the results are the validity of the situational interview and at‐work personality measures is established; vocal attractiveness correlates with both interview ratings and job performance; and finally, agreeableness and conscientiousness are found to vary in a pattern related to levels of vocal attractiveness such that both personality factors predict performance more strongly for people with more attractive voices.     

A formal analysis of ratings of physical attractiveness: Successive contrast and simultaneous assimilation

Photographs of faces were presented in a series, either singly or in pairs, for ratings of physical attractiveness. In Experiment 1, faces were presented singly, and both the range and relative frequencies of physical attractiveness (on baseline scaling) were manipulated experimentally. The same face elicited higher ratings when less attractive faces predominated in the experimental series, successive contrast. Increasing the number of available categories resulted in higher ratings but did not reduce the amount of successive contrast. Both range and skewing effects were in accordance with a range-frequency model that permits the subjective range to vary with number of categories. In Experiment 2, faces were presented in pairs. The same face now elicited lower ratings when presented simultaneously with a less attractive face, simultaneous assimilation. Successive contrast was again observed between pairs and was greater for 5- than for 101-point rating scales. A model that uses the judgments resulting from a range-frequency compromise as the stimulus values for integration within pairs provides the best account of how both contrast and assimilation occur within the same experimental session. Alternative interpretations of the observed contrast and assimilation were discussed.     

Beauty is in the sex of the beholder: An examination of the effects of interviewer characteristics on assessments of respondent attractiveness

Research exploring the effects of physical attractiveness frequently assesses attractiveness by employing subjective appraisals by independent raters. However, there is reason to believe that rater characteristics – especially their sex – may systematically bias subjective ratings of physical attractiveness. The current study explores this possibility by analyzing data from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health (N = 13,330). Analyses of these data revealed that ratings of physical attractiveness are significantly influenced by the sex of the interviewer/rater. Specifically, male raters were significantly less likely than female raters to assess males as attractive, very attractive, and very unattractive. The results are explained within the context of evolutionary psychology and illustrate a methodological concern for research on physical attractiveness.     

Men's ratings of physical attractiveness,health, and partner suitability simultaneously versus separately: Does it matter whether within- or between-subjects designs are used?

Previous studies have documented moderate-to-large associations between ratings of physical attractiveness and other interpersonal traits, but this research has invariably relied on within-subjects designs that leave open the possibility of halo effects or response biases. In the present study, 40 men completed the Photographic Figure Rating Scale in a within-subjects design, rating the figures for physical attractiveness, health, and suitability as a long-term partner. In addition, 108 men completed the same scale in a between-subjects design, being randomly allocated to one of three subgroups where they rated the figures for attractiveness, health, or suitability as a long-term partner. Results indicated no significant differences in ratings for the within-subjects participants. In contrast, there were significant differences in ratings for the between-subjects design. These results highlight the importance of considering halo and response bias effects when designing studies of interpersonal judgements and interpreting their results.     

Is beauty talent? Sex interaction in the attractiveness halo effect

Two experiments were performed to replicate and extend previous findings of judgmental bias which favors physically attractive people. In the first experiment male and female subjects judged an essay purportedly written by an attractive or an unattractive female author. The attractive author was rated as significantly more talented by male judges. Female judges rated the attractive author as less talented, although this difference was not statistically significant. A second experiment concerned ratings by males and females of essays written by attractive or unattractive male authors. The results suggested that the attractiveness halo effect does not occur for male authors.A similar version of this article was presented at the meeting of the Western Psychological Association, Los Angeles, April 1976. Thanks are due to Jan Ault, Lynn Barrett, Paul Leathem, Mike Orenich, Bill Starns, and Meg Wiedlin for their participation in various stages of the research.     

Beauty is in the sex of the beholder: An examination of the effects of interviewer characteristics on assessments of respondent attractiveness

Research exploring the effects of physical attractiveness frequently assesses attractiveness by employing subjective appraisals by independent raters. However, there is reason to believe that rater characteristics – especially their sex – may systematically bias subjective ratings of physical attractiveness. The current study explores this possibility by analyzing data from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health (N = 13,330). Analyses of these data revealed that ratings of physical attractiveness are significantly influenced by the sex of the interviewer/rater. Specifically, male raters were significantly less likely than female raters to assess males as attractive, very attractive, and very unattractive. The results are explained within the context of evolutionary psychology and illustrate a methodological concern for research on physical attractiveness.     

The effects of attitudes toward feminism and perceived feminism on physical attractiveness ratings

The effects of perceived feminism of females and attitudes toward feminism of males on physical attractiveness ratings of female stimulus persons (SPs) were investigated, using two alternative hypotheses: first, SPs who are perceived as feminists would be rated as less attractive than SPs not perceived as feminists; second, profeminist males would rate profeminist women as more attractive than nonfeminist women, and vice versa for nonfeminist males. Seventy-six male college students responded to the Smith-Ferree-Miller questionnaire on attitudes toward feminism and then rated on an 8-point scale of attractiveness 6 photographs of female SPs which had been selected from a pretested sample of 18 photographs. Perceived feminism of the SPs in the photographs was manipulated by presenting the raters with four attitude statements, two of which related to feminism. Although there were no main effects for the two variables, significant interaction did occur, confirming the second (attitude similarity) hypothesis. A negative halo effect, as opposed to a belief in the unattractiveness of feminists, was offered as an explanation of the difference in results between this study and the Goldberg, Gottesdiener, and Abramson (1975) study.     

