Article

Losing Hair, Losing Points?: The Effects of Male Pattern Baldness on Social Impression Formation1

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Abstract

In the voluminous research on the psychology of physical appearance, the psychosocial effects of common male pattern baldness (MPB) have been largely neglected. The present experiment examined the influence of MPB on the initial social perceptions of men by both sexes. Eighteen pairs of photographic slides of balding and nonbalding control men were matched on the actual age, race, and other physical attributes of the men. In a first-impressions context, 54 men and 54 women rated these stimulus persons on seven dimensions of social perception. MPB caused generally less favorable initial impressions, including lower ratings of physical attractiveness, judgments of less desirable personal and interpersonal characteristics, and misperceptions of age. The moderating effects of perceivers' sex and age and stimulus persons' age were examined, mostly without consequence. The baldness stereotype was substantially attenuated when physical attractiveness was statistically controlled.

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... Research using both schematic and photographic stimuli clearly indicates that men with hair are usually viewed more positively. Studies over decades have shown that bald or balding men are perceived as less physically attractive (Blaker et al., 2020;Cash, 1990;Hellström & Telke, 1994;Mannes, 2013;Moerman, 1988;Muscarella & Cunningham, 1996;Roll & Vernis, 1971). Men with a full head of hair are also rated higher in personal likability (Cash, 1990), confidence (Lee et al., 2002), self-assertiveness (Henss, 2001), masculinity (Butler et al., 1998;Hellström & Telke, 1994), aggressiveness (Muscarella & Cunningham, 1996), intelligence (Blaker et al., 2020), health (Blaker et al., 2020), sexual attractiveness (Henss, 2001), and potency (Lee et al., 2002;Roll & Vernis, 1971). ...
... Studies over decades have shown that bald or balding men are perceived as less physically attractive (Blaker et al., 2020;Cash, 1990;Hellström & Telke, 1994;Mannes, 2013;Moerman, 1988;Muscarella & Cunningham, 1996;Roll & Vernis, 1971). Men with a full head of hair are also rated higher in personal likability (Cash, 1990), confidence (Lee et al., 2002), self-assertiveness (Henss, 2001), masculinity (Butler et al., 1998;Hellström & Telke, 1994), aggressiveness (Muscarella & Cunningham, 1996), intelligence (Blaker et al., 2020), health (Blaker et al., 2020), sexual attractiveness (Henss, 2001), and potency (Lee et al., 2002;Roll & Vernis, 1971). ...
... Not surprisingly given the descriptors above, amount of hair relates to career success (e.g., career and occupational prestige; Cash, 1990;Henss, 2001) which has important implications from an evolutionary standpoint of women's mate preferences. That is, copious amounts of research has indicated that women place high importance on a potential mate's ability to accrue resources (e.g., Buss, 1989), and career prestige and status are presumably connected to ownership of resources. ...
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The question of whether or not cranial hair affects perceptions of attractiveness, personality, career success, and other traits related to fitness for men in two populations was investigated in two experiments. Experiment 1 used a 2 (race) × 2 (cranial hair of man) design, and examined attractiveness, fitness, and socially desirable personality measures. Experiment 2 used a 2 (race) × 2 (cranial hair) design to determine perceived attractiveness, fitness-related traits, and the Big-5 dimensions of personality. Amount of cranial hair did not affect personality ratings on the dimensions of the Big-5 but did affect perceived socially desired aspects of personality (such as warmth, sophistication, kindness, etc.). In Experiment 1, the White man with hair received higher perceived attractiveness, personality, and fitness ratings than the bald White man, while no differences occurred for the Black men. For Experiment 2, when differences for amount of cranial hair occurred, the White man with hair and the Black man without hair received higher perceived fitness and career success ratings. These results are discussed in terms of prior research on male cranial hair.
... From a large set of photographs Cash selected portraits of 18 men with clearly visible hair loss and 18 men with a full head of hair [7]. The two sets were closely matched on the actual age, race and several other potentially confounding variables. ...
... Overall, the empirical research on strangers' perceptions of male pattern baldness yields a rather gloomy picture. Although Cash's conclusion that "hair loss had a nearly uniform, adverse impact on how the men were initially perceived by others" ( [7], p.159) needs some qualifications it seems fair to conclude that baldness may convey a number of negative impressions while there are few positive effects, if any. ...
