A few common misconceptions: Beauty is only skin-deep. One’s physical assets and liabilities don’t count all that much in a managerial career. A woman should always try to look her best.
Over the last 30 years, social scientists have conducted more than 1,000 studies of how we react to beautiful and not-so-beautiful people. The virtually unanimous conclusion: Looks do matter, more than most of us realize. The data suggest, for example, that physically attractive individuals are more likely to be treated well by their parents, sought out as friends, and pursued romantically. With the possible exception of women seeking managerial jobs, they are also more likely to be hired, paid well, and promoted.
UN-American, you say, unfair and extremely unbelievable Once again, the scientists have caught us mouthing pie-ties while acting just the contrary. Their typical experiment works something like this. They give each member of a group-college students, perhaps, or teachers or corporate personnel managers—a piece of paper relating an individual’s accomplishments. Attached to the paper is a photograph. While the papers all say exactly the same thing the picture are different. Some show a strikingly attractive person, some an average-looking character, and some an unusually unattractive human being. Group members are asked to rate the individual on certain attributes, anything from personal warmth to the likelihood that he or she will be promoted. According to the passage, people often wrongly believe that in pursuing a career as manager ________.
A. a person’s property or debts do not matter much
B. a person’s outward appearance is not a critical qualification
C. women should always dress fashionably
D. women should not only be attractive but also high-minded