Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

The effects of physical and vocal attractiveness on impression formation of politicians

Current Psychology volume 25, pages 15–27 (2006)Cite this article

Abstract

In order to investigate the nature of the combination of varying levels of vocal and physical attractiveness on the perception of hypothetical political candidates, 90 adults rated photographs of target politicians on scales for the dimensions of competency, trustworthiness, qualification, and leadership ability. It was hypothesized and confirmed that the halo effect (higher ratings for highly attractive targets) elicited by physical attractiveness is stronger and more robust than the halo effect elicited by vocal attractiveness; however vocal attractiveness did impact the perception of the candidates by lowering the ratings associated with candidates that were presented as highly attractive but possessing an unattractive voice.

This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution.

Access options

Buy single article

Instant access to the full article PDF.

USD 39.95

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

References

  • Adams, G.R. (1977). Physical attractiveness research: Toward a developmental social psychology of beauty. Human Development, 20, 217–239.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Adams, G.R. (1982). Physical attractiveness. In A.G. Miller (Ed.), In the eye of the beholder: Contemporary issues in stereotyping (pp. 253–304). New York: Praeger.

    Google Scholar 

  • Alley, T.R., & Hildebrandt, K.A. (1988). Determinants and consequences of facial aesthetics. In T.R. Alley (Ed.), Social and applied aspects of perceiving faces (pp. 101–140). Hillsdale, NJ: Erlbaum.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ashmore, R.D., & Del Boca, F.K. (1979). Sex stereotypes and implicit personality theory: Toward a cognitive-social psychological conceptualization. Sex Roles, 5, 219–248.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Banaji, M.R., & Hardin, CD. (1996). Automatic stereotyping. Psychological Science, 7, 136–141.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Berry, D.S. (1992). Vocal types and stereotypes: Joint effects of vocal attractiveness and vocal maturity on person perception. Journal of Nonverbal Behavior, 16, 41–54.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Berscheid, E., & Walster, E. (1974). Physical attractiveness. In L. Berkowitz (Ed.), Advances in experimental social psychology (Vol. 7, pp. 157–215). New York: Academic Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bull, R., & Rumsey, N. (1988). The social psychology of facial appearance. New York: Springer-Verlag.

    Google Scholar 

  • Cash, T.F. (1990). The psychology of physical appearance: Aesthetics, attributes, and images. In T. Cash & T. Pruzinsky (Eds.), Body Images: Development, deviance, and change (pp. 51–79). New York: Guilford Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Dion, K, Berscheid, E., & Walster, E. (1972). What is beautiful is good. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 24, 285–290.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Eagly, A.H., Ashmore, R.D., Makhijani, M.G., & Longo, L.C. (1991). What is beautiful is good, but...: A meta-analytic review of research on the physical attractiveness stereotype. Psychological Bulletin, 110, 109–128.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Efran, M. & Patterson, E. (1974). Voters vote beautiful: The effect of physical appearance on a national debate. Canadian Journal of Behavioral Science, 6, 352–356.

    Google Scholar 

  • Feingold, A. (1992). Good-looking people are not what we think. Psychological Bulletin, 111, 304–341.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ilffe, A. (1960). A study of preferences in feminine beauty. British Journal of Psychology, 51, 267–273.

    Google Scholar 

  • Locher, P., Unger, R., Sociedade, P., & Wahl, J. (1993). At first glance: Accessibility of the physical attractiveness stereotype. Sex Roles, 28, 729–743.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lodge, M., Steenbergen, M.R., & Brau, S. (1995). The responsive voter: Campaign information and the dynamics of candidate evaluation. American Political Science Review, 89, 309–326.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Miyake, K., & Zuckerman, M. (1993). Beyond personality impressions: Effects of physical and vocal attractiveness on false consensus, social comparison, affiliation, and assumed and perceived similarity. Journal of Personality, 61, 411–437.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • O'Keefe, D.J. (1990).“Persuasion: Theory of Research. Newbury Park, CA: Sage Publications.

    Google Scholar 

  • Petty, R.E., & Cacioppo, J.T. (1986). Communication and persuasion: Central and peripheral routes to attitude change. New York: Springer-Verlag.

    Google Scholar 

  • Riggle, E.D., Ottati, V.C., Wyer, R.S., Kuklinski, J., & Schwarz, N. (1992). Bases of political judgments: The role of Stereotypie and nonstereotypic information. Political Behavior, 14, 67–87.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Rosenthal, R., Hall, J.A., DiMatteo, M.R., Rogers, P.L., & Archer, D. (1979). Sensitivity to nonverbal communication: The PONS test. Baltimore, MD: Johns Hopkins Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Sears, D. (1968). Political behavior. In G. Lindzey & E. Aronson (Eds.). Handbook of Social Psychology: Vol 5 (2nd edition, pp. 315–458). Reading, MA: Addison-Wesley Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Synder, M., Tanke, E.D., & Berscheid, E. (1977). Social perception and interpersonal behavior: On the self-fulfilling nature of social stereotypes. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 35, 656–666.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Terry, R. & Davis, J. (1976). Components of facial attractiveness. Perceptual and Motor Skills, 42, 562.

    Google Scholar 

  • Udry, R. (1965). Structural correlates of feminine beauty preferences in Britain and the U.S.: A comparison. Sociology and Social Research, 49, 330–342.

    Google Scholar 

  • Zuckerman, M. & Driver, R.E. (1989). What sounds beautiful is good: the vocal attractiveness stereotype. Journal of Nonverbal Behavior, 13, 67–82.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Zuckerman, M., Hodgins, H., & Miyake, K. (1993). Precursors of interpersonal expectations: The vocal and physical attractiveness stereotypes. In P.D. Blanck (Ed.), Interpersonal expectations: Theory, research, and applications, (pp.194–217). New York: Cambridge University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Zuckerman, M., Hodgins, H., & Miyake, K. (1990). The vocal attractiveness stereotype: replication and elaboration. Journal of Nonverbal Behavior, 14, 97–112.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Zuckerman, M., & Miyake, K. (1993). The attractive voice: What makes it so? Journal of Nonverbal Behavior, 17, 119–135.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Zuckerman, M., Miyake, K., & Hodgins, H. (1991). Cross-channel effects of vocal and physical attractiveness and their implications for interpersonal perception. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 60, 545–554.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Saint Anselm College, USA

    Melissa K. Surawski & Elizabeth P. Ossoff

Authors
  1. Melissa K. Surawski
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Elizabeth P. Ossoff
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Melissa K. Surawski.

Additional information

This work was sponsored by the Jean D. Smith Center for Democracy and Citizenship at the New Hampshire Institute of Politics at Saint Anselm College. We are grateful to Donald Bucolo for helpful comments.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and Permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Surawski, M.K., Ossoff, E.P. The effects of physical and vocal attractiveness on impression formation of politicians. Curr Psychol 25, 15–27 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12144-006-1013-5

Download citation

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12144-006-1013-5

Keywords

search

Navigation