... ), and physical attractiveness (-0.20), respectively. These results are in line with the negative impact of hair loss on perceived physical attractiveness reported by Cash[7]. ...
Article
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The paper presents a review of the empirical literature on strangers’ perceptions of male pattern baldness (androgenic alopecia). It also discusses some sociocultural aspects of hair in general, and hair loss in particular. _____ social perception, personality judgments, face perception _____ Haare, Haarausfall, Glatze, androgenetische Alopezie, Personenbeurteilung, Gesichterbeurteilung, Persönlichkeitseindruck
... Male Cranial Hair and Perceived Fitness Cranial hair loss leads to reduced mate value. Bald or balding men are perceived as less physically attractive (Blaker et al., 2020;Cash, 1990;Hellström & Telke, 1994;Mannes, 2013;Moerman, 1988;Muscarella & Cunningham, 1996;Roll & Vernis, 1971) than men with hair. One reason this occurs is because women's judgments of men's attractiveness can be based on men's ability to gain resources (see Buss, 1989), and men's resource acquisition can be based on the amount of cranial hair they possess. ...
... One reason this occurs is because women's judgments of men's attractiveness can be based on men's ability to gain resources (see Buss, 1989), and men's resource acquisition can be based on the amount of cranial hair they possess. Research shows that men with hair are more likely to be invited for a job interview and to be hired than bald men (Tischer, 1999, reported in Henss, 2001 and men's career success and prestige are related to their amount of head hair (see Cash, 1990;Henss, 2001). Additionally, the amount of hair a man has indexes his health since it is a product of his hormonal status (see for a review of the research). ...
... DOI: 10.1159/000504306 evolved to a booming industry. ...
... In contrast to the substantial literature on the psychology of physical appearance and attractiveness, relatively little has been published on the impact of the condition of the hair. Nevertheless, respective research into the subject has corroborated that loss of hair diminishes perceived youthfulness and attractiveness [10]. ...
Article
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With today’s increasing life expectation and quality of life, the desire to look young and beautiful plays a bigger role than ever. Aging of the hair is particularly visible. And yet, cosmetic dermatology has paid comparatively little attention to the care of the aging hair. The professional market for cosmetic interventions into the face has preceded those into the hair for a number of reasons. First, the market for facial rejuvenation has been dominated by plastic surgeons, until the fillers and botulinum toxin were introduced. Second, investigative dermatology found a profound interest in the study of skin aging, particularly as it relates to ultraviolet exposure, and exposed mechanisms at the level of the DNA and repair mechanisms, opening venues for effective preventive measures and pharmacological treatments of aging-related conditions of the skin. Finally, at the level of health professionals, the care for the skin has been overrated in relation to the hair, mostly due to economic reasons. Nevertheless, the hair represents an integral part of the face and our appearance. Moreover, the discovery of pharmacological targets and the development of safe and effective drugs for treatment of hair loss indicate strategies of the drug industry for maintenance of hair growth and quantity, while the hair care industry has become capable of delivering active compounds directed toward meeting the consumer demand for maintenance of hair cosmesis and quality. To offer patients the best outcomes toward a more youthful look, we therefore should look at the whole face including the condition of the hair for a more comprehensive approach toward a total facial skin and hair care concept.
... Despite a wealth of empirical support for the PAS (see, e.g., Olson & Marshuetz, 2005;Swami et al., 2008, for PAS effects of facial and figure attractiveness, respectively), experimental evidence is quite mixed for the domain of MPB. Although most relevant studies agree that bald or balding men are perceived as less physically attractive (Cash, 1990;Hellström & Telke, 1994;Mannes, 2013;Moerman, 1988;Muscarella & Cunningham, 1996;Roll & Verinis, 1971; but see also Butler, Pryor, & Grieder, 1998;Sigelman, Dawson, Nitz, & Whicker, 1990;Wogalter & Hosie, 1991), only some show analogous effects on the evaluation of social attractiveness (Cash, 1990;Moerman, 1988), while others show no such effects (Hellström & Telke, 1994;Mannes, 2013;Muscarella & Cunningham, 1996;Roll & Verinis, 1971). Noteworthy, all these studies vary considerably in their experimental design and the samples, materials, and measures used, so that comparisons across studies are difficult (for a review, see Henss, 2001). ...
