BEAUTY SYNDROME

Michael J. Nanko. Ph.D. 1'

In this society, we are bombarded awry with books, magazines, television

commercials, printed advertisements, movies and beauty contests that instruct
us as to what makes for a beautiful person. Billboards and commercials
tell us what to wear, how to look and what "beautiful" products to use.

We know that people will often go to extremes to do what they can to look
more attractive. This ranges from padding breasts to hair removal or hair
implantation to wearing life-threatening corsets and to cosmetic surgeries
for altering most any aspect of the human body. Every major magazine is
now overrun with ads for cosmetic surgery or other alternatives to beauty
enhancements.

Much research over the past two decades has shown that a person's physical
attractiveness mediates or helps to determine many of his or her life
experiences. The phrase "What is beautiful is good" was coined by Dion,
Berscheid and Walster (7972). They found that the physically attractive
we re pe r ce ive d to be mor e so cially de sir able , than per so ns o f lo we r
attractiveness. Physical attractiveness has been found to be associated
with a host of favorable qualities, such as popularity, likability, competence,
persuasiveness, ability to succeed, and as better adjusted in relationships.

The attractive people tend to draw or attract material benefits and rewards
bestowed by society. These rewards may even be monetary in nature, through
better paying jobs, higher tips, etc. (Stillman & Winsley, 7980; May, 7980).
The physical attractiveness stereotype is pervasive and can be seen across a
myriad of social and psychological contexts. In educational settings,
teachers have been found to rate attractive students more favorably than
the less attractive on expected potential and on various academic prediction
measures (Adams & Cohen, 7976; Clifford, 7975; Ross & Salvia, 1975), and
in the area of physical training performance (Martinez, 7987). The attractive
have been found to benefit from their appearance in simulated juridic
decision-making studies as recipients of more lenient sentences and verdicts
than the less attractive (Efran, 1974; lzzett & Fishman, 1976).

There is also evidence from the mental health arena that the more attractive
an individual is perceived to be - - the more emotionally adjusted they are
expected to be. At least a handful of studies have investigated the
relationship of physical attractiveness and judged the adjustment of mental
patients. Martin, Friedmeyer and Moore (1977) found that patients who
were judged to be good-looking were also judged by hospital staff to be better
adjusted and have better prognosis.

Attractive persons are sought more often as dating partners and they tend to
seek friends, date and marry those who are among the more attractive (Berscheid,
Dion, Walster & Walster, 7977; Cavior & Bablett, 1972; Murstein, 7972). In the
business context, Dipboye, Fromkin & Wiback (7975) discovered that the
physically attractive are chosen more readily for job openings.(Add MN PA
research here) Moreover, work produced by attractive persons are rated
more favorable, competent (Anderson & Nida, 1978; Landy & Sigall, 7974).
Other research suggests that an individual may increase his or her own
prestige and the impression managed by mere association with a physically
attractive person (Geiselman, Haight & Kimata, 1985; Sigall & Landy, 7973;
Strane & Watts; 7977).
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Beauty at what price?

Just as the unattractive people are discriminated against as demonstrated

in the social psychological literature, so too, are those who are obese.
Obesity, or being overweight, is intricately tied into the beauty game in
this culture. For the most part, one cannot be fat and physically attractive
in this culture. However, one can be physically appealing from the head
down which can reduce at least one prejudice. It is interesting, if not criminal,
that unattractive persons and obese persons both suffer from prejudice and
social stigmas that cross most contexts. These individuals are prejudiced
against and receive less social reinforcements at school, work, in dating
experiences, and in perceived adjustment. It is not only the lay person that
finds the obese and the unattractive as less desirable humans, for example,
obese persons are evaluated as more psychologically disturbed by health
care professionals and the implicit assumption is that they bring it all on
themselves.

Physically attractive people, especially women, must look a certain way.

