Dress, Appearance, and Diversity in US Part II Dress and Marginalized Communities Chapter 10 Beauty and Attractiveness

10 . BEAUTY AND ATTRACTIVENESS Module Learning Objectives ( In this chapter , you will Identify foundational concepts related to beauty , attractiveness , identity , appearance , and dress . Identify the ways beauty and perceptions of attractiveness influence people experiences . Identify the aspects of facial appearance that contribute to perceptions of attractiveness . Identify how people alter their bodies when they do not think they are attractive or meet cultural beauty ideals . LO Identify factors that influence why people alter their bodies when they do not think they are attractive or meet a specific beauty ideal . Identify people experiences related to meeting the ideals of beauty or perceptions of attractiveness . Examine social justice issues related to dress , appearance , and interpretations of beauty and attractiveness in the United States . Analyze how dress , appearance , and concepts of beauty and attractiveness in the United States are represented in the fashion system ( advertisements or retailers ) Deconstruct your own perspectives and approaches to understanding dress , appearance , beauty , and attractiveness in the United States . Identify the driving forces of transformative social justice change in the fashion system related to beauty and attractiveness in the United States . Beauty Is Good Stereotype In US society , as well as in many other cultures , attractive people are assumed to be sociable

BEAUTY AND ATTRACTIVENESS I 100 likable intelligent likely to succeed in a job likely to succeed in relationships ( Dion , 1972 ) Physical attractiveness seems to have a halo influences to assume that an attractive person holds a network of positive qualities . In this case , a positive stereotype is applied . Research indicates that this positive halo for attractiveness is pervasive , or held throughout US society . Traits that are considered physically unattractive , such as obesity is currently defined , act as a stigma to elicit a stereotype of negative qualities . For example , research indicates that obese individuals are more likely to be perceived as lazy lacking in not intelligent and a host of other negative things ( Jasper , 1990 ) However , these qualities are not to a greater extent in obese individuals .

101 I BEAUTY AND ATTRACTIVENESS , National Geographic Adventurer of the Year for 2018 , is an runner . Image Source Jenny Nicholas Sarah Menzies , BY SA According to ( 1965 ) the halo effect for attractiveness happens when Beauty is a reward because it is aesthetically pleasing . is desirable to possess . Attractive women , in particular , are seen as rewards or trophies for successful men . reflects positively on associates or friends of an attractive person . Research finds that if an attractive person is willing to hang out with someone , the halo effect rubs offa little on the partner or friend ofthe attractive in cases in which a man is romantically connected with a beautiful woman he is seen as more powerful or effective if he can attract such a woman . Beauty lends power because it attracts . holds attention , though not always to what someone is saying . opens doors of Attractive people get invited places so that others can have the rewarding or aesthetic experience of being around them .

BEAUTY AND ATTRACTIVENESS I 102 Beauty is possibly a prophecy Positive reinforcement from others throughout society affects attractive people and esteem positively over time . It is helpful to one to get so much positive feedback and validation of . There is some evidence that attractive people actually tend to be more sociable and outgoing and more than the average person . This does not mean that less attractive people can not be and sociable . However , highly attractive people are given such positive responses by others that it may be easier for them to develop these traits . Symbolic Interaction Process and Body Satisfaction The people in our lives influence how we feel about our bodies . One study found that among older married couples , each spouses had a substantial impact on how the felt about their own attractiveness . Oh and ( 2009 ) studied 94 heterosexual married couples 60 years and older who lived in Florida . A good predictor of a man or woman body satisfaction was what he or she believed his or her spouse thought about his or her attractiveness . But the best predictor of the older men and women body satisfaction was what the spouse actually thought about his or her attractiveness .

103 I BEAUTY AND ATTRACTIVENESS Image Source Clearly , when someone takes on the role of the other to interpret how that other might think about the self , the interpretations can influence how one assesses or the self . In a close relationship such as a marriage , spouses serve as mirrors for each other to define , to some extent , the self . But even when a person is not totally aware of what the other thinks , the way a spouse acts and verbally toward his or her mate over time has a profound influence on feelings of attractiveness and body satisfaction . Cultural Influences on How We Think About the Body Cheng ( 2000 ) studied 209 immigrant Chinese Americans living throughout the United States for body satisfaction and perceptions of attractiveness . In many Asian cultures , the spiritual and abstract qualities of personality and physical functioning are as important as or more important than appearance characteristics in assessing attractiveness . In the United States , emphasis on thinness for women and muscle development for men , as well as facial characteristics , are highly important standards for physical attractiveness . We emphasize surface qualities over internal qualities . As people acculturate to a new culture , they may adopt ways of thinking about attractiveness from the new culture .