... Despite a wealth of empirical support for the PAS (see, e.g., Olson & Marshuetz, 2005;Swami et al., 2008, for PAS effects of facial and figure attractiveness, respectively), experimental evidence is quite mixed for the domain of MPB. Although most relevant studies agree that bald or balding men are perceived as less physically attractive (Cash, 1990;Hellström & Telke, 1994;Mannes, 2013;Moerman, 1988;Muscarella & Cunningham, 1996;Roll & Verinis, 1971; but see also Butler, Pryor, & Grieder, 1998;Sigelman, Dawson, Nitz, & Whicker, 1990;Wogalter & Hosie, 1991), only some show analogous effects on the evaluation of social attractiveness (Cash, 1990;Moerman, 1988), while others show no such effects (Hellström & Telke, 1994;Mannes, 2013;Muscarella & Cunningham, 1996;Roll & Verinis, 1971). Noteworthy, all these studies vary considerably in their experimental design and the samples, materials, and measures used, so that comparisons across studies are difficult (for a review, see Henss, 2001). ...
Article
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According to (a) the beauty ideal of a full head of hair and (b) the physical attractiveness stereotype (PAS; "what is beautiful is good"), bald men should appear less attractive than nonbald men, not only physically but also socially. To explain inconsistent results on this prediction in previous research, we suggest two antagonistic processes: the automatic activation of the PAS at the implicit level and its suppression at the explicit level, the latter process selectively triggered by individuating information about the target person. In line with this account, we only found negative social attractiveness ratings for bald men by same-aged women when individuating target information was lacking (Experiment 1). In contrast, irrespective of whether individuating information was available or not, we reliably found evidence for the PAS in different implicit paradigms (the implicit association test in Experiment 2 and a source monitoring task in Experiment 3). We conclude that individuating information about bald men suppresses PAS application, but not PAS activation.
... Uomini calvi vengono valu-83 tati come dotati di minor fascino, sembrano più anziani e con caratteristiche personali ed interpersonali meno desiderabli di coloro che hanno una capigliatura normale. In alcune ricerche Cash (1989Cash ( , 1990) ha confrontato maschi di buona e resistente capigliatura con altri che presentavano una più o meno estesa calvizie. Questi ultimi hanno evidenziato livelli più elevati di stress e di ansia legata alla propria immagine corporea. ...
... Nei casi patologici questo desiderio può far sì che si mettano in atto comportamenti autolesionistici, come l'assunzione di steroidi, anabolizzanti, ormone della crescita ed altre sostanze atte ad indurre un accrescimento artificiale della massa muscolare. Un problema che riguarda la maggior parte degli uomini sopra i 50 anni è anche la calvizie (Cash, 1990). Il trapianto di capelli costituisce di gran lunga il più frequente intervento di chirurgia estetica per gli uomini. ...
Book
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Sappiamo tutti che è meglio essere attraenti piuttosto che non attraenti ma non tutti conoscono i meccanismi psicologici implicati nella percezione della bellezza. La ricerca scientifica negli ultimi anni ha fatto molti progressi nel cercare di svelare i segreti della bellezza e della sua enorme influenza nei nostri rapporti sociali. Questo libro riporta lo stato dell'arte di tale ricerca. Quali sono le caratteristiche di un volto o di un corpo attraente? In che modo l'essere attraenti differisce fra maschi e femmine? Come evolve la percezione della bellezza nell'arco di vita? La bellezza ha avuto un valore adattivo nella nostra storia evolutiva? Poiché lo studio della bellezza è intimamente legato a quello dell'estetica e dell'arte, vengono anche esposti i risultati delle ricerche sulle tecniche utilizzate dagli artisti per rappresentare in modo più attraente i loro soggetti. La psicologia della bellezza, inoltre, non si limita agli aspetti visivi di corpo e volto, ma si interessa anche di temi come la bellezza della postura, dei movimenti corporei, della voce, dell'odore personale. Il volume prende anche in esame gli aspetti ''applicativi'', cioè le conseguenze che la bellezza ha nei rapporti sociali, nell'educazione, negli ambiti lavorativi, nella politica e nella giustizia e i risvolti legati alle ''patologie della bellezza'' come il narcisismo e i disturbi dell'immagine corporea.
