“Don’t judge a book by its cover” has been a metaphorical quote to express that people should not judge others based on their looks but to look beyond their outer appearance. Physical appearance has played a major role in the dating world. Many studies have been conducted on both women and men on what attracts them to a potential mate. Research that has taken place over time, pin point what men and women are attracted to and how much physical appearance is factored in. Collectively, men are generally attracted to certain features on women physically as well as women are to men. Ultimately, physical appearance is the most important factor when it comes to dating. Each study that Patzer discusses in his book “Looks: Why They Matter More Than You Ever Imagined” has ultimately led to physical appearance being rated the highest factor when it comes to dating. Jennifer Eagan of “The New York Times Magazine” interviewed many online daters and through her research, she concluded that what the person looked like mattered more than the person’s values and common goals. Furthermore, “the major difference between the sexual strategies of men and women, then, is that women demand stability and commitment in a relationship, whereas men prefer variety” (Patzer 29). Due to this, women have been able to actuate variety by changing their physical appearance. The change of hair color and length, use of cosmetics, and a change in clothing are ways women have been able to become adept to what men want. Professors Ed Edmonds and Delwin Cahoon conducted a study to comprehend what clothing items women wore would sexually arouse men. Conclusively, women who seek male attraction will dress accordingly to induce male attraction. A study conducted by a te... ... middle of paper ... ...Fraley. "Adult Attachment and Dating Strategies: How Do Insecure People Attract Mates?" Personal Relationships 17.4 (2010): 599-614. Web. 14 Nov. 2013. . Menadier, Veronica H. "How Personality and Physical Attraction Lead to Possible Dating: A Reflection." Journal of Multidisciplinary Research (1947-2900) 4.2 (2012): 111-19. Web. 12 Nov. 2013. . Patzer, Gordon L. "Pass the Genes, Please: How Looks Drive Dating, Courtship, and Marriage." Looks: Why They Matter More Than You Ever Imagined. New York: AMACOM, 2008. 22-44. Print.
Women are told that in order to get anywhere in life they must constantly worry about their outer appearance. In Jennifer Weiner’s article, “When Can Women Stop Trying to Look Perfect?” she delves deeply into how today’s society women’s worth is based on how they look. Weiner believes that women who do not meet the standards of beauty do not have as many opportunities.
Physical Attractiveness And Courtship. Sexual Behaviour, I, 22-25 Walster, E. (1966) Importance Of Physical Attractiveness In Dating Behaviour. Journal Of Personality And Social Psychology, 4, 508-516 Wilson, G. (1983) QED:The Science Of Sexual Attraction, BBC Television.
There is a famous saying that states, “ we should not judge a book by its cover”, but oftentimes the first thing noticed on a person is their looks. One’s “physical beauty” strongly influences people’s first impressions of them. As a whole, we tend to assume that pretty people are more likeable and better people than those who are unattractive. Around the world, we believe that what is beautiful is good. There is a general consensus within a culture about what is considered physically appealing and beautiful. “Physical beauty” is associated with being more sociable, intelligent, and even socially skilled. Society shares this common notion of who has and who does not have “physical beauty”. Thus, “physical beauty”, as seen
“Beauty is not in the face; beauty is a light in the heart” (Kahlil). People focus more on the outward appearance instead of the inward appearance. One’s inward appearance is comprised of their character, values, morals, and the true nature of their heart. On the other hand, the outward appearance is composed of one’s dress and grooming. The inward and outward appearance determines whether or not a person is ugly or beautiful. The choices that we make also define whether or not one is ugly or beautiful; choices made in the past can sometimes be repeated in the future.
What is beauty? How do human beings decide who is attractive and who is not? Society is full of messages telling us what is beautiful, but what are those definitions based on? Do we consciously decide whom we are attracted to, or is biology somehow involved? The issue of beauty and how we define it has been studied for centuries. Scholars from all fields of study have searched for the "formula" for beauty. Darwin in his book The Descent of Man wrote, "It is certainly not true that there is in the mind of man any universal standard of beauty with respect to the human body. It is however, possible that certain tastes in the course of time become inherited, though I have no evidence in favor of this belief." (1) Science has tried to look at beauty beyond the conscious level. It has tried to determine what roles biology plays in human attraction. Scientists have discovered that symmetry and scent play a role in defining human attraction. (3) But while this can begin to explain beauty on the most basic of levels, what accounts for variations in the standard of beauty? The idea of beauty varies within different societies and communities. Do these cultural preferences have a biological basis? What is the relationship between biology and society in relation to the idea of beauty? How do they relate to each other, and how do they differ? In particular what role does science play in the preference that many societies, (in particular South Asian, East Asian, and North American Cultures), have for fairer skin?
