ABSTRACT
Physically attractive people elicit more favorable evaluations from others, and these positive trait impressions have significant social advantages. This attractiveness "halo effect" is derived from the adaptive value of responding to the valid fitness information that provides an instance of the sickness similarities overgeneralization effect. The traits on which the strength of the halo effect differs for men and women account for sex differences in some of the social consequences of attractiveness. The accuracy explanation has been put to the test in a systematic assessment of the correspondences between the attractiveness halo and people's actual traits as assessed by self-reports, personality and ability test scores, and behavioral observations. Analyses of "lonely hearts" have revealed that both sexes, but particularly men, seek the attribute of attractiveness in a prospective date and that both sexes, but particularly women, offer attractiveness. Attractive people of both sexes and all ages are perceived to have more positive traits.