... 4 Alopecia was also found to influence the perceptions of men aged 21 to 68 years by recruited participants, where those with male pattern baldness were perceived to have less desirable personal, social, and physical desirability. 5 In a more recent study of male medical students aged 18 to 24 years by Prasanna et al, 6 students with increasing alopecia in addition to stress experienced greater scores of depression, loneliness, and internet addiction. ...
Article
Finasteride (marketed as Propecia) is a potent 5α-reductase inhibitor used as first-line treatment for male pattern baldness. Despite finasteride’s efficacy in promoting hair growth, there is concern about its impact on male reproduction because finasteride use has been linked to reduced libido, erectile dysfunction, and potential spermatogenic failure. The drug has also been documented to induce nonreproductive adverse effects such as depression. Current research suggests that finasteride’s alteration of neurosteroid hormone levels may be contributing to these adverse effects. This article used evidence-based research to evaluate finasteride’s short- and long-term effects on male reproductive health. In summary, there appears to be contradictory evidence within the literature with data both in support and in opposition of finasteride’s adverse effects. There does, however, seem to be consensus on the incidence of these cases being quite low within both research and clinical settings.
... Lee(2012) . 헤어스타일 변화는 개인의 이 미지 변화와 신체적 결점을 보완할 수 있으므로 (Seo, 2010) Cash, 1990) Ryu, 2005 ...
Article
The rich modern life caused hair loss in many people, and they began to take care of hair loss, worrying about their appearance that changed due to hair loss. The purpose of this study is to study the effect of appearance awareness formed by hair loss on hair loss management behavior through psychological factors. For the study, a survey was conducted focusing on residents in the Seoul metropolitan area who have experienced hair loss or are experiencing hair loss. A survey was conducted from May 15, 2023 to June 30, 2023, and 296 copies were used for statistical analysis. Frequency analysis, factor analysis, reliability analysis, correlation analysis, multiple regression analysis, and mediated regression analysis were conducted using SPSS 25.0. As a result of the study, it was confirmed that appearance awareness by hair loss had a positive (+) effect on hair loss management behavior in self-awareness, but a negative (-) influence relationship appeared in appearance management intention. It was confirmed that appearance awareness had a positive (+) effect on psychological factors and psychological factors on hair loss management behavior. As a result of research on the mediating role of psychological factors in the relationship between appearance awareness and hair loss management behavior, it was found that self-awareness, a sub-factor of appearance awareness, was completely mediated for basic care and partially mediated for active care. Appearance management intention was dismissed because it did not show an influence relationship between basic care and active care. Based on the results of this study, more diverse studies are expected to be conducted, and if consumers' psychological discomfort and pain are understood in depth during hair loss management and treatment at the management and treatment site, the best synergy effect can be achieved.
... Although early on it was suggested that baldness might signal social dominance (Guthrie 1970(Guthrie , 1976, empirical support has tended to contradict this. In one study, which examined the influence of male pattern baldness on the initial social perceptions of men by both sexes, male pattern baldness led to less favorable initial impressions, including lower ratings of physical attractiveness, judgments of less desirable personal and interpersonal characteristics, and misperceptions of age (Cash 1990). In another study, balding figures were rated as less potent, active, and attractive (Roll and Verinis 1971). ...
Article
Hair is a powerful symbol of individual and group identity: physical and therefore personal yet public rather than private. Despite the fact that male pattern hair loss causes men considerable emotional distress, its unconscious emotional significance is almost entirely unrepresented in the psychoanalytic literature, with a few notable exceptions. After a review of the sociological literature on male pattern hair loss and the relatively sparse psychoanalytic literature on hair and hair loss, four interlocking perspectives on hair loss in men are elaborated: (1) hair as the locus of maternal desire, (2) hair as evoking the helplessness of early infancy, (3) hair loss as a symbol of aging and death, and (4) hair loss as evoking paternal identifications and experiences with the paternal function. These ideas are illustrated with reference to T. S. Eliot's "The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock" and with a clinical case.
... Social evaluation draws upon a multitude of cues, many of them seemingly irrelevant, and even opposed, to the task at hand. Notably, aspects of physical appearance reliably predict judgments about ability and character, even when there is no objective basis for such prediction: men with beards are more likely to be seen as angry (Craig et al., 2019); men and women with lower voice pitch are rated to have more leadership potential (Klofstad et al., 2012); men with male pattern baldness are perceived as less likable and assertive (Cash, 1990); tall women are et al., 2016); West Point cadets who appear more dominant, on average, achieve a higher rank in the military (Mazur et al., 1984); and competent-looking women tend to have less success in online dating (Olivola et al., 2014). Although such physical features show no relationship with actual ability or character, they are nonetheless used to make inferences about individuals, creating systematic inaccuracies in perception and judgment, with considerable impact. ...