Magazines like Glamour, Cosmopolitan, Playboy, and the like, come over
loud and clear as to what is sexy and attractive. Today, fat is out and thin
i s in . Mo st a ll fa ce ts o f t he m e d ia po r tr ay a tt r a ct i ve pe o pl e as t r i m,
sometimes unrealistically so. Ads for health and fitness clubs always portray
trim and attractive people in their copy; however, some cognizant advertising
executives believe this approach may, under certain circumstances, keep
people away. What does this all mean to the populace who strive to be
accepted, liked, perceived as attractive, and who want to be desired?

To!mach and Scherr (1984) asked women multitudinous questions about beauty
and what it means to them. What they got was near-unanimity that all
women felt they need to be thinner. Most all stated in some form: "I have
to lose weight". The researchers found that even those who looked not at
all overweight wanted to lose from 5 to 25 pounds. What was striking in
this near-unanimity was women's identification of their self-discontent
with body weight; also the gap the answers revealed between the intellectual
and abstract accolades to health and tranquility, and the concrete disgust
upon looking into the mirror, the feeling that beauty is 10 pounds lighter.
These same women were acutely aware of every blemish on their body. (Insert
light stats)

Most of the women in the above survey reported that beauty is health,
intelligence, personality and fitness. But in reality, most all the women
were overly concerned with physical appearance spending a significant amount
of time preparing their looks via cosmetics, stylish clothing, hairstyling
and other tactics.

In this society where slenderness is valued as the ideal, children are now
being taught that to be loved they must be thin and beautiful. Beauty contests
for young children abound now throughout the country. Young girls are
acutely aware from their parents and the media about what it means to
be attractive. This may mean early introduction of cosmetics and strict
dieting during crucial developmental stages. Girls may even be criticized
by siblings, as well as parents, for not conforming to beauty standards. They
will definitely be criticized at school for being even slightly overweight,
overdeveloped, or underdeveloped. For the young person, social pressures
for attractiveness can have serious physical and psychological sequelae.
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One recent study I conducted looked at the attractiveness levels of 50 young

boys and 200 girls, ages 72 to 14. The measures taken of attractiveness
were part of a study conducted to evaluate the efficacy of a wellness program
provided to an intermediate school by a community-based hospital. What
was uncovered was startling. There was a significant correlation found
between the attractiveness of the student and blood pressure. The lower
the perceived attractiveness level by the young person, the higher the blood
pressure. This finding was stronger for females than it was for males.
Females' blood pressure is usually lower. (Body image, etc. insert)

This is the first finding that shows a detrimental physical effect for lowered
attractiveness. If future research confirms this result — we will have strong
evidence that how a child (especially a girl) perceives herself has actual
physical effects; physical effects that are extremely harmful when they
comprise long term heightened blood pressure. More negative consequences
to beautism may be unfolded in subsequent research.

Some could state that fatness is a health risk and we are ruining the health
and mobility of our youth by not reinforcing such behaviors and values.
However, we must also investigate the issue of damage done to women's
appearance and health by amphetamines and dangerous diets, tight girdles,
silicone implants, liposuction, and other cosmetic surgeries. There are many
means being tried to attain slenderness and beauty. Fat or leanness carried
to extre me s can cre ate illne ss o f both mind and bo dy. T his is clear ly
evidenced by the incidence in eating disorders (anorexia, bulimia, etc.) in
this country.

We must question the desperation of the women who find thinness or

voluptuousness important enough to subject themselves to drugs and surgical
procedures with dangerous side effects. Beauty can hardly be viewed as a
life-threatening ailment or situation. Perhaps, the only way to understand the
situation is to agree that such conditions are, in fact, perceived by some
wo me n as life - thr e ate ning, as so dange r o us that ser io usly damaging
interventions are justified, any risk worth taking to alleviate them.

