sasserstyl comments on The Halo Effect - Less Wrong

23 Post author: Eliezer_Yudkowsky 30 November 2007 12:58AM

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Comment author: sasserstyl 26 March 2008 11:32:34PM 0 points [-]

I'd be interested to know the "curve" drawn when physical attractiveness is plotted against level of bias - whether there is a linear relationship, or whether the effect (indeed affect) tails off (or even turns negative?!) at some point. i.e. whether things just keep getting "better" the more attractive you are.

I think that the quoted Cialdini text blurs the distinction between physical attractiveness and grooming.

I can well imagine that people react positively to a well-groomed person because of the values such care over appearance indirectly demonstrates (social intelligence/wealth/hygeine etc.).

A halo effect based on pure physical attractiveness probably has more to do with a net positive bias resulting from a complex set of sexual dynamics created by different combinations of male/female and attractive/unattractive.