Revisiting the beauty is beastly effect: examining when and why sex and attractiveness impact hiring judgments

Paustian‐Underdahl, Samantha C.; Walker, Lisa

doi:10.1080/09585192.2015.1053963

Cited by 28 publications

(24 citation statements)

References 42 publications

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“…In the previous literature, the distortional role of candidates’ body attractiveness has always been studied through different (e.g. using the facial attractiveness construct) and not psychologically validated scales with a different meaning (Heilman and Saruwatari, 1979; Johnson et al , 2014; Paustian-Underdahl and Slattery Walker, 2016). The objectification construct has the competitive edge of emerging from a real and current phenomenon based on a cultural stereotype, for which distortional effects have been studied in different psychological contexts brought to a consolidated and validated methodology.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Since the 1960s, candidates’ facial attractiveness and perceived personality have been the main variables studied in recruiting processes (Paustian-Underdahl and Slattery Walker, 2016; Solnick and Schweitzer, 1999). However, prior scholars – to the best of the author’s knowledge – have not empirically tested, in a comprehensive, single research, the distortional (to recruiters) role of candidates’ overall attractiveness – facial and bodily – on the perception of their main personality traits (self-esteem, self-efficacy, locus of control and emotional stability; Judge et al , 1998) by employers.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Candidates’ attractiveness in selection decisions: a laboratory experiment

Cristofaro

2017

BJM

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Purpose Recruiters in today’s organizations, through social networks, have the opportunity to see a candidate’s overall figure, and from this, they gain a first impression of their personalities which in turn affects their decisions. The purpose of this paper is to investigate the biasing role of candidates’ attractiveness – in facial and bodily terms – on perceived main personality features (i.e. core evaluations (CEs)) in selection decisions. Design/methodology/approach An experimental study involving professional recruiters (n=150) was conducted. Participants were asked to rate bodily attractiveness (using the objectification construct), CEs, facial attractiveness and hiring scores of six candidates for an administrative position; then, a moderated mediation model was tested. Findings This study suggests that recruiters’ perception of candidates’ CEs mediates the relationship between objectification (i.e. body attractiveness) and the assigned hiring score, while facial attractiveness amplifies or reduces the effect of objectification on CEs. Originality/value The value added of this contribution lies in studying the biasing mechanism of candidates’ overall attractiveness (facial and bodily) and its effects on the perceived core personality features.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Candidates’ attractiveness in selection decisions: a laboratory experiment

Cristofaro

2017

BJM

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“…In the case of shared features effects the source and target objects are typically different. hiring situations; see the 'beauty is beastly effect'; Paustian-Underdahl, & Walker, 2016). The term transformation captures both possibilities.…”

Section: Feature Transformationmentioning

confidence: 99%

The shared features principle: If two objects share a feature, people assume those objects also share other features.

Hughes¹,

Houwer²,

Mattavelli³

et al. 2020

Journal of Experimental Psychology: General

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In this article we introduce the shared features principle, which refers to the idea that when 2 stimuli share 1 feature, people often assume that they share other features as well. This principle can be recognized in several known psychological phenomena, most of which were until now never considered to be related in this way. To illustrate the generative power of the principle, we report 8 preregistered studies (n ϭ 1,614) in which participants completed an acquisition phase containing 3 stimuli: a neutral target, a positive source, and a negative source. Our results indicate that behavioral intentions, automatic evaluations, and self-reported ratings of a target object were influenced by the source object with which the target shared a feature. This was even the case when participants were told that there was no relation between source and target objects. Taken together, the shared features principle appears to be general, reliable, and replicable across a range of measures in the attitude domain. We close with a discussion of its theoretical implications, relevance to many areas of psychological science, as well as its heuristic and predictive value.

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“…A candidate's physical features are often a primary source of initial impressions (Hosoda, Stone‐Romero, & Coats, ; Jackson, Hunter, & Hodge, ). Given the newfound availability of applicant photos on social media sites, scholars have suggested that the potential for bias stemming from attractiveness and gender is increasing (Paustian‐Underdahl & Walker, ). Meta‐analyses suggest that attractive applicants have an advantage in hiring decisions (Chiu & Babcock, ; Hosoda et al, ), with studies revealing a positive relationship between attractiveness and evaluations of job suitability (Heilman, ), intellectual competence (Jackson et al, ), and predicted job success (Morrow, McElroy, Stamper, & Wilson, ).…”

Section: Literaturementioning

confidence: 99%

“…This is not to say that these regulations provide exhaustive protections against discriminatory practices (Segrest et al, ). Yet, no such regulations protect candidates from biases related to other judgements stemming from heuristics, such as: initial impressions based on one's appearance or physical attractiveness (Paustian‐Underdahl & Walker, ), how a candidate makes screeners feel (i.e., affect) (Howard & Ferris, ; Slovic, Finucane, Peters, & MacGregor, ), and anchoring impressions to available information such as the reviewer's previous experiences with similar candidates (Gallimore, ) or candidate characteristics like personality traits (Fiske, ; Judge & Cable, ). …”

Section: Literaturementioning

confidence: 99%

Exploring Hiring Practitioner Preferences for and Assessment Practices of Prospective Candidates

Huber

2018

Journal of Interior Design

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While the decision‐making strategies involved in the design process have long been a topic of scholarly exploration, less attention has been devoted to probing the likely antecedents to other decisions that potentially influence design practice. One such decision is the formation of a project team, which is likely influenced by those who are hired to work in a firm. While some interior design scholars have outlined the skills and characteristics viewed as most desirable by hiring practitioners, there remains relatively little information regarding the assessment of those attributes and how decision‐making strategies may sway the hiring process. This study sought the perceptions of those hiring entry‐level interior design candidates. More specifically, it aimed to determine preferences among the commonly cited factors of employability; namely, if hiring practitioners were more apt to prefer soft skills, hard skills, or specific experiences. The study then sought to discern whether those attributes are assessed through either System 1 (i.e., gut‐level abbreviated processes often reliant on heuristics) or System 2 strategies (i.e., rational, conscious processes utilizing a broad array of evidence). Findings stemming from a survey of (n = 106) senior‐level interior design practitioners suggest that they are likely to prioritize soft skills when screening candidates. Moreover, practitioners may utilize System 1 processes, heuristics, and relatively subjective strategies—to assess these attributes. Findings offer practical implications while contributing to the body of knowledge regarding the employability of interior design university graduates by empirically examining how hiring practitioners prioritize of a range of cognitive, emotional, and behavioral patterns.

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Revisiting the beauty is beastly effect: examining when and why sex and attractiveness impact hiring judgments

Cited by 28 publications

References 42 publications

Candidates’ attractiveness in selection decisions: a laboratory experiment

Candidates’ attractiveness in selection decisions: a laboratory experiment

The shared features principle: If two objects share a feature, people assume those objects also share other features.

Exploring Hiring Practitioner Preferences for and Assessment Practices of Prospective Candidates

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