JOIN USIn the study, Gettysburg College psychology professor Brian Meier and his research team found that people who were high in the personality traits of agreeableness or extraversion were rated by strangers as being more attractive.
Meier’s team assessed the personality of 217 men and women. The photos of these men and women were shown to unacquainted strangers. They found that the men and women who had higher levels of agreeableness or extraversion were also rated as more physically attractive even though raters did not know or interact with the individuals.
Meier said: “The results suggest that there is some truth to the ‘beautiful is good’ stereotype or the halo effect. People have a tendency to think that attractive people also possess ‘attractive’ qualities.” He added, “Interestingly, it appears that grooming is a key mechanism. Friendly people were also better groomed in the photographs, which made them appear more attractive to others”.