Why Are Attractive/Intelligent People treated better?

[Northern_Paladin]

Why Are Attractive/Intelligent People treated better? Anyone got any ideas. It's a question I heard debated in Psychology class today. I'd appreciate anyones take on this.

[Anarch]

Attractive people are treated better because everyone wants to screw the attractive girl, as attractive chicks A) have more resources to spend on their own up-keep, B) attractive women are possibly better at the whole reproductive thing, C) if you happened to spawn several NP's with the attractive girl's assistance, you have a higher chance of your genes being propagated via your children, because odds are, they'd be more attractive. You don't need to think of it this way. That's how the structure of existence works. Your instincts suffice in order to make it work. Given a fat ugly, 'popular' girl and an attractive, well proportioned girl, odds are you'll go for the attractive girl. If not, it's because of game theory.

Intelligent people? Because they can do more for you, if you get on the right side. Like helping you answer this psychology question, for example ;) And some other answers that are above are also relevant.

[Ahknaton]

I believe the "everyone wants the attractive girl" argument in general, but I've noticed that guys will suck up to an attractive girl even when there is absolutely no chance in hell that they will ever have more than a passing, temporary aquaintance with them, or when it's obvious that the girl is taken.

Surely there's no advantage to treating someone else's attractive girlfriend better than someone else's ugly girlfriend, but people do anyway.

Also, it's not just guys treating attractive women better, people treat individuals of either gender better (even their own) if they are attractive. This can't be explained by sexual attraction alone.

[Starr]

Also, it's not just guys treating attractive women better, people treat individuals of either gender better (even their own) if they are attractive. This can't be explained by sexual attraction alone.

An attractive woman will get treated better by most males, but will she be treated better by other women? maybe not.

[Mixed Race]

Why Are Attractive/Intelligent People treated better? Anyone got any ideas. It's a question I heard debated in Psychology class today. I'd appreciate anyones take on this.

Is there actually any real scientific proof that attractive people are treated better?

[Hachiko]

This is like the old saying when you go into the exclusive stores: "If you have to ask how much it is, odds are you can't afford it."
Well, if you have to ask why, then don't even bother, cause you ain't part of the group.
Myself included! :D

[Ahknaton]

Is there actually any real scientific proof that attractive people are treated better?
Yes. They are given preferential treatment in employment (http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/1038531.stm), in social situations (http://msn.careerbuilder.com/Custom/MSN/CareerAdvice/297.htm) and obviously in terms of attracting a mate. Parents even treat their more attractive children better than their less attractive ones. link (http://www.futurepundit.com/archives/002711.html)

There should be affirmative action programs for ugly people to counteract the social discrimination they experience! :hitler:

Studies show attractive students get more attention and higher evaluations from their teachers, good-looking patients get more personalized care from their doctors, and handsome criminals receive lighter sentences than less attractive convicts. But how much do looks matter at work?

The ugly truth, according to economics professors Daniel Hamermesh of the University of Texas and Jeff Biddle of Michigan State University, is that plain people earn 5 to 10 percent less than people of average looks, who in turn earn 3 to 8 percent less than those deemed good-looking.

These findings concur with other research that shows the penalty for being homely exceeds the premium for beauty and that, across all occupations, the effects are greater for men than women.

A London Guildhall University survey of 11,000 33-year-olds found that unattractive men earned 15 percent less than those deemed attractive, while plain women earned 11 percent less than their prettier counterparts. In their report "Beauty, Productivity and Discrimination: Lawyers', Looks and Lucre," Hamermesh and Biddle found that the probability of a male attorney attaining early partnership directly correlates with how handsome he is.

Size matters, too. A study released last year by two professors at the University of Florida and the University of North Carolina found that tall people earn considerably more money throughout their careers than their shorter coworkers, with each inch adding about $789 a year in pay.

A survey of male graduates of the University of Pittsburgh found that the tallest students' average starting salary was 12 percent higher than their shorter colleagues'. The London Guildhall study showed that overweight women are more likely to be unemployed, and that those who are working earn on average five percent less than their trimmer peers.

According to Dr. Gordon Patzer, who has spent over three decades studying and writing about physical attractiveness, human beings are hard-wired to respond more favorably to attractive people. Even studies of babies show they will look more intently and longer at prettier faces.

"Good-looking men and women are generally judged to be more talented, kind, honest and intelligent than their less attractive counterparts," says Patzer. "Controlled studies show people go out of their way to help attractive people - of the same and opposite sex - because they want to be liked and accepted by good-looking people."

