Washington -- Not only are physically unattractive teenagers likely to be stay-at-homes on prom night, they're also more likely to grow up to be criminals, say two economists who tracked the life course of young people from high school through early adulthood. "We find that unattractive individuals commit more crime in comparison to average-looking ones, and very attractive individuals commit less crime in comparison to those who are average-looking," say Naci Mocan of the University of Colorado and Erdal Tekin of Georgia State University. Mocan and Tekin analyzed data from a federally sponsored survey of 15,000 high schoolers. One question asked interviewers to rate the physical appearance of the student on a five-point scale ranging from "very attractive" to "very unattractive." These economists found that the long-term consequences of being young and ugly were small but consistent. Cute guys were uniformly less likely than averages would indicate to have committed seven crimes, including burglary and selling drugs, while the unhandsome were consistently more likely to have broken the law. Other studies have shown that unattractive men and women are less likely to be hired, and that they earn less money than the better-looking. Such inferior circumstances may steer some to crime, Mocan and Tekin suggest. You know, I honestly can't help but think that this could have been proven without who knows how many millions thrown at it. I mean, just show up at a reunion, bring a grad book, and take a survey! Simple Though it is definately cool.
Bit of an oversimplification, to be honest. We know that attractive people are treated more favourably (and perceived more favourably) than unattractive people. As such they are more likely to get away with borderline or straight unacceptable behaviour, and more likely to be let off in court or receive reduced sentences. We also know that they are more likely to get by on charm and thus need to resort less to subterfuge. However we also know that the socioeconomically better off produce healthier offspring which are not only more likely to be relatively attractive as a result, but are also raised to pay relatively more attention to their physical appearance (while having the means to do so). They, of course, are also more likely to enjoy a good education and to develop the social skills required to get a decent job, but that is due to their socioeconomic class, not their appearance. There are a multitude of factors that interact, and differences are generally small. Many attractive people rely on their good looks to commit crimes of deception or to just coast through life without challenge, while many unattractive people learn to use their other assets (talent, personality, intelligence) to develop and get on in life. It also works both ways: attractive people may be regarded as more shallow and less intelligent, capable or sincere, and may receive less respect for what they do or who they are, because people label them purely on their looks. The human with the highest IQ score ever tested was a female stripper... Attractive people may feel socially isolated because they are perceived as unattainable by the opposite (or same) sex. They may experience more pressure to be accepting lest they are perceived as "arrogant". Unattractive people meanwhile may be perceived as having a warmer or more accepting personality and higher intelligence --to have more depth. They may receive more respect for what they achieved in spite of their "handicap". they may be more socially popular because they are perceived as less threatening and more attainable. Swings and roundabouts...
Not to pick one small hole in their theory but it could do with a little rewording. I assume they recorded 'crime' as those who get caught in which case it should read, "Ugly people more likely to get caught." The rich, good looking and powerful often commit crimes on such a scale that we're not even sure what to do about them...how do you even begin to prosecute a supermarket chain which drives prices down to the point where the quality of the food and the natural environment is adversely affected? Is drilling and refining gasoline and thus producing toxic chemicals and polution which affect the climate of the earth itself a crime? What about taking over a company and running it for the shareholders by laying off chuncks of the workforce and devestating local economies? Most of what we call big business commits crimes on a scale which simply isn't covered by law but it damn well should be, they exploit the lack of effective international organisation playing one government off against the next. Ermm..... sorry wrong meeting
Lawyers probably already use the ugly defense. Do I get an award if my legal business does well? I guess I'm just too darn good looking to be a criminal.
I think that we should not forget that this is an American study. This is a culture which has been brought up on good looks being associated with success, and those supposedly without that are automatically handicapped by those that have it. This trend is not as dominant in many other cultures.
We have been? News to me. Actors, models, and quack scientists DO NOT represent the real America. I guess I should add career politicians to the list, too.
