Physical attractiveness, social relations, and personality style.

Abstract

The relationship between physical attractiveness, social contact with members of the same and opposite sex, and personality factors was determined. Sixty male and 60 female university freshmen who were rejected, accepted, or unknown to their same-sex peers served as subjects. A reliable rating of physical attractiveness by independent judges showed that rejected subjects were most attractive, accepted subjects were next most attractive and unknown subjects were least attractive. There was a positive relationship between physical attractiveness and dating for females, but not for males. A factor analysis of subjects' personality inventory scores and subsequent analyses of variance of personality factors by sociometric groups showed that rejected subjects of both sexes were independent, achieving, and ambitious; accepted subjects were affiliative and affectionate; and isolated subjects were emotionally constricted, defensive, and withdrawn.