[Mixed Race]

Yes. They are given preferential treatment in employment, in social situations and obviously in terms of attracting a mate. Parents even treat their more attractive children better than their less attractive ones. link (http://www.futurepundit.com/archives/002711.html)

There should be affirmative action programs for ugly people to counteract the social discrimination they experience! :hitler:

Wow. I find the first line of that article very disturbing... :(

A researcher at the University of Alberta has shown that parents are more likely to give better care and pay closer attention to good-looking children compared to unattractive ones.

[Starr]

Yes. They are given preferential treatment in employment, in social situations and obviously in terms of attracting a mate.

Yes, I have seen quite a few different shows and articles about the differences in how attractive people and ugly people are treated in their search for a job,etc. A couple of problems I could possible see is that an attractive woman might be treated not as well as a less attractive woman(who is still decent, however)by a female boss,for instance. And also an attractive woman might have to deal a little more often with (real) sexual harrassment issues than an uglier woman.


Parents even treat their more attractive children better than their less attractive ones

That is kind of sad, but I can see it. It is not so difficult for me to see myself possibly having a little more patience,etc. with a really cute child as opposed to a less cute one.

[Ahknaton]

Yes, I have seen quite a few different shows and articles about the differences in how attractive people and ugly people are treated in their search for a job,etc.
Tallness would be a big advantage in being a boss, especially for a male, because it gives the impression of leadership. Same with having a loud voice and looking the part in other ways. Apparently the average height for a CEO is a couple of inches above average, although there are exceptions obviously.
A couple of problems I could possible see is that an attractive woman might be treated not as well as a less attractive woman(who is still decent, however)by a female boss,for instance. And also an attractive woman might have to deal a little more often with (real) sexual harrassment issues than an uglier woman.
Yeah, it's not all "raindrops and lollipops" for good-looking people. I read in one of these articles that good-looking people are more likely to get divorced, and a few other things. Though perhaps they were just trying to make plain-looking people feel better by mentioning that.
That is kind of sad, but I can see it. It is not so difficult for me to see myself possibly having a little more patience,etc. with a really cute child as opposed to a less cute one.
Yeah it is depressing. This made me think of that article about trans-racial adoption you posted actually. If people have this kind of subconscious bias based on appearances even towards their own children, what are the odds that they can treat their trans-racially adopted child no differently to if it was one of their own? I think it should be discouraged for the benefit of the children. Why should they be disadvantaged because of their adoptive parent's subconscious (or even conscious) bias?

[harjit]

If people have this kind of subconscious bias based on appearances even towards their own children, what are the odds that they can treat their trans-racially adopted child no differently to if it was one of their own? I think it should be discouraged for the benefit of the children. Why should they be disadvantaged because of their adoptive parent's subconscious (or even conscious) bias?
I would suspect that families who adopt babies from different races would be above this kind of thing.

You truly are race-obsessed, much more than I had thought.

[Starr]

I would suspect that families who adopt babies from different races would be above this kind of thing.



It is a little difficult to be "above" what are natural feelings.

http://thephora.net/forum/showthread.php?t=12699

[harjit]

It is a little difficult to be "above" what are natural feelings.

http://thephora.net/forum/showthread.php?t=12699
I read it, it doesn't sound like much of a big deal at all.

She is writing an account of a miniscule aspect of her adoption experience, one that might be interesting to readers. Of course for racialists it might appear to be 95% of her story.

[Starr]

I read it, it doesn't sound like much of a big deal at all.

She is writing an account of a miniscule aspect of her adoption experience, one that might be interesting to readers. Of course for racialists it might appear to be 95% of her story.


It may sound weird but I think sometimes women like this feel like some great humanitarian for adopting a brown baby from some third world country. "look at how tolerant I am", this is probably why she felt it was so important to talk about her racist tendencies. "look at what I overcame and now I am such a great person":whip:

[Keystone]

This made me think of that article about trans-racial adoption you posted actually. If people have this kind of subconscious bias based on appearances even towards their own children, what are the odds that they can treat their trans-racially adopted child no differently to if it was one of their own? I think it should be discouraged for the benefit of the children. Why should they be disadvantaged because of their adoptive parent's subconscious (or even conscious) bias?
I know several people who've adopted kids of a different "color" and ethnicity and it makes no difference to them whatsoever. Those kids are loved and provided with a good home, and that's all that matters.

[Der Sozialist]

It is a little difficult to be "above" what are natural feelings.

http://thephora.net/forum/showthread.php?t=12699

Personally, I don’t think it matters. After all, from an evolutionary stand point, a person with a divergent (from the parent) phenotype is probably not related to you and therefore you are probably unlikely to feel any “altruistic” parental “love.” However, when someone adopts a child (regardless of race) s/he is already aware that this child is not biologically related to her/him.

