山大英語

A few common misconceptions. Beauty is onlyskin deep. One’s physical assets and liabilities don’t count all thatmuch in a managerial career. A woman should always try to look her best.
Over the last 30 years, social scientistshave conducted more than 1,000 studies of how we react to beautiful and not so beautifulpeople. The virtually unanimous conclusion: Looks do matter, more than most ofus realize. The data suggest, for example, that physically attractiveindividuals are more likely to be treated well by their parents, sought out asfriends, and pursued romantically. With the possible exception of women seekingmanagerial jobs, they are also more likely to be hired, paid well, andpromoted.
Un American, you say, unfair and extremelyunbelievable? Once again, the scientists have caught us mouthing pieties (虔誠) while acting just the contrary. Their typical experiment workssomething like this. They give each member of a group-college students, orteachers or corporate personnel mangers-a piece of paper relating an individual’saccomplishments. Attached to the paper is a photograph. While the papers allsay exactly the same thing the pictures are different. Some show a strikinglyattractive person, some an average looking character, and some an unusuallyunattractive human being. Group members are asked to rate the individual oncertain attributes, anything from personal warmth to the likelihood that he orshe will be promoted.
Almost invariably, the better looking theperson in the picture, the higher the person is rated. In the phrase, borrowedfrom Sappho, that the social scientists use to sum up the common perception,what is beautiful is good.