Rethinking One of Psychology’s Most Infamous Experiments
Read:
• Chapter 11
• Rethinking One of Psychology’s Most Infamous Experiments: https://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2015/01/rethinking-one-of-psychologys-most-infamous-experiments/384913/
Watch:
• Social Thinking: https://youtu.be/h6HLDV0T5Q8
• Fundamental Attribution Error: https://youtu.be/Z9OF3wHDw0M
• A Lesson in Cognitive Dissonance: https://youtu.be/korGK0yGIDo
• 3 Videos on Conformity and Compliance:
o https://youtu.be/VgDx5g9ql1g
o https://youtu.be/oBNoa4c7J6I
o https://youtu.be/bzJ_GAMzAnM
• Primetime Webcast – A Touch of Evil: https://youtu.be/HwqNP9HRy7Y
• Prejudice and Discrimination: https://youtu.be/7P0iP2Zm6a4
• Diffusion of Responsibility: https://youtu.be/_bUxJzTtnC4
• The Halo Effect: https://youtu.be/UEho_4ejkNw
Assignment:
You have been reading about the beauty bias and the halo effect. Please answer the questions below:
1. Have you ever encountered this beauty bias in your life or in the lives of people you know? Provide an example.
2. What are some advantages of the beauty bias? What are some disadvantages of the beauty bias?
3. Do you think there is a point where a person is “too” attractive and the halo effect is not true? Provide an example.
4. Some people think that attractive people do not have to work or try as hard as unattractive people. Do you think this is true? Why or why not?
5. Do attractive people realize their “power”? Do they realize that they are getting perks?
Sample Solution
Yes, I have encountered beauty bias in my life and in the lives of people I know. Beauty bias is defined as “discrimination based on physical appearance” (Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy 2021). An example of this that I have personally experienced occurred recently when a friend of mine was offered a job over me despite having less relevant work experience than myself. After discussing the situation with her, she revealed that the hiring manager had commented on how attractive she was during the interview, suggesting that he may have been more likely to offer her the job because of this rather than considering both candidates’ qualifications objectively.
This incident highlights how beauty bias can affect employment opportunities for individuals from different backgrounds. Research has found that those with more traditionally attractive features are more likely to be hired or receive higher salaries than their less attractive counterparts (Robinson & Temple 2007). This type of discrimination can lead to significant inequality across gender and racial lines as certain demographics are seen as being more desirable due to their physical appearance while others are overlooked regardless of any applicable skills they might possess (Steele 2017).
Beauty bias also affects interactions within social circles and day-to-day activities such as shopping or dining out; those who appear conventionally attractive often receive preferential treatment which can leave those deemed unattractive feeling marginalized or excluded (Sharma et al., 2019). This behavior reinforces negative stereotypes about certain groups and contributes to overall inequality in society by encouraging prejudice towards particular demographic segments based solely on their physical characteristics.
In conclusion, beauty bias is a form of discrimination that inflicts serious harm across many areas of life including employment prospects, access to goods/services, and even friendships. As members of society it is important that we all strive to recognize our own biases related to attractiveness so we can start making positive changes towards equality for everyone.