Article
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Four studies involving 2552 White American participants were conducted to investigate bias based on the race-based phenotype of hair texture. Specifically, we probed the existence and magnitude of bias in favor of Eurocentric (straight) over Afrocentric (curly) hair and its specificity in predicting responses to a legal decision involving the phenotype. Study 1 revealed an implicit preference, measured by an Implicit Association Test (IAT), favoring Eurocentric over Afrocentric hair texture among White Americans. This effect was not reducible to a Black/White implicit race attitude nor to mere perceptual preference favoring straight over curly hair. In Study 2, the phenotype (hair) IAT significantly and uniquely predicted expressions of support in response to an actual legal case that involved discrimination on the basis of Afrocentric hair texture. Beyond replicating this result, Studies 3 and 4 (the latter preregistered) provided further, and even more stringent, evidence for incremental predictive validity: in both studies, the phenotype IAT was associated with support for a Black plaintiff above and beyond the effects of two parallel explicit scales and, additionally, a race attitude IAT. Overall, these studies support the idea that race bias may be uniquely detected by examining implicit attitudes elicited by group-based phenotypicality, such as hair texture. Moreover, the present results inform theoretical investigations of the correspondence principle in the context of implicit social cognition: they suggest that tailoring IATs to index specific aspects of an attitude object (e.g., by decomposition of phenotypes) can improve prediction of intergroup behavior.
... In one study, American women with longer hair were found to be younger, higher in reproductive value, and healthier than women with shorter hair (Hinsz et al., 2001). Moreover, bald or blading men in Western cultures appear to be perceived as less attractive, less masculine, and older in age and report that they are more dissatisfied with their appearance than men with a full head of hair (Cash, 1990;Muscarella & Cunningham, 1996;. Bald men also appear to have fewer lifetime sexual partners (Sinclair, English, & Giles, 2013). ...
Article
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Researchers have highlighted numerous sociocultural factors that have been shown to underpin human appearance enhancement practices, including the influence of peers, family, the media, and sexual objectification. Fewer scholars have approached appearance enhancement from an evolutionary perspective or considered how sociocultural factors interact with evolved psychology to produce appearance enhancement behavior. Following others, we argue that evidence from the field of evolutionary psychology can complement existing sociocultural models by yielding unique insight into the historical and cross-cultural ubiquity of competition over aspects of physical appearance to embody what is desired by potential mates. An evolutionary lens can help to make sense of reliable sex and individual differences that impact appearance enhancement, as well as the context-dependent nature of putative adaptations that function to increase physical attractiveness. In the current review, appearance enhancement is described as a self-promotion strategy used to enhance reproductive success by rendering oneself more attractive than rivals to mates, thereby increasing one’s mate value. The varied ways in which humans enhance their appearance are described, as well as the divergent tactics used by women and men to augment their appearance, which correspond to the preferences of opposite-sex mates in a heterosexual context. Evolutionarily relevant individual differences and contextual factors that vary predictably with appearance enhancement behavior are also discussed. The complementarity of sociocultural and evolutionary perspectives is emphasized and recommended avenues for future interdisciplinary research are provided for scholars interested in studying appearance enhancement behavior.
... For example, in a study conducted by Cash (1990), men who experience significant thinning in their hair are viewed negatively upon American culture and this hair loss contribute to the formation of social impression. Compared to the non-balding men, balding men were perceived to be less attractive physically and socially, less self-assertive, and less likely to experience success in the personal and career lives. ...
Research
This study involves hair, or the use of hair and modification and its relationship to the LGBT community in the Iligan City. The research endeavors to know what hair modification of the LGBT members in Iligan use in relation to their identity, why did their use these modifications for self-expression, and how did it allow them to represent LGBT through the interview of 13 LGBT individuals in Iligan City. Their narratives were dissected through Critical Discourse Analysis and Hal's Folk Conceptual Theory into definite social uses of hair. According to the acquired data, the common choice of hairstyle is accorded to a general standard in a specific context, and there are three uses of hair modification according to preference, benefit, and power. Hair modification allowed identity expression for the LGBT members because it triggers an anomaly in the identification and categorization of facial cues that will serves as a statement, a symbol, a sign that sets them apart in order to cluster together to form organizations that rely upon each other for empowerment and for the new discourse to be accepted.
