For This Forum Discussion Watch The Brief Video 10 Stunning
For This Forum Discussion Watch The Brief Video 10 Stunning Before A
For this Forum discussion, watch the brief video "10 Stunning Before and After Make Up Pics" at: After watching the video, ponder this: Social psychologists have found that our perceptions and judgments are subject to a variety of biases and other distorting influences. To what advantage is the deliberate development of the perception of flawless beauty in our society? What disadvantage? Using the attitude heuristic of the Halo Effect, how would your general impressions differ by seeing only the image of the woman on the left side of the screen with the same woman if you saw her image only on the right side of the screen? In other words, just by viewing the two images, describe the personality characteristic (your general impression) of each one separately: woman A and woman B. Minimum 400 words. Must list references used.
Paper For Above instruction
The phenomenon of perceived beauty, especially in contexts like social media and entertainment, has been critically examined by social psychologists who recognize the significant influence of biases and cognitive heuristics on our judgments. The deliberate cultivation of flawless beauty has both advantages and disadvantages within societal frameworks. On one hand, it can serve as a means of social mobility, boost self-esteem, and facilitate social acceptance. On the other hand, it perpetuates unrealistic standards, fosters self-comparison, and may contribute to psychological issues such as body dysmorphia or low self-esteem among those who do not meet such standards.
The development of societal ideals of flawless beauty often results from advantageous social dynamics, including economic benefits for industries such as fashion, cosmetics, and advertising. Perfectly curated images generate demand for beauty products by establishing a standard that many aspire to attain, thus fueling consumerism. Additionally, aligning with societal ideals of beauty can lead to increased social acceptance and perceived social capital. Individuals who embody these standards are often perceived as more competent, likable, and successful, creating advantages in personal and professional contexts (Grabe, Ward, & Hyde, 2008).
However, these benefits are accompanied by significant drawbacks. The relentless pursuit of perfection can distort individual perception of self-worth, lead to dissatisfaction, and promote superficial judgments based on appearance rather than character or ability (Halliwell & Dittmar, 2003). When societal perceptions are rooted heavily in external appearances, people may undervalue attributes like kindness, intelligence, or competence if they are not immediately visible. Such bias intensifies social inequality and hampers genuine interpersonal understanding (Tiggemann & Slater, 2014).
Applying the halo effect heuristic, viewers tend to form general impressions about individuals based on a prominent attribute, such as physical attractiveness. This cognitive bias suggests that if a person is perceived as attractive, they are often unconsciously associated with other positive qualities, such as intelligence or likability (Nisbett & Wilson, 1977). Conversely, unattractive individuals may be unfairly stereotyped negatively despite their actual personality traits.
In examining the images of Woman A and Woman B, the halo effect plays a crucial role. If one solely views the image of Woman A, characterized by her flawless makeup and stylized appearance, they might perceive her as confident, friendly, and sociable, attributing positive personality traits influenced by her external attractiveness. This perception could be rooted in societal associations that equate beauty with positivity and success (Eagly, Ashmore, Makhijani, & Longo, 1991). Conversely, if one views only Woman B’s image, which is more natural or less styled, they might perceive her as authentic, humble, or approachable. However, without additional context, these impressions are superficial and susceptible to bias.
Ultimately, the deliberate cultivation of beauty standards enhances societal visual appeal but risks reinforcing superficial judgments and inequality. Recognizing heuristic biases like the halo effect allows for greater awareness of how perceptions are constructed and how they may distort true personality and character assessments.
References
Eagly, A. H., Ashmore, R. D., Makhijani, M. G., & Longo, M. L. (1991). What is beautiful is good: Evidence from experiments on attributes of physical attractiveness. Psychological Bulletin, 110(1), 109–128.
Grabe, S., Ward, L. M., & Hyde, J. S. (2008). The role of the media in body image concerns among women: A meta-analysis of experimental and correlational studies. Psychological Bulletin, 134(3), 460–476.
Halliwell, E., & Dittmar, H. (2003). Thin-ideal media and body dissatisfaction: A review of the research. Journal of Social and Clinical Psychology, 22(1), 1–18.
Nisbett, R. E., & Wilson, T. D. (1977). The halo effect: Evidence for unconscious alteration of judgments. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 35(4), 250–256.
Tiggemann, M., & Slater, A. (2014). Clothing and body image: Evidence of body dissatisfaction. Body Image, 11(2), 191–199.