You are honest, therefore I like you and find you attractive

Abstract

A 2 × 2 × 2 × 2 factorial experiment evaluated the effect of personality information on perceptions of a target's physical attributes. Student judges (N = 256) read a description of a male or female target person in which three personality traits were manipulated to be high or low: intelligence, independence, and honesty. The judges were then given a head and shoulders photograph of the target person and asked to rate him or her on several physical characteristics. The results indicated a substantial effect of the honesty manipulation on judges' perceptions, whereby the honest target, as opposed to the dishonest target, was seen as being more fit and in better health and as having a face that looked more kind, feminine, and attractive. Analysis of covariance showed that these effects were largely mediated by a general liking for the target.