... [1] Women with cancer-related hair loss report poorer self-concept and poorer body image, and men with male pattern hair loss report that balding makes them less attractive and desirable sexual partners for women. [2,3] In this study, we explore the impact of AA on sexual quality of life. ...
Article
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Background Alopecia areata (AA) is an autoimmune disease characterized by patches of hair loss that can cause decreased quality of life. This study evaluates the sexual quality of life for patients with AA. Methods We surveyed patients in the National Alopecia Areata Foundation patient registry using an online version of the validated Sexual Quality of Life for Females (SQOL-F) and Sexual Quality of Life for Males (SQOL-M) questionnaires. Main Outcome Measures Patient sexual quality of life was measured using the SQOL-F and SQOL-M instruments. Results Eighty-one participants with AA (64 females and 17 males) completed the surveys. The mean age was 39.7 ± 13.8 years for women and 37.4 ± 9.9 years for men. Women had a decreased sexual quality of life with mean SQOL-F score of 51.3 ± 22.9. Men had a decreased sexual quality of life with mean SQOL-M score of 62.7 ± 33.9 (higher scores indicate greater sexual quality of life). No statistical difference was found between these two cohorts (P = 0.12). In discussing negative aspects of their sexuality, women strongly identified with emotional statements such as “I feel embarrassed” (n = 48, 75.0%) while men strongly identified with emotional statements such as “I feel anxious” (n = 7, 46.7%). Both cohorts strongly identified with “I feel like I have lost something” (n = 48, 76.2% and n = 7, 43.8%, respectively). Conclusions This study demonstrates that AA has a negative impact on the patient's sexual quality of life.
... Their presence in these areas, in particular in the eyebrow region on the face, enable us to effectively communicate and interact with other humans. 4 This feature imbues hair with important sociological functions, highlighted by the common use of hair-based monikers that people use to describe one another. In addition to a sociological function, there are many cultural references alluding to the strength of long hair. ...
Article
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The hair follicle is one of only two structures within the adult body that selectively degenerates and regenerates, making it an intriguing organ to study and use for regenerative medicine. Hair follicles have been shown to influence wound healing, angiogenesis and neurogenesis, and harbor distinct populations of stem cells; this has led to cells from the follicle being used in clinical trials for tendinosis and chronic ulcers. In addition, keratin produced by the follicle in the form of a hair fiber provides an abundant source of biomaterials for regenerative medicine. In this review, we provide an overview of the structure of a hair follicle, explain the role of the follicle in regulating the microenvironment of skin and the impact on wound healing, explore individual cell types of interest for regenerative medicine, and cover several applications of keratin-based biomaterials.
... Studies 9 demonstrate that individuals experiencing hair loss have reduced self-esteem and self-confidence as well as higher selfconsciousness, all of which may place them at a social disadvantage. This supposition is reinforced by literature 10,11 reporting that men who are balding are rated poorly compared with men who are not balding in domains such as physical attractiveness, likeability, and overall life (career and personal) success. These realities provide strong motivation for individuals affected by AGA to seek treatment for this condition. ...
