I. Introduction

Abstract

Beauty has a well-documented impact on labor market outcomes with both legal and policy implications. This monograph investigated whether this stratification is rooted in earlier developmental experiences. Specifically, we explored how high schools’ dual roles as contexts of social relations and academic progress contributed to the long-term socioeconomic advantages of being physically attractive. Integrating theories from multiple disciplines, the conceptual model of this study contends that physically attractive youths’ greater social integration and lesser social stigma help them accumulate psychosocial resources that support their academic achievement while also selecting them into social activities that distract from good grades. A mixed-methods design, combining statistical analyses of the National Longitudinal Survey of Adolescent Health and qualitative analyses of a single high school, supported and expanded this model. The data revealed that the benefits of attractiveness flowed through greater social integration but were partially offset by social distractions, especially romantic/sexual partnerships and alcohol-related problems. Interview and ethnographic data further revealed that adolescents themselves understood how physical attractiveness could lead to favorable treatment by teachers and classmates while also enticing youth to emphasize socializing and dating, even when the latter took time from other activities (like studying) and marginalized some classmates. These patterns, in turn, predicted education, work, family, and mental health trajectories in young adulthood. The results of this interdisciplinary, theoretically grounded, mixed methods study suggest that adolescence may be a critical period in stratification by physical appearance and that the underlying developmental phenomena during this period are complex and often internally contradictory. The monograph concludes with discussion of theoretical and policy implications and recommendations for future developmental research.

Compared to Controls, Individuals with Lichen Planopilaris Have More Depression, a Lower Self-Esteem, and a Lower Quality of Life

“…In this regard, particularly for young female adults, long, shiny, thick hair with a thick hairline are indicators of good general health and a well-functioning immune system, which in turn is generally understood to represent higher mate value and higher traits of femininity [8, 9]. In this line, Gordon et al [10] showed, at least among adolescents, that physical attractiveness was associated with greater social integration, less social stigma, and higher academic achievement.…”

“…The observations made among adolescents [10] and young adults [8] have not been assessed so far among adults with LPP. However, taking these observations into consideration, not surprisingly, most patients with LPP experience intense concern and feel distressed by the visibility of the hair destruction [11].…”

Students’ Evaluation of Teaching and Their Academic Achievement in a Higher Education Institution of Ecuador

“…Following the suggestion of several authors regarding these types of studies, both the individual variability within the sections and the variability between sections (Clayson, 2007;Weinberg et al, 2009) of the data of the present work included a multilevel structural equation analysis.…”

“…It is argued that the variability between students, despite being averaged, could confuse the variation between group means. Consequently, it may be found that there are no relationships between SET and achievement for individual students, even as the between-class mean data show a significant relationship (Clayson, 2007;Weinberg et al, 2009). It is necessary to use statistical methods that consider both the individual variability within the group class and the variability between group-class means.…”

“…An open methodological question, which seeks to address this study, is the unit of analysis. Most of the researchers in this field use the group-class average as the unit of analysis, arguing that the individual differences within the group class are eliminated and the differences between the means of the group classes, sections, or teachers (Cohen, 1981;Abrami et al, 1990;Marsh and Roche, 2000;Clayson, 2005;Richardson, 2005;Uttl et al, 2017) are clearly reflected; other researchers defend the need to account for the individual variability within the group classes (Clayson, 2007;Weinberg et al, 2009). Some studies in this field have considered both aspects separately (Clayson, 2009), but to our knowledge, none have considered the variability within and between group classes or teachers jointly.…”