Are you as attractive as you think?

iVillage Member
Registered: 08-30-1999
Are you as attractive as you think?
3
Fri, 08-31-2007 - 2:52pm

Interesting blog post at The Atlantic
http://meganmcardle.theatlantic.com/archives/2007/08/youre_not_as_hot_as_you_think.php

Excerpts:

"You hate photographs of yourself, don't you? ...

"A cognitive scientist at the University of Chicago explained why to me last winter. When we look at ourselves in the mirror, in any given session we tend to anchor on the time slice image that makes us look our best. That, we decide, is the "real" us.

"Photographs, however, are a random sample of the various arrangements of light, angle, and facial expression that we can be found in. The median photograph of you is probably the best approximation of your physical attractiveness. But that wars with your self image, which is anchored on other, better combinations.

"You're also biased by the fact that no one ever tells you you're ugly. It's not merely that people inflate what they tell you (they almost certainly do); it's also that people who think you're ugly tend to drop out of the sample.....

"You're stuck in a web of congitive biases and a positive feedback loop. It's a wonder anyone does get married.

"Which, by the way, is probably the best gauge of how attractive you are; how attractive are the hottest people who want to go out with you? "

This strikes me as right, and a good explanation for why so many people complain that the people interested in them aren't good looking enough.

iVillage Member
Registered: 11-30-2006
Fri, 08-31-2007 - 4:26pm
I went to the link you provided. This person sounds angry. She also sounds like she has a chip on her shoulder. There are so many people who are deemed unattractive in person but photograph beautifully. Likewise there are attractive people who do not photograph well. A lot depends on the skill of the person taking the photograph.
Avatar for northwestwanderer
iVillage Member
Registered: 03-26-2003
Fri, 08-31-2007 - 4:59pm

"Which, by the way, is probably the best gauge of how attractive you are; how attractive are the hottest people who want to go out with you? "

Hmmm....I don't think that's necessarily the case--either that, or I'm a lot more attractive than I consider myself to be, because I've dated some men I think are VERY good looking. I would consider the guy I'm seeing now to be more attractive than I am, on an objective scale. But he seems to find me pretty attractive so it's all good ;-).

Sheri

iVillage Member
Registered: 11-30-2006
Fri, 08-31-2007 - 9:06pm

"Which, by the way, is probably the best gauge of how attractive you are; how attractive are the hottest people who want to go out with you? "

"Hmmm....I don't think that's necessarily the case"
-->You made a very good point - who is the judge of how attractive the people are who want to go out with you? I have heard that there are dating sites out there who wont allow people to join unless they are judged to be attractive on a 10 point scale. How sad, but I have also heard women complain that there were no attractive men to date who were members of their dating service.