Abstract

This study examined the effect of physical attractiveness on interpersonal perception and impression judgment in Koreans. In Experimentl, subjects examined photographs (face) of a man and a woman whose face was either highly attractive, moderately attractive or unattractive. Subjects then evaluated the personality characteristics and role effectiveness of the target person in family and job situations, and indicated the degree with which subjects would be satisfied at the possible relationship with the target person as a friend, employee, date and spouse. Experiment2 reexmined the effect of physical attractiveness as well as whether individual differences in self-monitoring and sex-role type influenced the effect of physical attractivencess on impression judgment. The results of both experiments demonstrated that physically attractive women were perceived as being sociable, extrovert, rather cold, unkind, and vain. The results also showed that people evaluated physically attractive women as less effective in their role in home and job situations, and as less desirable as friends and employees- than less attractive women. However, subjects rated the target person more desirable as a date or a spouse, the more attractive she was. In contrast to the evaluation regarding female targets, the evaluation toward male targets demonstrated a halo effect of physical attractiveness. Physically attractive males were perceived as being sociable, extrovert, confident, warm and kind. They were also evaluated as more effective in their role in home and job situations, and more desirable as friends, employees, dates and spouses than unattractive males. These cultural differences in the effect of physical attractiveness were discussed as implicating the cultural-specific face prototypes, which might affect interpersonal evaluation and judgment.