Posted by Political beauty is in the eye of the beholder, according to new research from Cornell University.
A range of simple studies has found that people find candidates from their preferred political Party more attractive than those from other Parties.
The researchers showed participants images of unknown politicians, with the political affiliation of each politician clearly stated. A control group was shown images of unknown politicians with no affiliation indicated.
When participants knew the affiliation, they found politicians more attractive if they matched their own political ideology.
The implication of this research is that people are making personal assessments through a political lens. That is, the ideology is affecting their judgement.
You might think that’s just good news for ugly politicians. But it’s also confirmation of the strength of mind of the decided-voter, signalling that less is needed to win their support, as they’re already likely to be viewing you with rose-tinted glasses.
