Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 12, 2026

The Social Dimension of Stress: Experimental Manipulations of Social Support and Social Identity in the Trier Social Stress Test
Published on: November 19, 2015
The role of physical attractiveness in adjustment
Abstract:
This article presents a model of how attractiveness influences adjustment and reviews the relevant evidence. The model suggests that attractiveness influences adjustment through a three-stage process. Varying levels of physical attractiveness create differential responses in other people (Stage 1). These differential responses in others as a function of a person's appearance then result in differential treatment of the person (Stage 2), with such differential treatment eventually resulting in differential adjustment (Stage 3). These three stages are considered to occur in a reciprocal manner across the life span. Empirical support is found for each stage from early childhood to adulthood. Attractiveness accounts for 6% to 16% of the variance in measures of subjective adjustment as well as sociometric and behavioral measures of interpersonal adjustment.
More Related Videos
07:40Validation of a Psychosocial Intervention on Body Image in Older People: An Experimental Design
Published on: May 31, 2021
07:35How Virtual Celebrity Characteristics Drive Purchase Intention: Testing the Stimulus-Organism-Response Framework with Structural Equation Modeling
Published on: March 3, 2026
Related Concept Videos
Relationship Formation
Understanding Interpersonal Attraction
Role of Affect in Interpersonal Attraction
Factors Influencing Attraction I: Proximity
Factors Influencing Attraction II: Physical Attraction
Factors Influencing Attraction VI: Personality Traits