The Label of Looks: Physical Attractiveness, Stigma, and Deviant Behavior

ABSTRACT There are numerous advantages afforded to physically attractive individuals, including better employment opportunities, higher wages, and being viewed as more intelligent, capable, and nicer than those who are less attractive. From a labeling perspective, there is ample theoretical rationale to believe that people who are less attractive may engage in greater deviant behaviors due to the stigma of feeling “ugly.” Using a sample of 1,486 college students, this study explores how both perceptions of attractiveness as well as the stigma about one’s looks relate to a variety index of norm-breaking behaviors (e.g. chewing with an open mouth, drunk dialing, failing to bathe). Findings revealed that perceptions of physical attractiveness were not a significant correlate of deviance; however, individuals who reported greater levels of stigma about their looks reported significantly greater levels of general deviance than those with lower levels of stigma. Results further showed that stigma moderated a significant negative effect between perceptions of attractiveness and deviance, particularly for people of “average” looks. Echoing prior studies on the importance of physical attractiveness in society, findings from this study highlight that how people feel about their looks carries significant influence on behaviors, including everyday forms of general social deviance.