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As Americans get set to head to the polls, candidates are showcasing their voting records, their qualifications, and their background and experience. According to the results of research studies, however, they should also be showcasing themselves.
Studies of political elections demonstrate that good-looking candidates get more votes. How significant is this effect? One study that reviewed federal elections in Canada revealed that attractive candidates gained over two and one-half times the votes than candidates who were unattractive.[1]
While undoubtedly affected by a variety of other factors, the reality of this phenomenon indicates the presence of an attractiveness bias. As much as we like to believe otherwise, in politics, as in many other areas of life, people are positively influenced by good looks.
The Politician´s Halo: When Appearances Are Confused With Reality
The tendency to favor political candidates who are easy on the eyes is explained by the halo effect. The halo effect is a perceptual bias[2] where people link good looking with good.[3] Attractive individuals are thereby subject to being unfairly clothed with an aura of positive qualities that in many cases, they do not have. Despite our better judgment and logical sense that we should not judge a book by its cover, research demonstrates that we do. People are likely to regard attractive people in a more positive light than those who are less-attractive.[4]
The impact of the halo effect in political elections can be significant. This is because the halo effect causes people to assume that good-looking individuals have other positive qualities.[5] Research reveals that in some cases, we view attractive individuals as kind, intelligent, talented, and—of great significance in political elections—honest.[6]
We also expect certain things from attractive individuals. We expect good-looking people to be more outspoken, amiable, accommodating, content, humorous, and observant than their unattractive counterparts.[7] But there is more. Attractive individuals are believed to have other positive characteristics, such as being kind and strong.[8]
Regarding a candidate´s social behavior, it is interesting to note that socially, attractiveness is linked with both affiliation and dominance.[9] Regarding facial expression, attractive faces are positively linked with positive affect and emotional expression.[10] Of particular relevance to political campaigns, attractive people are believed to have superior leadership skills[11] and enhanced social skills.[12]
The caveat to all of this research, however, is that despite the tendency to presume good things about good-looking people, in reality, it has been demonstrated that halo-effect inspired stereotypical beliefs are not accurate in any area.[13]
Picture Perfect: Photogenic Appeal
What about voters who do not attend political functions or events? They are not immune from the halo effect if they follow the news in any fashion that involves photographs, because positive qualities can be portrayed through a photograph alone. The impact of candidate photographs was explored in a study by Eric Hehman et al. entitled “Warmth and Competence: A Content Analysis of Photographs Depicting American Presidents.” [14]
The researchers found that in general, people are more likely to read articles that are accompanied by photographs.[15] Not only are they more likely to read them, but they are also more likely to remember them, because images enhance the memorability of articles in the news.[16]
This finding is significant due to the influence that a photograph can project. Candidates who shared political orientation with media outlets were presented as being warmer and more competent, compared with those with an opposing political orientation.[17] This finding is particularly important because these qualities are universally linked with leadership.[18] The researchers concluded that presenting images of political figures that differ in terms of warmth and competence influence the impressions formed by readers. [19]
The take away? As you prepare to head to the polls, take the time to look past the public persona, and make sure your favorite political candidates are really as good as they look.
[1] Robert B. Cialdini and Brad J. Sagarin, “Principles of Interpersonal Influence,” in Persuasion: Psychological Insights and Perspectives, 2nd ed., eds. Timothy C. Brock and Melanie C. Green (Thousand Oaks: SAGE Publications, 2005) 143–69 (156) (citing Efran and Patterson, 1976).
[2] Judee K. Burgoon, Laura K. Guerrero, and Kory Floyd, Nonverbal Communication (Boston: Allyn and Bacon, 2010), 83.
[3] Viren Swami and Adrian Furnham, The Psychology of Physical Attraction (London: Routledge, 2008), 11.
[4] Judith H. Langlois, Lisa Kalakanis, Adam J. Rubenstein, Andrea Larson, Monica Hallam, and Monica Smoot, “Maxims or Myths of Beauty? A Meta-Analytic and Theoretical Review,” Psychological Bulletin Vol. 126, No. 3 (2000): 390-423.
[5] Laura K. Guerrero and Kory Floyd, Nonverbal Communication in Close Relationships (Mahwah: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, 2006),58.
[6] Robert B. Cialdini and Brad J. Sagarin, “Principles of Interpersonal Influence,” in Persuasion: Psychological Insights and Perspectives, 2nd ed., eds. Timothy C. Brock and Melanie C. Green (Thousand Oaks: SAGE Publications, 2005) 143–69 (156).
[7] Monica J. Harris and Christopher P. Garris, “You Never Get a Second Chance to Make a First Impression: Behavioral Consequences of First Impressions,” in First Impressions, eds. Nalini Ambady and John J. Skowronski (New York: The Guilford Press, 2008) 147–68 (153) (citing Miller, 1970).
[8] Schneider, Frank W., Jamie A. Gruman, and Larry M. Coutts. Applied Social Psychology: Understanding and Addressing Social and Practical Problems (Thousand Oaks: SAGE, 2005), 82 (citing Langlois et al., 2000).
[9] Joann M. Montepare and Heidi Dobish, “The Contribution of Emotion Perceptions and Their Overgeneralizations to Trait Impressions,” Journal of Nonverbal Behavior, Vol. 27, No. 4, Winter, 2003, 237−254 (240) (citing Eagly, Ashmore, Makhijani, and Longo, 1991).
[10] Montepare and Dobish, “The Contribution of Emotion Perceptions,” 240 (citing DePaulo, Blank, Swaim, and Hairfield, 1992; Mueser, Grau, Sussman, and Rosen, 1984). Note, however, that in another study, it was found that attractive people fared no better than their average-looking counterparts when measuring qualities such as friendliness, intelligence, and honesty. Schneider et al., Applied Social Psychology, 82 (citing Brehm, Miller, Perlman, and Campbell, 2002).
[11] Guerrero and Floyd, Nonverbal Communication 58−59 (citing Cherulnik, 1989).
[12] Guerrero and Floyd, Nonverbal Communication 58−59 (citing Kuhlenschmidt and Conger, 1988).
[13] Schneider et al., Applied Social Psychology, 82.
[14] Eric Hehman, Elana C. Graber, Lindsay H. Hoffman, and Samuel L. Gaertner, “Warmth and Competence: A Content Analysis of Photographs Depicting American Presidents,” Psychology of Popular Media Culture 2012, Vol. 1, No. 1, 46–52, DOI: 10.1037/a0026513.
[15] Hehman et al., “Warmth and Competence: A Content Analysis of Photographs Depicting American Presidents,” 46 (citing Zillman, Knobloch, & Yu, 2001).
[16] Hehman et al., “Warmth and Competence: A Content Analysis of Photographs Depicting American Presidents,” 50 (citing Katz et al., 1977).
[17] Hehman et al., “Warmth and Competence: A Content Analysis of Photographs Depicting American Presidents,” 50.
[18] Hehman et al., “Warmth and Competence: A Content Analysis of Photographs Depicting American Presidents,” 50 (citing Rule et al., 2010).
[19] Hehman et al., “Warmth and Competence: A Content Analysis of Photographs Depicting American Presidents,” 50 (citing McCombs & Shaw, 1972).
