How to Coach Yourself and Others How to Influence, Persuade and Motivate | Page 215

remember your "rights." In fact, studies show that people who are
physically attractive are better able to persuade others. They are also
perceived as friendlier and more talented, and they usually have higher
incomes.[1] "Attractive" means more than just looking beautiful or
handsome. It also encompasses having the ability to attract and draw
people to you.
The effect of attractiveness transcends all situations. For example, the
judicial system, which is supposed to be based upon evidence, has
documented cases where attractiveness made a dramatic difference. In one
Pennsylvania study, researchers rated the attractiveness of seventy-four
male defendants at the start of their criminal trials. Later, the researchers
reviewed the court records for the decisions in these cases and found that
the handsome men had received significantly lighter sentences. In fact,
those researchers found that the attractive defendants were twice as likely
to avoid jail time as unattractive defendants. In the same study, a
defendant who was better looking than his victim was assessed an average
fine of $5,623; but when the victim was the more attractive of the two, the
average compensation was twice that much.[2] What's more, both female
and male jurors showed the same bias.
The halo effect also affects political elections. In 1974, a Canadian
Federal election board found attractive candidates received more than two
and a half times as many votes as unattractive candidates. When voters
were surveyed about their bias, 73 percent denied, in the strongest
possible terms, that they were influenced by attractiveness. Another 14
percent would only allow for the possibility.[3]
Consider these everyday examples of one's appearance influencing their
circumstances: Have you ever noticed that height often seems to have
some relationship to one's position? It often seems that the taller people
get better jobs and have higher salaries.
Did you ever notice that there are some children who seem to be able to
get away with anything? There has been some research showing that
attractive children who misbehave are considered "less naughty" by adults
than less attractive children. In elementary school, teachers often presume
the more attractive children are even more intelligent than the less
attractive children.[4]

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