Women Skin Care and Beauty

Result of three studies examining the influence of non-physical traits on perception of physical attractiveness have revealed that physical appeal is perceived differently when looking at someone you know vs. a stranger.
Based on earlier studies, attractive physical traits include bilateral facial symmetry and ideal waist-to-hip ratios. But those studies only rated features seen at a glance; they overlooked non-physical traits that influence perception over time. And while it’s known that animals and people are attracted to those they see as “fit” relevant to survival and reproduction, in humans, the “fitness value of potential social partners depends at least as much on non-physical traits– whether they cooperative, dependable, brave, hardworking, intelligent and so on– as physical factors,” says co-author Kevin Kniffin, University of Wisconsin.

In the first study, participants rated people based on high school yearbook photos; one yearbook belonged to each participant.
In the second, members of a college team, as well as strangers, rated each team member.
In the third, students at an archeological excavation course rated each other on day one and six week later.

The result: A yearbook photo of someone recalled with distaste often got rated “ugly.” The sport team member considered the slacker was rated as ugly by the others, while the leader was viewed as physically attractive; strangers rated them equally attractive. And after the archeological dig, perceptions changed based on student interactions during the course.