ABSTRACT

Social scientists can be indifferent to the most basic things. We wonder about the causes of social phenomena, deduce or infer hypotheses, and then design elaborate tests. Socially and politically, "the benefits of attractiveness are seen from birth onward. Beautiful babies and children attract more attention, assistance, social interaction, tolerance, and gifts—from complete strangers as well as friends and family. Attractive men and women are noticed and stand out from their peers from an early age onward, are more readily remembered, and thus accumulate social capital at a relatively rapid rate. In the 1970s, social psychologists picked up on the importance of physical attractiveness and began doing experiments. Studies in criminology have also shown that unattractive offenders are punished more harshly and cited with more serious offenses than attractive ones.