Emerging Adulthood & Physical Appearances Among Males & Females Ages 18-25 By: Kinzy Sturdivant

Physical Appearance: Is one’s SES status effected by physical appearances? How does physical appearances effect relationships? How do physical characteristics effect career status? How do different cultures view physical appearances? Do physical appearances effect males & females equally?

The Evolutionary Explanation Hypothesis Preferential treatment Confidence building General skills Studies have shown that arents and teachers favor attractive children. Their perceived likelihood to succeed is much higher, resulting in higher expectations. Because attractive people are often given more opportunity in younger years, they often posses higher confidence. They are often recognized for their successes. Physically attractive people are perceived to posses general social skills such as social confidence, friendliness, and extroversion, all of which lead to socioeconomic success.

Relationship Status Men & women that are considered attractive marry younger Physical attractiveness and dating practices BMI (Body Mass Index) Studies have shown that men and women with attractive physical appearances marry younger. But the studies do not indicate how long these relationships lasts. Men and women that are confident in their physical appearance often go on group dates. Conversely men and women that lack confidence tend to go out as individual couples. Studies have shown that BMI (but not height) is significantly associated with the likelihood of being married both among men and women.

Career Status Taller men make more money Women with more attractive faces and lower BMI Personal perception of attractiveness & jobs suitability Subconscious views Studies show that taller men make an average of $600 more per inch in height & are more likely to be chosen for jobs. Women with more attractive faces and women with lower BMI reach more prestigious occupations, especially later in their careers. Ones personal opinion of their own physical appearance can have an effect on confidence. People with low confidence often feel inadequate for positions, resulting in less advancement . Managers and promotion boards subconsciously rate physically attractive men and women higher for their IQ, job specific skill set, and the likely hood of their success.

Personal & Cultural Views American culture & physical appearance African American & Latin American women Early view by females Early views by males American culture is overwhelmed of beauty and success. Magazines, billboards, & T.V all portray images that are not obtainable by most people. Recent experiments have shown that exposure to magazine photographs of super-thin models produces depression, stress, guilt, shame, insecurity, body-dissatisfaction and increased endorsement of the thin-ideal stereotype. African American and Latin American women often view themselves as more attractive then the main stream view of beauty. They are not effected by all of the stereotypes in the same way as most Caucasian women are. This is even true when they are obese or posses other unattractive characteristics. Female dissatisfaction with appearances & poor body-image – begins at a very early age. Human infants begin to recognize themselves in mirrors at about two years old. Females begin to dislike what they see only a few years later. The latest surveys show very young girls are going on diets because they think they are fat and unattractive. Men looking in the mirror are more likely to be either pleased with what they see or indifferent. Research shows that men generally have a much more positive body-image than women – if anything, they may tend to over-estimate their attractiveness. Some men looking in the mirror may literally not see the flaws in their appearance.

What is Beautiful is Good & Beauty is Beastly The what is beautiful is good stereotype indicates that beauty always results in a higher probability of success. This is true for both men and women. Physically attractive individuals are seen as more likely to achieve success, are more hirable as managers and management trainees, higher voter ratings, better outcomes in court cases, and even better deals in bargaining. The beauty is beastly effect conversely states that attractive females applying for masculine sex-type jobs are less likely to be viewed as qualified for the position. They are often stereotyped as not being fit or qualified for these jobs based on their physical characteristics alone, even though many of these positions do not view physical characteristics as important.

References Johnson, S., Podratz, K., Dipboye, R., & Gibbons, E. (2010). Physical Attractiveness Biases In Ratings of Employment Suitability: Tracking Down The “Beauty Is Beastly” Effect. The Journal of Social Psychology, 301-318. Jaeger, M. (2011). "A Thing of Beauty is a Joy Forever"?: Returns to Physical Attractiveness over the Life Course. Social Forces, 983-1003. Fox, K. (1997, January 1). Mirror, mirror A summary of research findings on body image. Retrieved November 26, 2014.