Being overweight, (which is not "attractive") based on the attention given to it by

the media and health industry could be regarded as America's Public E n e m y
Number One. Health, the most frequent rationalization for the
preference for thinness, is based on dubious grounds (see Garner et al., 7985).
Several studies have challenged the assumption that obesity is a significant
health problem and have concluded that the fervor of treatment efforts
reflects our prejudice rather than realistic response to the risks inherent t o t h e
condition (Bennett & Gurin, 7982). In fact, psychological stress
asso ciated with be ing o bese in our culture , rathe r than obe sity per se , co uld
contribute in a major way to increased risk of illness, including hypertension. 4-6(10.4-43

Furthermore, the constant fluctuations in weight that come from failed

attempts to lose weight may actually pose a greater risk than obesity. Dieting
has also been found to lead to binge eating and compulsive eating in some
individuals. Wardle (7980) found that binge eating is more prevalent among
dieters than nondieters. Binge eating may lead to dangerous consequences,
including bulimic bingeing and purging. Some diets which are followed,
to reach that wonderful state of thinness, have even been found to be fatal
(e.g., Beverly Hills Diet).
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We must be slim and fit, or fail. It has been persuasively argued in the
literature and the media that slenderness is healthier than fatness, and that it
frees women to lead more active lives. However, spending many of one's
waking hours gazing into the mirror in despair, dreaming about inaccessible hot-
fudge sundaes, and castigating oneself for giving in to temptation are
neither healthy or fulfilling ways to spend time. Living in aerobics and fitness
centers can be a lonely way of life as well!

"Thin Is Beautiful" is supported by comprehensive treatment of the subject in

the Handbook of Psychotherapy for Anorexia Nervosa and Bulimia (Garner et
al. 1985). This bias is apparently shared by most women who view
sle nder ne ss a s the most salient aspe ct of physical attractive ne ss. As
mentioned above, there are enormous pressures on women to diet in pursuit of
a thinner shape that is more and more unrealistic and destructive. Few
women actually possess bodies that can conform to those that the media
continuously presents. T he health be nefits of slende rne ss have been
overemphasized with not enough attention to the dangers of dieting behavior. It
is now quite evident to this writer that anorexia nervosa, bulimia and
b ul i ma r e xi a ar e ve r y d ir e c tl y l in k e d t o cu lt ur al a nd Ma di so n A ve nu e
projections, and to the persuasive and reinforcing bombardments of these
ideal figures as more than desirable - (read) essential for being attractive,
wanted, worthy, loved.

Y o ung wo me n and gir ls are at highe st r isk fo r anor e xia and it is no t

coincidental that they are the ones under most pressure to fit to or conform to
the stereotypic thin and beautiful female. The problem of anorexia can be
simply stated as an issue of independence or autonomy which is frustrated or
impossible. Some argue that it is a sexual issue; others claim that the
family is key. The "All American" family and the enmeshed family are two
family styles that are frequently cited as producing the anorexic. The control
over one's body by the anorexic seems to have little to do with the beauty
"syndrome" per se. Except, that is, for the "you can't be too thin or too
rich" mentality of the upwardly mobile.
With beauty goes power and acceptance in this society. It is a serious issue
and we are confused by it. We want to define it precisely, but really cannot.
We are willing to go to all kinds of pain to achieve it, but deny any evidence
that such pains have been taken. Beauty is often a means by which women
reach power and influence, but we do not take either seriously - especially
ith the knowledge that their power is sure to disappear. Beautification
w is a tireless and exhausting effort for which women receive little
credit if they are successful and much contempt if they are not. Beauty and
thinness seem to bring its possessors satisfaction and happiness, however,
there is clinical and academic evidence to the contrary. This surprise occurs
if the individual places too much importance on looks to exclusion of other
elements of life Pinsert") (Campbell, 7965). Constant vigilance toward being
thinner than one's set point and not being "caught off guard" without make-up and
accentuating clothing and constantly worrying about aging is a lifestyle
that is difficult to maintain, dangerous, and, in the end, impossible. Children
and young adults need role models; teachers and parents that understand
the above issues - and who are comfortable with their own body and project a
healthy self-concept.