Attractiveness in Today's Society

Indianapolis, IN

Research over the past 30 years clearly suggests that a person's attractiveness matters, especially in social contexts. Americans spend lots of time and money trying to look their best, whether its clothes, physique, hair style or jewelry. The purpose of this research is to examine the perceptions associated with women who wear make-up. Specifically, a 2x3 factorial design will examine differences between the age of a woman (young and middle-aged) and three make-up conditions (no make-up, light make-up and heavy make-up). Will the age of the woman affect perceptions people have of her? Will the quantity of make-up affect perceptions? The dependent variables include: trustworthiness, competence, reliability, and motivation.