Comments on: Hot or Not for Economists http://www.micromotives.com/2006/03/hot-or-not-for-economists/ The Science & Art of Decision Making Tue, 18 Nov 2008 22:04:19 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6 By: Jeff Heuer http://www.micromotives.com/2006/03/hot-or-not-for-economists/#comment-28771 Jeff Heuer Mon, 18 Feb 2008 16:04:00 +0000 http://www.micromotives.com/2006/03/hot-or-not-for-economists/#comment-28771 Mahesh, The design of this study <b>does</b> specifically attempt to isolate the effect beauty has on voters from other candidate attributes such as intelligence, etc. that you mention. Hamermesh studied the success of the candidates who had run in multiple years over a meaningful time horizon and submitted different photos each time. The <b>same</b> candidate had better success in the election when submitting photos of themselves judged to be more attractive. This study does not minimize the importance of intelligence or any other external variable, but rather highlights the way in which physical appearance influences many different types of human interaction. Mahesh,

The design of this study does specifically attempt to isolate the effect beauty has on voters from other candidate attributes such as intelligence, etc. that you mention. Hamermesh studied the success of the candidates who had run in multiple years over a meaningful time horizon and submitted different photos each time. The same candidate had better success in the election when submitting photos of themselves judged to be more attractive. This study does not minimize the importance of intelligence or any other external variable, but rather highlights the way in which physical appearance influences many different types of human interaction.

]]> By: Mahesh http://www.micromotives.com/2006/03/hot-or-not-for-economists/#comment-28719 Mahesh Mon, 18 Feb 2008 04:59:03 +0000 http://www.micromotives.com/2006/03/hot-or-not-for-economists/#comment-28719 plus or minus 5 points on either side of 50 doesn't account for a great variation. and honestly, this study excludes the possibility of 'intelligence' or 'appeal' of candidates and takes only good looks as a parameter. it was maybe just that the ones you consider good looking were just appealing anyway and more electable. this is like mainstream media trying to cut full speeches to make 'news'. economists have to know how to differentiate between good research and bad ones, and be more holistic in their approach. this one can go down the trash... plus or minus 5 points on either side of 50 doesn’t account for a great variation. and honestly, this study excludes the possibility of ‘intelligence’ or ‘appeal’ of candidates and takes only good looks as a parameter. it was maybe just that the ones you consider good looking were just appealing anyway and more electable.
this is like mainstream media trying to cut full speeches to make ‘news’. economists have to know how to differentiate between good research and bad ones, and be more holistic in their approach. this one can go down the trash…

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