The Role of Physical Appearance in Infant and Child Development

Physical appearance cues convey much information about another person during a social encounter. Not only are such characteristics as gender, age, attractiveness, and body type immediately obvious, but knowledge of these characteristics may elicit a host of assumptions about the person’s personality characteristics and expected behavior patterns. Recent social psychological research (Adams, 1977; Berscheid & Walster, 1974) attests to the salience and power of physical appearance in social interactions among adults. Our society’s preoccupation with physical appearance, as reflected by the cosmetic, diet, and fashion industries, also points to the significance of this variable in everyday life.

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