| Term Paper Title | Appearances - A Universal Concern |
| # of Words | 930 |
| # of Pages (250 words per page double spaced) | 3.72 |
Appearances - A Universal Concern
A desire to appear attractive is universal; it permeates all cultures
and peoples, and stretches from the past to the present. Throughout history,
both men and women have gone to great lengths to become more attractive. In all
parts of the world, people take many different measures to beautify themselves.
Even move, the animal world also exhibits the desire to be attractive. Male
birds of paradise, with their brilliant hues, contrast sharply with the females.
Male peacocks have stunning tail-feathers that are obviously used to attract
females as well.
Although it is true that a subgroup of all peoples have expended great
sums of money and energy to put themselves through a great deal of usually self-
imposed tribulation and suffering, it is easy to discern the different
perceptions of beauty held by various groups. These perceptions vary greatly
abetween groups, which are demarcated by class, cultural, geographical,
chronological, and religious borders, to name a few. What may be considered very
attractive by one group may even be seen as repulsive in another. The gangster
with tattoos all over his body, clothed in attire that is much too large, with
rings in all the most unexpected places, and sporting an outrageous hairdo,
considers himself very attractive indeed. Yet, so do the tall, smartly dressed
businesspersons with their suit, tie, and white handkerchief. Men and women of
the Victorian era, when women's ankles were not even permitted to be exposed,
would surely be shocked at the revealing outfits that have been donned by
members of today's society. In other words, one's perception of beauty is
greatly influenced by the surrounding environment and the social groups to which
he belongs. Yet, whatever one's perception of beauty, one thing is the same.
This is that all have taken great pains about their appearance.
Why are good appearances so important to people?
People tend to make initial judgments by first impressions that are
usually based on appearances to a great extent. These initial judgments are
doubtlessly very important in many types of social, business, and other
relationships. Moreover, it is much easier for an attractive person to be
socially active. He or she is usually perceived as more pleasant, which makes it
easier for him or her to approach others. Besides, some careers, such as models,
actors or actresses, television anchors, and salespersons rely to a significant
extent on their outward appearances. They must do their best to please the
audience, draw attention, or make a sale.
The following three experiments done by the television news magazine
20/20 illustrate the difference that appearances can have in one's everyday life,
regardless of whether one is an actress, model, salesperson, or garbageman.
In an experiment with third graders, after having been taught by two
teachers varying only in attractiveness, the students consistently rated the
more attractive teacher as smarter, more patient, mo...Read entire document
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