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Self-Perceptions of Attractiveness and Offending During Adolescence
Thomas J Mowen1, John H Boman1, Samantha Kopf1
1Bowling Green State University, OH, USA.
Crime and Delinquency
|September 29, 2022
Summary
Youth who perceive themselves as more physically attractive commit more crime, not less. This study suggests that positive self-perception of attractiveness may be a risk factor for offending behaviors in adolescents.
Area of Science:
- Criminology
- Developmental Psychology
- Sociology
Background:
- Research extensively documents the societal significance of external judgments of physical attractiveness.
- However, the relationship between self-perceived attractiveness and offending behaviors remains under-explored.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the association between self-perceptions of physical attractiveness and offending behaviors in adolescents.
- To examine this relationship longitudinally throughout schooling.
Main Methods:
- Utilized eight waves of panel data from the Adolescent Academic Context Study.
- Applied General Strain Theory to analyze the data.
Main Results:
- Adolescents perceiving themselves as more attractive exhibited increased offending behaviors.
- Depression did not act as a mediator in the observed relationship between attractiveness perception and offending.
Conclusions:
- Self-perception of physical attractiveness may function as a risk factor for criminal behavior.
- Findings challenge assumptions and highlight a novel perspective on factors contributing to adolescent offending.
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