I believe she (from your article) is obsessed with the skin pigmentation because that is the first and most clear indication that the child is not hers. However, if that child happened to have “white” skin then she would have probably complained about something else.

That is probably why stepfathers/stepmothers are often seen as villains (like in Cinderella). I can personally attest to this since I have lived with a stepfather and even though we were both “White” it still did not generate any “parental” affection between us. In truth, as long as my mother is happy, I don’t think he particularly cares what happens to me.

[funderbunked]

Why Are Attractive/Intelligent People treated better? Anyone got any ideas. It's a question I heard debated in Psychology class today. I'd appreciate anyones take on this.

Well, shee-it. This is one of the easiest/dumbest questions I've ever heard posed.

Answer: Intelligent people are more valuable to "society" than non-intelligent people; Attractive people are easily discerned and better to look at. Couple both together, an intelligent + attractive person is more valuable than those of another variety.

I really don't get your (stone-obvious/semi-rhetorical) question.

[Ahknaton]

I would suspect that families who adopt babies from different races would be above this kind of thing.
No-one can escape their biology.
You truly are race-obsessed, much more than I had thought.
It was a pertinent fact, and related to the topic. People make subconscious judgements about other people based on their appearance, even their own children.
I know several people who've adopted kids of a different "color" and ethnicity and it makes no difference to them whatsoever. Those kids are loved and provided with a good home, and that's all that matters.
I'm not making a judgement about them. Adopting a kid and raising them as your own is a praiseworthy thing to do. I don't judge single mothers either, but that doesn't change the fact that the two-parent family with a father and a mother is the ideal, and preferable to any other arrangement. Likewise, being raised by someone of your own race/background if not your biological parents is preferable to a trans-racial adoption, in my opinion.

[harjit]

It was a pertinent fact, and related to the topic.
Indeed it was, fair enough.

[harjit]

It may sound weird but I think sometimes women like this feel like some great humanitarian for adopting a brown baby from some third world country.
The reason is sounds weird is because it is.

Do you honestly think that is the primary motivation? If that is not what you mean then I apologize, but trivializing it to that point is profoundly insulting to the person.

Not that you (or her) would probably care, but not even giving people that bare minimum level of credit just doesn't come across well, sorry.

[Starr]

The reason is sounds weird is because it is.

Do you honestly think that is the primary motivation? If that is not what you mean then I apologize, but trivializing it to that point is profoundly insulting to the person.

Not that you (or her) would probably care, but not even giving people that bare minimum level of credit just doesn't come across well, sorry.


The primary motivation is that she wanted a child, however, I do believe what I said does play a role, sometimes with women like this. They believe they are doing some great thing and that makes them feel good about themselves. The last part plays an important part in many "good" acts. The article also said that one of her friends also adopted a child from India, and that also says some things right there.

[Kriger]

The primary motivation is that she wanted a child, however, I do believe what I said does play a role, sometimes with women like this. They believe they are doing some great thing and that makes them feel good about themselves. The last part plays an important part in many "good" acts. The article also said that one of her friends also adopted a child from India, and that also says some things right there.

It does carry connotations of someone adopting this poor child as a "thing to do", like collecting beanie babies.
Problem being, one can sell the beanie babies at the next yard sale. Human babies require a few more years of care before they can go it alone.
I wish the baby all the luck in the world. I have seen too many instances where interracial adoptions ended in a miserable life for the child. It is a rare and patient "parent" who can raise a child from another race successfully.
I myself would encourage parents of the same race to adopt, but that is just my opinion.

[Jimbo Gomez]

Because society recognizes our greater value. Duh.

[Ambrosio Spinola]

I only hire attractive females for my front desk and bar...brings in more $$$ and less bitching from the clientele. :D
For housekeeping its better to keep them "average" to "ugly" as a way to protect them from rapacious guests.

[Northern_Paladin]

This can't be explained by sexual attraction alone.

This is true. I mean I've made the observation that yes it seems even attractive guys get better treatment from other guys. Maybe it is sexual attraction? Perhaps its a way of the species to filter on and pass on the good genes. But It's been shown by scientific studies that are brains pleasure centers light up when we see an attractive face whether male or female. In other words it seems that are brain is hard wired for this kind of stuff. Also my professored described somethign called the HAlo affect and certain genetic prejudices is what he called it. He said we have a built in way of evaluating other people. The two most important things for guys of course are looks and height. Taller more attractive people tend to be better treated and more successfuly in life. It would seem that it couldn't b ea coincidence given the studies conducted on the subjects in question.



Because society recognizes our greater value. Duh.

That's very modest lol.:rofl:



Intelligent people? Because they can do more for you, if you get on the right side. Like helping you answer this psychology question, for example ;) And some other answers that are above are also relevant.

