Attractiveness

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Study: Personality traits influence perceived attractiveness:

A new study published in Personal Relationships examines the way in which perceptions of physical attractiveness are influenced by personality. The study finds that individuals – both men and women – who exhibit positive traits, such as honesty and helpfulness, are perceived as better looking. Those who exhibit negative traits, such as unfairness and rudeness, appear to be less physically attractive to observers.

i was very encouraged to read this: i regularly tell my partners that i'm not just attracted to them because of their (gorgeous!) looks, but also because i find their personalities attractive. Both are fundamentally caring people who regularly do things for others, who ask "What can I do for the world?" instead of "What should the world do for me?"; both try to be as ethical as possible, and when they make mistakes in this regard, will openly admit to those mistakes, then try to improve; both are, as they say, genuine people who aren't interested in playing mind games (well, not outside of the literal or metaphoric bedroom, anyway :-) ). Conversely, i regularly come across people who i initially find very physically attractive, but whose attractiveness wanes rapidly as it becomes apparent they're full of themselves ("I'm too sexy . . . . for the likes of you"), basically uninterested in other people's lives (except insofar as they want to use other people to achieve predominantly personal goals), and who are only ethical when it's personally convenient (which in my mind obviates the whole point of ethics.)

For me, all the physical attractiveness in the world can't counteract the ugliness of being a self-centred prat.