Developmental Changes in the Effects of the Physical and Vocal Attractiveness Stereotypes

Age changes in the effects of the physical and vocal attractiveness stereotypes on perceivers′ interpersonal impressions were examined. Perceivers were students attending elementary school (grade 2 and up), high school, and college. The effect of physical attractiveness declined with age, particularly for female targets. The effect of vocal attractiveness increased with age, particularly for male targets. A physical attractiveness by vocal attractiveness interaction was also obtained, indicating that the effect of one stereotype was more pronounced for higher levels of the other stereotype. The interaction was more pronounced for higher ages, particularly for female targets. Implications of the age changes in attractiveness effects and the moderator effects of target sex were discussed.     

I'm hot, so i'd say you're not: the influence of objective physical attractiveness on mate selection

Four studies investigated the importance of objective and subjective attributes to mate selection. This research tested whether perceivers' objective physical attractiveness influenced how they evaluated the physical attractiveness of others and, if considered, may provide a parsimonious account for matching in mate selection. Study 1 (N = 102) demonstrated that ratings of targets' attractiveness decreased as perceivers' objective physical attractiveness increased. Studies 2 (N = 89) and 3 (N = 68) revealed that as perceivers' objective physical attractiveness increased, reductions in expected satisfaction and rejection were mediated by perceivers' reduced assessments of targets' attractiveness. Study 4 (N = 114) produced patterns of matching by finding that attractive perceivers expected to date more attractive targets while unattractive perceivers expected to date less attractive targets. This research emphasizes the importance of objective physical attractiveness to target evaluations and describes how matching results from the combined influence of objective and subjective attributes.     

Don't hate me because I'm beautiful: Anti-attractiveness bias in organizational evaluation and decision making

Within organizational judgment and decision making contexts, biases based on an evaluated person's attractiveness are among the most salient and frequently investigated. An enormous amount of research indicates favoritism for attractive people compared to unattractive ones. The current research demonstrates that the nature of this bias depends on whether one is evaluating a member of the same sex or the opposite sex. Experiment 1 (n = 2639) investigated selection of scholarship applicants and demonstrated that a pro-attractiveness bias held only for selection of opposite-sex scholarship applicants; no such bias was observed for highly attractive same-sex applicants. Experiment 2 (n = 622) investigated evaluations of prospective job candidates and demonstrated again that pro-attractiveness bias was observed only for opposite-sex candidates; participants discriminated against highly attractive same-sex candidates. Moreover, this bias was not observed among highly attractive participants; it held only for moderately attractive participants, those for whom highly attractive same-sex individuals can pose especially potent social threats. Findings suggest that attractiveness biases in organizational decision making are rooted partly in the social threats and opportunities afforded by attractive people.     

Physical Attractiveness and Access to Alcohol: What Is Beautiful Does Not Get Carded1

This research examined whether previously documented social benefits associated with physical attractiveness would influence the decision to request proof of legal age for the purchase of alcohol. Undergraduates were presented with a photograph of a highly attractive or less attractive member of the opposite gender that they diddid not expect to meet. Results indicated that the opportunity to interact with a highly attractive member of the opposite gender significantly reduced the chances that the target would be asked to provide proof of legal age. Physical attractiveness was positively related to perceptions of age in the perception of male targets, hut not for females. The implications of these findings for restricting alcohol availability among minors are considered.     

名字对个体吸引力的影响

用评定法研究名字对个体吸引力的影响。结果表明:(1)名字吸引力水平影响对个体吸引力的评定,名字性别倾向与实际性别匹配能获得更好评价;(2)名字在对个体吸引力评定有先入为主的影响;(3)在外表知觉完成后,名字亦能影响对个体吸引力的评定。     

Context effects on the perceived physical attractiveness of faces

Four experiments were conducted to study the nature of context effects on the perceived physical attractiveness of faces. In Experiment 1, photos of faces scaled on attractiveness were presented in sets of three, with target faces appearing in the middle flanked by two context faces. The target faces were of average attractiveness, with the context faces being either high, average, or low in attractiveness. The effect of the context was one of assimilation, rather than contrast, regardless of whether the persons in the photos were portrayed to be associated. This result was interpreted in terms of a “generalized halo effect” for judgments of the physical attractiveness of stimuli within a group. Presenting the persons of a set as friends enhanced the perceived attractiveness of the target face but only when the context did not contain a face of low attractiveness. In Experiment 2, the assimilation effect was observed to carry over to influence ratings of the target faces several minutes after the context faces had been removed. Experiment 3 showed the assimilation effect to be robust regardless of whether the context was composed of two faces or one, but Experiment 4 showed the assimilation effect to be evident only when the context faces were presented simultaneously with the target.     

Alcohol intoxication reduces detection of asymmetry: an explanation for increased perceptions of facial attractiveness after alcohol consumption?

Ratings of physical attractiveness are related to degree of facial symmetry. Acute alcohol consumption affects ratings of physical attractiveness and also attenuates aspects of visual perception. We tested the hypothesis that increases in ratings of attractiveness associated with alcohol intoxication can be attributed at least in part to a reduced ability to discern facial asymmetry due to reductions in levels of visual perception. We examined whether alcohol intoxication reduces ability to detect asymmetry in approximately symmetrical images. Sober and intoxicated subjects were shown a series of simple geometric images to which they responded on whether they perceived each one to be symmetrical or asymmetrical. Intoxicated subjects were significantly less able to detect asymmetry than were sober subjects, providing support for the hypothesis.