Quantitative Laboratory Report on The effect of perceived physical attractiveness on the estimated annual salary they are attributed.

Essay by xjennaxUniversity, Bachelor'sB-, May 2006

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The effect of men's perceived physical attractiveness on the estimated annual salary bracket they are attributed.

Abstract -

This study investigated the effect of physical attractiveness on estimated annual salary. To find opposite ends of physical attractiveness a pre-experiment was used and the two conditions were formed. 'Physically attractive' and 'Physically unattractive'. 20 participants estimated the annual salary of each extreme and it was found that when perceived as physically attractive you are estimated to earn in a higher annual salary bracket than when your perceived as physically unattractive - in this case when you are a man. The results were found to be significant and so supported the hypothesis that those perceived to be physically attractive would be estimated to earn in a higher annual salary bracket than those perceived as physically unattractive. Thus also supporting the past research by Hamermesh and Biddle (1994b) and their claim for the existence of the 'beauty premium' (1994a).

Introduction -

The vast body of research into physical attractiveness has resulted in the general consensus that being perceived as physically attractive has a significant positive effect on many aspects of life. Dubbed the "beauty premium" by Hamermesh and Biddle (1994a). Studies which found these positive effects include Hosoda,Stone-Romero and Coats (2003) an experiment that found physically attractive people have a better chance of getting promoted in the occupational domain than physically unattractive people. This research is supported by Watkins, Lucy M. & Johnston, Lucy (2000) who found attractiveness has a positive effect when the job applications are mediocre. The attractive applicant was evaluated more positively than a control who did not include a photo in their application. This however may be due to the fact there was no picture at all for the control not that the successful applicant was attractive - maybe...