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Social, developmental and health correlates of ‘attractiveness’ in adolescence
Author(s) -
Macintyre Sally,
West Patrick
Publication year - 1991
Publication title -
sociology of health and illness
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.146
H-Index - 97
eISSN - 1467-9566
pISSN - 0141-9889
DOI - 10.1111/1467-9566.ep11340769
Subject(s) - physical attractiveness , attractiveness , respondent , psychology , social psychology , attribution , developmental psychology , cohort , social class , maturity (psychological) , interview , sociology , medicine , law , political science , anthropology , psychoanalysis
This paper suggests a possible link between two different bodies of research. The first is sociological and social epidemiological research which has demonstrated associations between social circumstance and various indicators of health and development; the second is experimental social‐psychological research which has demonstrated that perceived physical attractiveness is associated with the attribution of socially desirable character traits. Multivariate analysis of data from a cohort of a thousand 15 year olds in the West of Scotland shows that physical attractiveness as rated by three independent interviewers was associated with higher household social class, owner occupied housing, physical maturity, height, clear speech, and not wearing glasses. Females who were relatively light for their height were rated more attractive; this was not the case for males. Sex of interviewer and of respondent was associated with attractiveness ratings. It is intended that future contacts with this cohort be used to examine whether attractiveness ratings at 15 predict trajectories through educational, employment, and marriage ‘markets’.