Eye Candy: Do Students Prefer Physically Attractive Professors?
Abstract
When given a choice, professors should be chosen on previous experience and credentials. More often than not perceived facial attractiveness can potentially influence a student’s decision in choosing a professor. If a student chooses their professors based off of facial attractiveness instead of teaching methods, it can potentially be risking the academic outcome of the student. Biological instincts which drive certain human functions can potentially overpower logical decisions. Students attending Fullerton College were surveyed in order to better understand the mentality of an individual choosing a professor based off of facial attractiveness. A survey, containing four different conditions, was distributed on campus to collect data regarding professor preferences. Some significant results were found after analyzing the collected data.
Eye Candy: Do Students Prefer Physically Attractive Professors? Everyday attractiveness is measured on an unconscious level depending on an individual’s surroundings. By developing an experiment to test this theory using student-teacher preferences based on looks, it is possible to better understand how perceived attractiveness is used in everyday lives. When given a choice between professors, a student should give priority to a professor’s teaching methods and credentials over attractiveness. However, the constant exposure to the repetitive school environment has created a dull, everyday cycle. The only aspect in a student’s academic environment which continuously changes is the professors. Due to this continuous cycle, perhaps, students have unconsciously decided to focus more readily in a classroom when an attractive professor is teaching the class rather than an unattractive professor. Therefore, in theory, if a student is presented with a stimulus, such as a picture, it is more likely that the attractive professor will be chosen. Many studies discuss the influence of perceived facial attractiveness. Such
When given a choice, professors should be chosen on previous experience and credentials. More often than not perceived facial attractiveness can potentially influence a student’s decision in choosing a professor. If a student chooses their professors based off of facial attractiveness instead of teaching methods, it can potentially be risking the academic outcome of the student. Biological instincts which drive certain human functions can potentially overpower logical decisions. Students attending Fullerton College were surveyed in order to better understand the mentality of an individual choosing a professor based off of facial attractiveness. A survey, containing four different conditions, was distributed on campus to collect data regarding professor preferences. Some significant results were found after analyzing the collected data.
Eye Candy: Do Students Prefer Physically Attractive Professors? Everyday attractiveness is measured on an unconscious level depending on an individual’s surroundings. By developing an experiment to test this theory using student-teacher preferences based on looks, it is possible to better understand how perceived attractiveness is used in everyday lives. When given a choice between professors, a student should give priority to a professor’s teaching methods and credentials over attractiveness. However, the constant exposure to the repetitive school environment has created a dull, everyday cycle. The only aspect in a student’s academic environment which continuously changes is the professors. Due to this continuous cycle, perhaps, students have unconsciously decided to focus more readily in a classroom when an attractive professor is teaching the class rather than an unattractive professor. Therefore, in theory, if a student is presented with a stimulus, such as a picture, it is more likely that the attractive professor will be chosen. Many studies discuss the influence of perceived facial attractiveness. Such
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