Physical Attractiveness Stereotype in Causal Attributions for Socially Undesirable Behavior

Bibliographic Data

ID13663283
AuthorsJohn C Fredricks (Syracuse University, corresponding author), Sidney J Arenson
Year1992
Volume70
Issue1
Pages115-115
Publication date1992-01-01
Open AccessNo
TypeARTICLE
VenuePsychological Reports (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 0033-2941 • E-ISSN: 1558-691X
PublisherSAGE Publishing (PUBLISHER • US)
DOI10.2466/pr0.70.1.115-123
OpenAlexW4241180531
LanguageEN
References cited4

Causal attributions for socially undesirable behavior performed by physically attractive and unattractive stimulus persons were investigated among 144 men and women respondents. An attributional bias was predicted such that upon learning that a person has engaged in socially undesirable behavior in the context of a pattern of low consensus, low distinctiveness, and high consistency information, respondents would make more internal attributions for unattractive than for attractive persons. It was also predicted that respondents exposed to a pattern of high consensus, high distinctiveness, and high consistency information would make more external attributions for attractive than for unattractive individuals. These predictions were not confirmed. Although there was evidence for stereotyping of physical attractiveness, respondents (72 male and 72 female undergraduates) indicated no bias in the causal attributions made for the behavior of individuals differing in attractiveness. These findings suggest a limitation of the generality of the stereotype of physical attractiveness

Attractiveness · Attribution · Consistency (knowledge bases · Developmental psychology · Generality · Optimal distinctiveness theory · Perception · Physical attractiveness · Social perception · Stereotype (UML · Consumer Behavior in Brand Consumption and Identification · Evolutionary Psychology and Human Behavior · Media, Gender, and Advertising · Psychology · Social and Intergroup Psychology · Social Psychology

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