Physical attractiveness is an important social factor in our daily interactions. Scholars in social psychology provide evidence that attractiveness stereotypes and the “halo effect” are prominent in affecting the traits we attribute to others. However, the interest in attractiveness has not directly filtered down to questions of political behavior beyond candidates and elites. Utilizing measures of attractiveness across multiple surveys, we examine the relationship between attractiveness and political beliefs. Controlling for socioeconomic status, we find that more attractive individuals are more likely to report higher levels of political efficacy, identify as conservative, and identify as Republican. These findings suggest an additional mechanism for political socialization that has further implications for understanding how the body intertwines with the social nature of politics.
How to translate text using browser tools
1 September 2017
Effects of physical attractiveness on political beliefs
Rolfe Daus Peterson,
Carl L. Palmer
ACCESS THE FULL ARTICLE
It is not available for individual sale.
This article is only available to subscribers.
It is not available for individual sale.
It is not available for individual sale.
Politics and the Life Sciences
Vol. 36 • No. 2
Fall 2017
Vol. 36 • No. 2
Fall 2017
halo effects
ideology
Physical attractiveness
political beliefs
political efficacy
political socialization