The effects of adornment on evaluations of attractiveness, symmetry and social desirability
File, 2013-064-001-171
- Part of
- Algoma University Archives > Algoma University Theses collection > Psychology series > The effects of adornment on evaluations of attractiveness, symmetry and social desirability
- Creator
- Sarah A Campbell
- Date
- 2004
- Physical Description
- 1.61 MB of textual records (PDF)
- General Material Designation
- Electronic record, Textual record
- Language(s)
- English
- Bibliographic Information
- Sault Ste. Marie, Ont.:, OSTMA-PSYC-Campbell-Sarah-A-20040402
- Descriptive Notes
- Audience: Undergraduate. -- Dissertation: Thesis (B. A.). -- Algoma University, 2004. -- Submitted in partial fulfillment of course requirements for PSYC 4105. -- Includes pictures. -- Contents: Literature review / Thesis.
- People with symmetrical faces are judged more attractive and more socially desirable than those with asymmetrical faces. It was hypothesized that adornments would affect perceived attractiveness, symmetry and social desirability. In a 2X5 factorial design, a symmetrical and asymmetrical face was either unadorned or was adorned in one of four ways. participants from Algoma University (n=260) viewed a photograph of a target female from one of these 10 conditions and made evaluations on 45 bipolar traits (including attractiveness, health, symmetry and intelligence). Based on previous research, it was predicted that the facially symmetrical target would be evaluated more positively than the asymmetrical target on all variables. Attractiveness was not related to perceived symmetry. For symmetrical targets, symmetry was significantly increased by bilateral adornments. For asymmetrical targets, attractiveness was significantly increased by bilateral adornment on the ears. Support was found for the hypothesis that adornments may affect both attractiveness and symmetry.