It is not a secret that beautiful people tend to receive preferential treatment. But, how does that impact our ability to parent? A study from Harvard-affiliated McLean Hospital looks to explore this phenomenon. Study volunteers were shown pictures of conventionally attractive babies and others with distinct facial irregularities, such as skin problems or cleft palates. Each photo was shown on a screen for four seconds, but volunteers could extend or shorten the viewing time of each photo by pressing certain computer keys. The study found that women shortened the viewing time of “less-attractive” children 2.5 times more than men. Researchers theorize this is purely an evolutionary response that parents, especially women, would innately devote more energy to the offspring most likely to yield the highest genetic payoff. On the other hand it’s possible that women chose to not look at babies with facial defects because they are more empathetic and sensitive towards these children. Men, on the other hand, chose to extend the viewing time of more aesthetically beautiful children just as often as women, but they did not hurry through pictures of children with facial irregularities.
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Tags: beauty, esthetics, evolution, Genetics, Harvard
Dr. Steven Chang, the author of DailyDose, is a staff physician with Kosmix RightHealth. Dr. Chang practices Family Medicine at the University of California Davis Medical Center, where his medical interests include both pediatric and geriatric care, public health, gay and lesbian health, and sleep medicine. Dr. Chang trained at the Stanford University affiliated O'Connor Hospital, and was a research fellow at the National Institute of Health. He holds an M.D. from McGill University and a BA in Public Health from Johns Hopkins University.
June 24th, 2009 at 5:29 am
i suppose for women,the reason might be that they do not want to give birth to a baby that might look like the picture they a looking on,or have bad thoughts for nine months what there baby might come out to look like
June 24th, 2009 at 5:42 am
I hope nobody is spending huge amounts of money on “studies” like this. Of course we would not look longer at a child deformed by either by genetics or a mother not taking care of herself during pregnancy. Have a study concerning men who look longer at a scantily clad beautiful woman. That would be earth-shaking.
June 25th, 2009 at 12:19 am
What’s the point of these studies? Does it make the world a better place to live or worse?
Isn’t it enough how much damage this society has done to people by emphasize on looks?!