BEAUTY AND ATTRACTIVENESS I 104 Faces and Attraction Faces convey a significant amount of information about a person , including their various identities , such as sex , gender , ethnicity , race , and mood or emotion . The face is also one avenue through which judgements are made . That is , we have first impression of people based on , and we make within seconds of meeting a person . Based on our impression of someone , we change our attitude and behavior toward this person ( Lennon , Johnson , Rudd , 2017 ) Overall , individuals perceived as attractive receive unearned advantages . And , conversely , unattractive people experience significant discrimination due to the sizes and shapes of their facial features . This result has been found repeatedly in numerous studies . That is , attractive people are given more awards make more money are perceived as smarter , more competent , be more , happier are given more attention are more likely to be elected to office and generally have more positive interactions than those who are seen as markedly attractive ( Lennon , johnson , Rudd , 2017 ) Theories of Attraction The first theory of attraction is sexual dimorphism , which refers to the physical features that are determined to be associated with men or women or masculinity or femininity . In numerous studies , researchers found that women who have more feminine features to be more attractive and men who have more masculine features ( a hard jawline , for instance ) are rated as more attractive ( Rhode , 2006 ) The second theory is the theory of average faces . In this theory , researchers found that those faces that are more average to be more attractive . You can view an example of face that are more average on the Face Research website ( The last theory refers to facial symmetry those faces that are more symmetrical are rated as more attractive ( Lennon , Johnson , Rudd , 2017 ) Attraction and the Beauty Industry There is a significant amount of bias against people who do not meet the appearance attractiveness standard . The bias toward appearing attractive , being treated better simply because the size and shape of ones facial features , has created a beauty industry . The cosmetic and plastic surgery industries have contributed to and upheld ideal beauty standards ( American of Plastic Surgeons 2017 Rhode , 2010 Ridder 2021 ) It is no surprise , then , that the fashion industry is aware of the advantage and has employed attractive models , as these models sell more products .

105 I BEAUTY AND ATTRACTIVENESS . ST I , I II I I . Mun Instantly White skin lightening cream ( Image used under fair use for demonstrative purposes ) Fitch Fitch is a fashion company that began in the century ( Fitch 2021 ) It sells products in numerous categories , including menswear , and . The company has frequently , in the recent century , been in the news for a variety of issues , including its print catalog , which featured models in sexualized positions . Additionally , it has a history of discriminatory hiring practices ( Walters 2016 ) In 2006 , Mike Jeffries , the company CEO , stated publicly , A lot of people do belong in our clothes . why we hire people in our stores people attract other people , and we want to market to cool , people . We do market to anyone other than that ( The Fashion Law ) Jeffries was hired to overhaul the brand after company went bankrupt in 1992 . His tactics of hiring beautiful people were to help revamp the company ad increase sales . His strategy was a success it increased sales and profit .

BEAUTY AND ATTRACTIVENESS I 106 The company also instituted a looks policy it regulated employees appearances , including length and color of hair , women makeup , and fingernail length . In other words , the company hired retail employees as it would models it put employees in its retail stores based on their appearance rather than their ability to perform job functions . Any person of color ( Asian , Black , was confined to the stockroom and not out on the selling floor , because they did not have a particular look . This issue is a complex one , and while we read the example in the facial attractiveness module , other intersecting identities certainly experiencing discrimination here , such as race and body size . One or more interactive elements has been excluded from this version of the text . You can view them online here To view a transcript for the video above , download this file 60 MIN Fitch Racism Controversy Video Transcript DOC

107 BEAUTY AND ATTRACTIVENESS References , 1965 ) The social animal ( San Francisco Freeman . Cheng , 2000 ) Acculturation and cultural value of immigrant Chinese Americans Effects on body image , aesthetics for appearance , and involvement in dress . Unpublished doctoral dissertation , Iowa State University , Ames . Dion , 1972 ) What is beautiful is good . Journal of Social Psychology , 24 , Fisher , 1968 ) Body image . In ( Ed . International encyclopedia of the social sciences ( Vol . New York Macmillan . 1985 ) Ethical considerations for the fashion industry . In Solomon ( Ed . The Psychology of Fashion ( Lexington , MA Lexington Books . 1968 ) Stigma Notes on the management identity . Penguin . Jasper , 1990 ) Stereotypical beliefs about appearance Implications for retailing and consumer issues . Perceptual and Motor Skills , 71 , Lennon , Johnson , Rudd , 2017 ) Social psychology of dress . London . Ogle , 2004 ) Constructing and deconstructing the body malleable through interactions . Sociological Inquiry , 74 ( Oh , 2009 ) of body image among older married couples . Body image , Rhode , 2010 ) The beauty bias The injustice in life and law . Oxford Oxford University Press . Rhode , 2006 ) The evolutionary psychology of facial beauty . Annual Review Psychology ,

BEAUTY AND ATTRACTIVENESS 108 Beauty and Attractiveness Case Study Step One Become familiar with the case study . The case study attached below is a Word document and can be downloaded . It includes the task , evaluation , and template for the case study and Attractiveness Case Study Step Two Submit your complete assignment on Canvas . Format your document . Remember to check the submission against the rubric .