We live in a society in which messages associating physical attractiveness with success and happiness are pervasive.This book gives a detailed, authoritative account of research, policy, and practice in psychological aspects of appearance, including the role of the media in shaping people's attitudes and behaviors towards appearance.
This book is an overview of current understanding of appearance-related concerns and distress in the general population and among those with acquired or congenital disfigurements such as burns, clefts of the lip and/or palate, scarring and acne.Exploring the psychosocial factors which are protective and those which exacerbate distress, The Psychology of Appearance offers a vision of a comprehensive approach to support and intervention and addresses the following questions.
Several years ago Coleman (1981) reported that in 1979 one of the many in ternational cosmetics companies had an annual sales figure of $2. 38 billion, nearly 1. 25 million sales representatives, and over 700 products, the majority of these being for the face. Cash and Cash (1982) noted that in 1979 U. S. consumers spent over $4 million on cosmetic products. They stated that, "Although this practice would seem to be a fascinating aspect of human be havior on the basis of its generality and resilience, social-behavioral scientists have largely ignored the phenomenon so plainly (or pleasingly) in front of their eyes. " Why should people be so concerned with their facial appearance? Many psychologists have argued (e. g. , Kleck & Rubenstein, 1975) not only that facial information is usually the first that is available to the perceiver, but also that it is continuously available during social interaction. Maruyama and Miller (1981) stated that "appearance is often the first dimension upon which a stranger can be evaluated. Since people tend to see others as integrated and consistent units, rather than as collections of situation-specific behaviors, a potent and immediately evident basis for an evaluation, such as physical appearance, should intrude into and affect any overall and subsequent evalua tion.
This book examines two kinds of research, research in social psychology and in clinical psychology, into the effects of physical appearance on person perception. Both are explored with the objective of identifying gender similarities and differences on the effects of physical appearance. The theoretical framework for integrating the two approaches is presented, with implications of this framework for future research, social change, and psychotherapy. The book demonstrates that gender must be considered in research on physical appearance effects.
Discusses the origins and nature of self-monitoring describes examples of high and low self-monitoring, and explains how it affects personal relationships, social behavior, and performance in the workplace
Appearance-related concerns and distress are experienced by a significant proportion of people with visible disfigurements, and are also reaching epidemic proportions in the general population. In the light of these developments, this book includes: A comprehensive summary and critical evaluation of research and understanding concerning the psychology of appearance A historical review of research to date A review of the methodological challenges for researchers in this area An overview of current understanding of appearance-related concerns and distress in the general population and among those with acquired or congenital disfigurements such as burns, clefts of the lip and/or palate, scarring and acne Exploring the psychosocial factors which are protective and those which exacerbate distress, The Psychology of Appearance offers a vision of a comprehensive approach to support and intervention and addresses the following questions: Are attractive people at an advantage in life? What are the challenges presented by having a visibly different appearance? What are the psycho-social factors playing a part in individual differences in levels of adjustment and distress in relation to appearance? How can interventions meet the needs of those affected? The Psychology of Appearance provides essential reading for psychology students, health and clinical psychologists, health professionals, employers and policy makers interested in the ramifications of appearance concerns.
A single glance at our clothing reveals a wealth of information about how we perceive ourselves, each other, and our place in society. In this classic text, Susan B. Kaiser brings to the surface the unconscious thought processes we use to decide not just how clothes look, but what they mean. In a new section written especially for this updated edition, Kaiser addresses the increasingly multicultural emphasis of the study of clothing and appearance. She also reexamines fashion in terms of gender, ethnicity, sexuality, and social class, offering a more broad-based and inclusive vision of the social psychology of clothing.
The scientific story of first impressions—and why the snap character judgments we make from faces are irresistible but usually incorrect We make up our minds about others after seeing their faces for a fraction of a second—and these snap judgments predict all kinds of important decisions. For example, politicians who simply look more competent are more likely to win elections. Yet the character judgments we make from faces are as inaccurate as they are irresistible; in most situations, we would guess more accurately if we ignored faces. So why do we put so much stock in these widely shared impressions? What is their purpose if they are completely unreliable? In this book, Alexander Todorov, one of the world's leading researchers on the subject, answers these questions as he tells the story of the modern science of first impressions. Drawing on psychology, cognitive science, neuroscience, computer science, and other fields, this accessible and richly illustrated book describes cutting-edge research and puts it in the context of the history of efforts to read personality from faces. Todorov describes how we have evolved the ability to read basic social signals and momentary emotional states from faces, using a network of brain regions dedicated to the processing of faces. Yet contrary to the nineteenth-century pseudoscience of physiognomy and even some of today's psychologists, faces don't provide us a map to the personalities of others. Rather, the impressions we draw from faces reveal a map of our own biases and stereotypes. A fascinating scientific account of first impressions, Face Value explains why we pay so much attention to faces, why they lead us astray, and what our judgments actually tell us.
This book addresses the vital importance of beauty, its sources, and manifestations in everyone's lives-including psychotherapy patients. During psychotherapy, patients manifest or defend against the desire to be beautiful. This book considers definitions of beauty, gender ide...
