Physical appearance

Ana Basar

Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences in Osijek

Department for English Language and Literature, 2nd
year undergraduate degree
 Contents

Physical appearance Generally speaking, importance of physical appearance, universality of attractiveness

Physical attractiveness Introduction, in the education setting, personality and physical attractiveness

Impact on social interaction Study by Ries, Nezlek and Wheeler, impact on success

My research Observing behaviour (of my students) impacted by my appearance

Conclusion Conclusion based on the research and the topic itself

References Literature
01
Physical
appearance
 Generally speaking...

● First nonverbal factor we notice in meeting people

● Body shape, clothing, cosmetics, hair, physical attractiveness...
● Appearance influences impression
● Impression influences action
● 7/11 rule
● Categorizing; attractive or not
 Importance of physcial appearance

Pretty privilege
 Beauty is a commodity
 Human tendency to gravitate Physical attractiveness means:
towards individuals we find
.  Likeability
attractive
 When communicating with  Obtaining better jobs
 Social power
strangers, we mostly prefer to talk
 Higher self-esteem
to attractive ones
 Enhanced financial values
 Higher grades
 More interactions
 Talent
 Success
 Universality of attractiveness?
Langlois and colleagues
research
 Ritter, Roggman, Vaughn
 Infants ages 2 to 8 months can
discriminate between women’s
faces
 Infants pay more attention to the
attractive faces
Individual perceptual
phenomenon
 „Beauty is in the eye of the
beholder”
 Individuals have. different
standards for beauty
 Universal standards of beauty;
nice smile, pretty eyes, well-kept
hair...
Beautification
 Much money is spent every year
on cosmetic procedures and
products
 People wish to communicate
better message about themselves
 Beauty myth
02
Physical attractiveness
 Physical attractiveness

● Attractiveness is a perceived factor

○ Race, culture, age, sex, ocupation, location...
● J. G. Martin’s research
○ 50 black and 50 white males
○ High level of agreement on ‘’pretty’’ faces
○ Research in Great Britain with similar results
○ Nigerian sample presented different results
● Ideals of attractiveness vary over time
● Homophily- a contact between similar people occurs at a higher
rate than among dissimilar people
○ Establishing online relationships
 In the educational setting

Singer (1966) Leathers (1997)

• Attractive females • Teachers interact less with unattractive
o Sat at the front of the classroom students
o Talked to professor after class • Responding to comments from
o Made appointments to see attractive students more readily
professors
Interesting in their offices
research • Students are less likely to interact with
less attractive students
• Estimating one’s own and then ideal • Unattractive children -> chronic
body measurements behaviour problems
• Attractive females: • More attractive children -> temporary
1. Accuracy in estimation of their behavioral problem
own measurements
2. Accuracy in estimation of ideal
measurements
3. Distorting their own
measurements
Personality and physical attractiveness

• Physical attractiveness -> desired traits; dominant,

mentally healthy, socially acute, sociable...
• Stereotypes can come to reflect reality
• Good personality = physical attractiveness
• Spontaneous, uncensored nonverbal information ->
extroverted -> attractive
• Women focus on social status and ambition
03
Social interaction
 Social interaction
 For both sexes satisfaction increased
Study by Ries, Nezlek and Wheeler (1980) over time when the others were
physically attractive

• People of varying degrees of

attractiveness
• College students kept a journal of their  Females rated as moderately
daily activites attractive enjoyed socialization more
than others

 Attractive males reported more

mutually initiated interactions with the
opposite sex
 Impact on success

• Attractive (female) professors are seen as better teachers and more like to
be recommended to other students
• Physically unattractive student are rated more severely
• Attractive females receive more money for tips
• Attractive females are perceived as less able to control the environments
for which they are responsible
• Unattractive person with a disfigurement unrelated to crime is more
likely to be found guilty in court
04
Research
 Observing behaviour (of my students) impacted by my
appearance

Will I be more successful at teaching

the beginner dancers if I present
myself in the best light?

Assumption:

Since individual’s physical attractivness

affects their success rate at job, school etc.,
kids are likely to pay attention to what I’m
saying more than they would if I was in my
regular clothes with no makeup.
 Variables
When having enchanced my physical
attractiveness
• Visible makeup
• Professional training outfit
• Ponytail and styled bangs (somewhat)
• Already in shape before the session

When having put no effort to appear

presentable

• No makeup
• Oversized shirt and shorts
• Hair down (unprofessional)
• Not very much in shape
 Results
First class
• Kids (10-15) listened more carefully to my
instructions
• They engaged into conversation more (initiated it
too)
• They mastered the new steps faster
• They did the excercises thoroughly Second class
• They didn’t drink the water without asking first
• They were much more relaxed and slightly
disobedient
• They were training for fun more than for
progress
• They mastered the steps but more slowly
• They asked for more short breaks
 Conclusion

• With makeup and a well-planned outfit, I appeared more ‘powerful’ in kids’ eyes, which is
why they sought my attention and approvement

• Physical attractiveness affects evaluations of our credibility, sociability, ability to work with
others and so forth

• Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, but the book will always be judged by it’s cover first
 Discussion time!

• What do you think of the saying ‘’opposites attract’’ after this presentation?
• Why do you think physical attractiveness is so important in today’s society?
• Do you think standards of beauty will keep changing over time?
 References

• Moore, N-J.; Hickson, M.; Stacks, D. W. (2010). Nonverbal communication. Studies and Applications,
Oxford University Press
Thank you for your
attention!