Physical Attractiveness and Severity of Sentencing

The present study examined the relationship between the defendants' physical attractiveness and assigned length of sentencing. Two independent samples of 96 subjects each (24 white males, 24 white females, 24 black males, and 24 black females) were used, one for assigning sentences (in years and months) and one for rating physical attractiveness (on a 1—7 scale). The defendants were 6 white males, 6 white females, 6 black males, and 6 black females. An over-all significant negative correlation of —.42 ( df — 22, p < .05) was found.