NCJ Number
53875
Date Published
1976
Length
208 pages
Annotation
THE EFFECTS OF MALE JUVENILE OFFENDERS' PHYSICAL ATTRACTIVENESS ON THE DECISIONS AND IMPRESSIONS OF JUVENILE INTAKE OFFICERS IN A SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA COMMUNITY ARE EXAMINED.
Abstract
USING A PRETESTED PHYSICAL ATTRACTIVENESS RATING SCALE AND AN IMPRESSION QUESTIONNAIRE, 6 WHITE PROBATION OFFICERS (4 MALES AND 2 FEMALES) RECORDED THEIR IMPRESSIONS OF 122 MALE JUVENILE OFFENDERS FOR WHOM THEY MADE DISPOSITION RECOMMENDATIONS. THE OFFENDER SAMPLE WAS 46 PERCENT WHITE, 39 PERCENT MEXICAN-AMERICAN, AND 15 PERCENT BLACK. ANALYSIS OF THE OFFICERS' RESPONSES GENERALLY SUPPORTS THE CONCEPT OF A PHYSICAL ATTRACTIVENESS STEREOTYPE, BUT THE STEREOTYPE'S EFFECTS ON DECISIONS AND IMPRESSIONS ARE LARGELY MEDIATED BY THE SERIOUSNESS OF THE OFFENSE INVOLVED. ALTHOUGH JUVENILES RATED ATTRACTIVE RECEIVED SIGNIFICANTLY MORE LENIENT DISPOSITIONS, THIS EFFECT WAS FOUND ONLY FOR YOUTHS CHARGED WITH LESS SERIOUS OFFENSES. HOWEVER, THE TENDENCY TO REGARD JUVENILES RATED ATTRACTIVE AS MORE INTELLIGENT, MORE LIKEABLE, AND BETTER ABLE TO EXPRESS THEMSELVES WAS NOT MEDIATED BY SERIOUSNESS OF OFFENSE. THE RESULTS SUGGEST NOT THAT LESS ATTRACTIVE INDIVIDUALS ARE ACTIVELY DISCRIMINATED AGAINST, BUT RATHER THAT ATTRACTIVE INDIVIDUALS REAP BENEFITS. SEVERAL INTERPRETATIONS OF THE FINDINGS ARE CONSIDERED, AND PRACTICAL IMPLICATIONS ARE DISCUSSED. THE IMPLICATIONS RELATE TO THE POTENTIAL IMPACT OF PHYSICAL ATTRACTIVENESS ON SOCIAL RELATIONS, PERSONALITY DEVELOPMENT, IMPRESSION FORMATION, AND EDUCATIONAL/OCCUPATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES. AN IMPORTANT CONCERN IS SAID TO BE THE SUBTLETY WITH WHICH THE PHYSICAL ATTRACTIVENESS STEREOTYPE OPERATES: THE OFFICERS IN THE STUDY WERE UNAWARE OF THEIR TENDENCY TO FAVOR MORE ATTRACTIVE JUVENILES. A LITERATURE REVIEW, COPIES OF STUDY INSTRUMENTS, A BIBLIOGRAPHY, AND SUPPORTING DATA ARE INCLUDED. (LKM)