The Power and Paradox of Physical Attractiveness

by Gordon L Patzer

Overview

The Power and Paradox of Physical Attractiveness is a scholarly look into physical attractiveness. It articulates the great importance placed on this dimension of a person's appearance. Analysis of the dynamics and consequences reveals a powerful, pervasive, and frequently unrecognized or denied physical attractiveness phenomenon. This phenomenon transcends time, geography, and culture, regardless of demographics and socioeconomics of individuals and populations. With penetrating vision, Dr. Patzer provides evidence that despite professed ideals, people do judge others by their looks. Physical attractiveness is a more powerful determinant of a person's fortune and misfortune in life than people admit. No matter the words, thoughts, and ideals proclaimed by people, these same people judge, assume, infer, believe, act, treat, decide, accept, reject, and behave toward or against individuals, in patterns consistent with their own physical attractiveness and that of others. While many dimensions define appearance, physical attractiveness predominates. The physical attractiveness of a person impacts every individual throughout every community, across the United States and around the world. All people inherit and alter their physical attractiveness, which is determined by complex, interdependent, physical and non-physical factors. Hidden and not-hidden values drive thoughts and actions with significant effects and realities whereby higher physical attractiveness is beneficial, lower physical attractiveness is detrimental, and associated pursuits are relentless. Physical attractiveness may look skin-deep as a surface aspect of appearance, but looks can be deceiving. Researchers throughout the world collect empirical data complemented with anecdotal data to probe beyond the surfaces. Through investigations that meet meticulous scientific methodological procedures, acute observations reveal previously undetected dimensions that advance understanding about physical attractiveness. The Power and Paradox of Physical Attractiveness explores, discovers, and documents the theories, evidence, and circumstances in which physical attractiveness is a remarkable veneer with influences that extend considerably beyond what we call skin-deep. The author, Dr. Patzer, formally cites more than 750 references as he identifies a complex phenomenon in which physical attractiveness serves as an informational cue that propels a multiple-stage process. Through this process, people knowingly and unknowingly infer extensive information based on this cue, which in-turn triggers assumptions, expectations, attitudes, and behaviors. It ultimately leads to powerful consequences with significant benefits and detriments for every person, accompanied by continuous pursuits toward these benefits and away from these detriments, caused by his or her level of physical attractiveness.

Product Details

BN ID:	2940014978477
Publisher:	BrownWalker Press
Publication date:	07/19/2012
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	332
File size:	540 KB

About the Author

Gordon L. Patzer, Ph.D., is respected and recognized internationally for his expertise concerning physical attractiveness phenomenon. Hundreds of researchers and scholars have cited formally his published analyses and perspectives, while scores of reporters for popular mass media have published interview quotes. His commitment to scientifically understand the psychology and sociology of physical attractiveness at levels far more than meets the eye and far beyond skin deep is a long-term quest. The national American primetime television news program Dateline NBC, while featuring his expert analyses on-camera for an investigative segment broadcast in 2004, reported that, “Dr. Patzer has spent more than 30 years studying physical attractiveness.” He formally conducted his first related experiment in 1973 and published his first related book in 1985 (The Physical Attractiveness Phenomenon, Plenum Press, NY).

Interviews with Dr. Patzer discussing physical attractiveness phenomenon have been reported by the Associated Press, published by newspapers from west coast USA (Los Angeles Times) to east coast USA (Boston Sunday Herald) to England (Sunday Correspondent, London), magazines (Harper's Bazaar, ELLE, Working Woman, Self Magazine, and Los Angeles Times Magazine), on radio in large and small American markets, and on the Internet (WebMD, MSNBC, CNN.com, online magazines internationally, and blog discussions originating in many countries). The Today Show on NBC, a national morning talk-and-news television program, featured him on-camera for a research news segment broadcast in 2005 about employment and pay differences caused by physical attractiveness. Recent endorsement review comments from professionals, available on request, further emphasize his respected and recognized expertise.

Dr. Patzer has succeeded in executive positions in and out of academia. These include more than ten years as a university dean, ten years as a university department chair, and progress up professorial ranks to tenured professor, as well as earning a Ph.D., MBA, MS, and BA. Business employments have focused on organizational strategy for consumer / audience behavior in primetime programming at CBS Television Network and in the movie industry at Saatchi & & Saatchi.