Pacific Standard March-April 2013 Cover

Republicans Like Candidates Who Look Republican

January 10, 2012 • By • Leave a Comment
Republican Candidate Test

Will the Republican who wins the New Hampshire primary be the candidate with the most money, the best message, or … the most Republican mug? While no scientifically proven criteria exists for what makes a politician look like a Republican, plenty of people seem to think they can spot a party affiliation on a candidate’s face. Maybe it’s something in the eyebrows, or the cheekbones, or the cast of a jaw line (or insert your humorous observation here). Whatever it is people are responding to, new research suggests that looking like a Republican may help politicians win over Republican ... Read More

More like this: Politics, The Idea Lobby
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Cling to Youthful Appearance, Annoy Actual Youth

February 16, 2011 • By • Leave a Comment

Have you dyed your hair lately? Had some wrinkles removed with a Botox injection? Perhaps considered plastic surgery? If so, it’s certainly understandable. Our youth-oriented society has, at best, an ambivalent attitude toward advanced age. If you’re seeking either a job or a mate, it makes intuitive sense to look as young and vibrant as possible. But newly published research suggests this approach can backfire. University of Kansas psychologists Alexander Schoemann and Nyla Branscombe report older adults who attempt to look youthful “are disliked, and face disapproval, from young ... Read More

More like this: Culture, Culture & Society, Findings, NEWS
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Beauty Leads to a Closer Look

November 10, 2010 • By • Leave a Comment

As we recently reported, the beauty-is-good stereotype is alive and well, perpetuated in part by the heroes and villains of Disney animated films. But politically correct parents shouldn’t discard those DVDs just yet. While the dangers of automatically equating good looks with virtue are obvious, newly published research finds a potentially positive aspect to this dynamic. It suggests we judge good-looking people not only more favorably, but more accurately. That is, our quick-read analysis of their personalities is more likely to be in line with their own self-assessment. “Overall, ... Read More

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Hungry Men Love Larger Ladies

September 28, 2009 • By • Leave a Comment

A man's image of the perfect romantic partner varies depending upon whether he is feeling hungry. That's the conclusion of a newly published study, which finds peckish males prefer females who are heavier, taller and older. The research, published in the Journal of Social, Evolutionary and Cultural Psychology, confirms and expands upon two previous papers: a 2005 study that concluded heavier women are preferred in cultures with scarce resources, and a 2006 British study that found hunger influences judgments of female physical attractiveness. The latter report, in the British Journal of ... Read More

More like this: Culture, Culture & Society, Findings
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Young Metrosexuals Get Better Grades

May 6, 2009 • By • 1 Comment

Do your teenagers spend a lot of time primping in front of the mirror in an attempt to look their best? If so, rejoice: They may be hogging the bathroom, but the results are well worth it. According to newly published research, well-groomed high school students have higher grade point averages than their slovenly classmates. In a new study published in the journal Labour Economics, a team led by sociologist Michael T. French of the University of Miami examined the impact of physical attractiveness, personality and grooming on high schoolers' cumulative GPA. They used data from the National ... Read More

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Face Time: Voters Young and Old Judge By Looks

March 31, 2009 • By • Leave a Comment

In a study recently published in the journal Science, John Antonakis, professor of organizational behavior at the University of Lausanne in Switzerland, and his graduate student Olaf Dalgas found that both adults and children as young as 5 are able to predict the outcomes of elections purely on the basis of the candidates' appearance. (This dovetails with research Miller-McCune.com reported recently, which found that Sarah Palin's good looks likely hurt her campaign. And we've also noted that, at least in the world of consumption, snap decisions may be the best ones.)The researchers first ... Read More

More like this: Findings
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