Although a considerable body of research has examined the impact of student attractiveness on instructors, little attention has been given to the influence of instructor attractiveness on students. The new study from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, tested the hypothesis that persons would perform significantly better on a learning task when they perceived their instructor to be high in physical attractiveness. To test the hypothesis, participants listened to an audio lecture while viewing a photograph of instructor. The photograph depicted either a physically attractive instructor or a less attractive instructor. Following the lecture, participants completed a forced choice recognition task covering material from the lecture. Consistent with the predictions; attractive instructors were associated with more learning. Finally, we replicated previous findings demonstrating the role attractiveness plays in person perception. http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/00221309.2016.1200529
Except, this isn't how a classroom works in real life. A person's attractiveness is not simply a function of static physical attributes; it's an interplay of face, body, gestures, expressions, voice, clarity, demeanour, responsiveness, attitude to the students, moods, fairness - character. Of course they would rather look at a pretty picture than an ugly one. But this is just a picture. One of the best instructors I ever knew had a badly deformed face (childhood injury in one of the world's hell-holes). On first meeting, one could barely manage not to look away. Three weeks later, he was just ordinary - familiar. The man was kind, funny, perceptive, really smart, and he could make organic chemistry comprehensible.
Most of my teachers were "average looking" and weren't that attractive looking but were easy to look at. Just as we look around us today we see everyone as average looking but there are exceptions of course.
Most of us probably pay more attention to the people who look in some way un-avarage. Which exceptional types you focus on depends on your preoccupation. My designer friend notices the people who are wearing terrific or terrible outfits. My activist acquaintance keeps a mental tally of racial types. The friend who has difficulty controlling her weight notices fat people and skinny people. My attention tends be caught by elderly women with flair. But we wouldn't stare openly at any of these types. I - and probably most adults - would notice, and refrain from staring at, anyone with a disability or disfigurement. Or with scary tattoos on big biceps. University students pay more attention to pictures of good-looking people? Well, what a surprise! It's what they live for.
In about the 3rd grade we had a substitute teecher one day... she looked about 7 feet tall... long hair... long dangly earings... bright red lipstick an a smile that lit up the room.!!! Anyhow... her chosen field was to teech art... an she handed out an 8x10 sheets of paper wit the outline of a pic for us to color an i just felt in the mood to do my best... an when we was done she hung 'em all up above the blackboard.!!! I looked at 'em all an desided that mine was the best... an i went up to her an ask which one she thout was the best an she said she liked 'em all... ha... i wasnt havin that (lol)... so i pressed her an she got it down to the best 2... an then she finaly chose mine... haha... so was i inspired by her looks to do my best... prolly so Please Register or Log in to view the hidden image!
That's an interesting study! lol I actually paid attention to teachers and professors who were a bit grouchy, and had scowls on their faces. Good looking teachers were usually easy going and fun, but their tests were super easy, and I don't remember learning as much, or feeling as fulfilled academically, as when the teacher had a somber/grouchy appearance, and a stern presence. Maybe I thrive best under intimidation. Please Register or Log in to view the hidden image! But, I'd say that in general, people tend to ''pay attention'' to those who are attractive, e.g. sales people, etc.
The two teachers I was attracted to caused me to 'show-off' by being their A student. I suspect other guys have had the same experience. I even subsequently dated one (she was 1 year older, and by then we were both grad students), but alas, it did not pan out.
I fell in love with my absolutely beautiful(inside and out) 2B teacher, began to look forward to attending school and started on the road to becoming a scholar.