on a scale from 1 to 3, the importance men gave to good looks rose from 1.50 to 2.11. But for women, the importance of good looks in men rose from 0.94 to 1.67. In other words, women in 1989 considered a man look’s more important than men considered women’s looks 50 years earlier
In the essay “What Meets the Eye”, Daniel Akst explains scientific facts about the beauty of men and women matters to people. He argues that attractive individuals receive attention, great social status, marries, and gets paid more on a job. One can disagree with Akst’s argument because anyone with the skills and knowledge, despite the appearance, can gain a decent relationship and can get paid well. Akst looks at beauty as if it can lead individuals to an amazing and successful life, but he is wrong. Nancy Mairs’ and Alice Walker’s views on beauty are explained internally and through self-confidence. Both women’s and Akst’s arguments on beauty share some similarities and differences in many ways, and an
It may seem obvious to some why people mate, however there are many facets to human mating. Psychology has shown that reasons for mating have gone beyond the scope of love and physical attractiveness. People may search for mates who resemble archetypical images of the opposite-sex parent, mates with characteristics that are either complementary or similar to one's own qualities, or mates with whom to make an exchange of valuable resources (Buss 238). Although these theories play a key role in understanding patterns in human mating preferences, evolutionary psychology and sexual selection theory provide more concrete frameworks for explaining human mating.
The perception of the "ideal beauty" is an arbitrary and abstract concept that is constantly being modified as a result of the times. People are influenced by the images they see in the media to determine what the ideal beauty is. The media is manipulative and deceptive in nature, and it continues to carry harmful suggestions about ideal beauty despite the concrete evidence of damaging effects to people of all ages. Fortunately, it seems there may be shifts in the media that are beginning to portray men and women more realistically.
Good physical appearance helps in building up flexible relationships. For example women who take care of their physical appearance manage to have a better relatio...
Our physical appearance counts all the time. It reflects who we are, how we carry ourselves, and how we represent the company we work for. All employers look for someone with a favorable appearance that sets a person to be competent, professional, and confident that will make an impact to their company. Either way we are judged by how we physically appear. Good appearance makes a person stand out among others especially when applying for a job. Besides having all the skills needed for the job, professional appearance helps a person to be noticed and recognized by employers. Physical appearance is also a factor of how a person feels about himself. Good appearance boosts self-confidence. It attracts positive energy which helps a person express oneself and makes others pay more attention to you.
Throughout history many researchers came up with ideas on what makes a person beautiful and what cause them to be unattractive. Plato, a famous philosopher, argued that the face that held the golden proportions was what made a person beautiful. “The width of the ideal face would be two –thirds its length and the nose no longer than the distance between the eyes” (Espejo 24). These are only a few things that make up the golden proportions. Researchers claim that averageness is what makes a person good looking (Espejo 24). However, according to Lisa DeBruine an experimental psychologist, “When it come to some key features, such as big eyes and small chins in women, being distinctly nonaverage can be better” (qtd. in Espejo 24). Big eyes and small chins are feminine traits. How masculine or how feminine a face is could determine how attractive the person is.
How many times have we heard or said the clique “don’t judge a book by it’s cover,” yet we focus so much of our attention on our physically appearance. Everyday we encounter images in the media that make us believe we have to look a certain way. Physical beauty is portrayed as important and essential in order to find love and acceptance. Although physical beauty is moderately important, it is less than inner beauty for it diminishes with age.
Retrieved June 9, 2015, from http://spr.sagepub.com/cgi/content/abstract/25/5/749 2. McFarland, Daniel A., Dan Jurafsky and Craig Rawlings. 2013. “Making the Connection: Social Bonding in Courtship Situations.” American Journal of Sociology 118 (6), 1596-1649.
The first and most popular interpretation of the word “beauty” is seen as outer appearance. On that perception, “beauty” and “attractiveness” have a significant difference even though they are word cousins. A beautiful looking person may be attractive, but an attractive person does not need to be beautiful. One person may look at someone beautiful with “deep satisfaction in the mind” because that person admire how beautiful the other is. Someone, who is not striking beautiful looking, may attract other people just by how they express their personalities. The others who are attracted to that particular individual because they feel connected, happy, and comfortable around that person. While attractiveness may result in long lasting relationships, physical beauty only brings short term pleasant feeling in the mind. Yet, beauty as outer look conquers many societies around the world. For instance, American culture tends to value the way a person look. That value is transmitted from one generation to the next by families, peers, and media in the process of enculturation. Young children come to adapt ways of thinking and feeling about physical beauty from their families first. The show