I'm on Selfish gene theory. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Selfish_gene The Selfish Gene by Richard Dawkins is where he basically proposes all we are are vehicles for our genes. And and physical appearance in general is controlled by genes.(though one can agrue enviroment to) Intelligence too is influenced by genes. The structure of the brain is based on genes. That could explain why people with similiar belief systems tend to stick together.

Is there actually any real scientific proof that attractive people are treated better?


Yeah there's studies on that. I once saw this Dateline NBC show where they did an experiement about this and attractive people have been shown to do better on job interviews. Lawyers deemed more attractive somehow become more persuasive to the jury. And criminals who are attractive tend to get lighter sentences.

[cyborg]

Wow. I find the first line of that article very disturbing... :(

A researcher at the University of Alberta has shown that parents are more likely to give better care and pay closer attention to good-looking children compared to unattractive ones.

In what way is a particular mechanism of natural selection disturbing? We would not even be communicationg right now if mechanisms like this never existed. It is fair to ask you why you regard an aspect of reality itself as distrubing. Should people who seek to deny or retreat from natural mechanisms be given any voice or power whatsoever in our society?

[Professor John Frink]

I would suspect that families who adopt babies from different races would be above this kind of thing.


I would have actually assumed that all parents would be "above this kind of thing".

[IlluSionS667]

Why Are Attractive/Intelligent People treated better? Anyone got any ideas.

People tend to look up towards intelligent people. In case of attractive people of the opposite sex, it's usually just a good feeling (similar to falling in love, but not as intense) that makes you want to have a chat with him or her. In case of attractive people of the same sex, it's usually to compare this person with yourself and figure out whether or not you have a reason to be jealous.

Further, many people also just tend to feel flattered when someone more attractive or intelligent than them actually is willing to talk with them.

Surely there's no advantage to treating someone else's attractive girlfriend better than someone else's ugly girlfriend, but people do anyway.

It can boost your self-esteem when a very attractive person of the other gender is having a chat with you. At the same time, you can also practice flirting.

They are given preferential treatment in employment, in social situations and obviously in terms of attracting a mate.

Good looks are probably instinctively linked to good genes, hence a good social partner or employee.

[Helios Panoptes]

I believe the "everyone wants the attractive girl" argument in general, but I've noticed that guys will suck up to an attractive girl even when there is absolutely no chance in hell that they will ever have more than a passing, temporary aquaintance with them, or when it's obvious that the girl is taken.

Surely there's no advantage to treating someone else's attractive girlfriend better than someone else's ugly girlfriend, but people do anyway.

There's always a chance they'll break up, and she'll become available or she's with someone else and available despite this, no? Even if the chance is slight in each individual case, one would likely still gain an advantage if he tried to present himself well to attractive members of the opposite gender over a lifetime. Furthermore, there's the whole social networking aspect. Also, it occurs to me that the behavior could be a vestige leftover from a time when pair-bonding was less solid and formalized.


Also, it's not just guys treating attractive women better, people treat individuals of either gender better (even their own) if they are attractive. This can't be explained by sexual attraction alone.

I am not sure. There is a theory that women tend to treat attractive women worse, not better; to knock them down, so to speak. There is actually a book about this from the perspective of evolutionary psychology, but I don't remember the title. It was a passing reference in a book on psychometrics that I read.

[Helios Panoptes]

I know several people who've adopted kids of a different "color" and ethnicity and it makes no difference to them whatsoever. Those kids are loved and provided with a good home, and that's all that matters.

How can you tell? It could be that their treatment of the children would be better if they were of the same ethnicity and even if they say it makes no difference, it really does. Further, you probably observe very little of the time spent with the children. I am not making the assertion that the speculation above is actually correct, but rather just that your own commentary is not scientific.

[Xvall]

Intelligent people are just better at getting you to do what they want for them.

[antibuddha]

[wrong thread]

[raven]

I don't necessarily treat attractive people better. If a girl was attractive but came off as a whore/bitch, I wouldn't. But if she was attractive and lady-like then yes. Though I'm not picky. I consider women who are more "homely" but have other qualities to make up for it (their personality). I dated one girl who I didn't really consider attractive though (one of those people that "grew on you") and it turned out to be a big mistake. Was one of those bitches who strayed away from good guys (such as myself) into the path of abusive pothead boyfriends. She didn't have much self-esteem so that sucked.

[gooddeath]

I disagree that intelligent people are necessarily treated better. Intelligent people who are so intelligent that they feel alienated, or those who believe in perhaps controversial subjects because of their intelligence are not treated better at all. The modern world is hell for the deeply intelligent. Everything is aimed towards the mass audiences. If anything, the world is designed for idiots rather than geniuses.