Article
Importance Hair transplant is among the most common cosmetic services sought by men, with more than 11 000 procedures performed in 2014. Despite its growing popularity, the effect of hair transplant on societal perceptions of youth, attractiveness, or facets of workplace and social success is unknown. Objectives To determine whether hair transplant improves observer ratings of age, attractiveness, successfulness, and approachability in men treated for androgenetic alopecia and to quantify the effect of hair transplant on each of these domains. Design, Setting, and Participants A randomized controlled experiment was conducted from November 10 to December 6, 2015, using web-based surveys featuring photographs of men before and after hair transplant. One hundred twenty-two participants recruited through various social media platforms successfully completed the survey. Observers were shown 2 side-by-side images of each man and asked to compare the image on the left with the one on the right. Of 13 pairs of images displayed, 7 men had undergone a hair transplant procedure and 6 had served as controls. Observers evaluated each photograph using various metrics, including age, attractiveness, successfulness, and approachability. A multivariate analysis of variance was performed to understand the effect of hair transplant on observer perceptions. Planned posthypothesis testing was used to identify which variables changed significantly as a result of the transplant. Main Outcomes and Measures Observer ratings of age (in number of years younger) and attractiveness, successfulness, and approachability (on a scale of 0 to 100; scores higher than 50 indicate a positive change). Results Of the 122 participants in the survey, 58 were men (47.5%); mean (range) age was 27.1 (18-52) years. The initial multivariate analysis of variance revealed a statistically significant multivariate effect for transplant (Wilks λ = 0.9646; P < .001). Planned posthypothesis analyses were performed to examine individual differences across the 4 domains. Findings determined with t tests showed a significant positive effect of hair transplant on observers’ perceptions of age (mean [SD] number of years younger, 3.6 [2.9] years; P < .001), attractiveness (mean [SD] score, 58.5 [17.5]; P < .001), successfulness (mean [SD] score, 57.1 [17.1]; P = .008), and approachability (mean [SD] score, 59.2 [18.1]; P = .02). Conclusions and Relevance Men were perceived as being younger and more attractive by casual observers after undergoing hair transplant. Participants also rated posttransplant faces as appearing more successful and approachable relative to their pretransplant counterparts. These aspects have been shown to play a substantial role in both workplace and social success, and these data demonstrate that hair transplant can improve ratings universally across all 4 domains. Level of Evidence NA.
... Studies investigating AGA have reported that individuals frequently make judgments about another's personality and capabilities based on their hair. In one study, men with AGA were rated less favorably on physical attributes, attractiveness, likeability, and potential for life success (Cash, 1990 ). Studies investigating the psychosocial effects of AGA among men report higher scores on measures of anxiety and depression and poor body image (Cash, 1999; Hunt & McHale, 2005). ...
Article
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Androgenetic alopecia, the gradual, progressive loss of hair frequently results in psychological despair, in part related to changes in self-image. Current androgenetic alopecia treatments are limited to hair transplantation and medications that inhibit dihydrotestosterone, a potent androgen associated with follicular micronization. Users of finasteride, which prevents dihydrotestosterone production, report serious physical and emotional adverse effects, collectively known as post-finasteride syndrome. Psychiatric illnesses and personality traits, specifically neuroticism influence emotional well-being. Limited research exists exploring the psychological corollaries of post-finasteride syndrome and preexisting Axis I and Axis II mental health conditions. The aim of this study was to explore how having a preexisting personal and/or familial history of a psychiatric diagnosis and certain personality traits may influence anxiety and depression among finasteride users. Participants in this online survey completed the Beck Depression Inventory, the Beck Anxiety Inventory, and Ten-Item Personality Inventory. An important finding in this study was that almost 57% (n = 97) of men reported a psychiatric diagnosis and 28% (n = 27) had a first-degree relative with a mental health disorder, of this group 17 only had a family history. Nearly 50% of the men surveyed reported clinically significant depression as evidenced by Beck Depression Inventory score and 34% experienced anxiety on the Beck Anxiety Inventory. There were no statistically significant trends in personality traits reported. Results provide evidence on the need to screen for psychiatric history and counseling patients about the potential psychological consequences of finasteride. Prescribing clinicians should carefully weigh the risk/benefit ratio with these patients.
... Head hair was another major component of men's body image that was identified in this study, and was also the most commonly discussed specific indicator of a youthful appearance. Consistent with previous research on male pattern baldness (Butler, Pryor, & Grieder, 1998;Cash, 1989Cash, , 1990Cash, , 2001Martins et al., 2008a;Tiggeman et al., 2008), the men in this study idealized and desired a full head of hair. As verified through the men's comments, having a full head of hair was seen as more attractive and more youthful. ...
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Until recently, concern with body shape and image has primarily been considered a female domain and body image concerns among men were all but ignored. Researchers are now beginning to address this gap in the literature, as evidenced by the rapid rise in the number of studies pertaining to male body image. However, there are currently only a limited number of body image measures available that attempt to tap male body image concern, with these measures predominantly focusing only on the drive for muscularity. As a result, these measures are likely excluding other aspects important to men's body image. The purpose of the current dissertation was to develop a multidimensional measure of male body image, named the Multidimensional Male Body Concerns Questionnaire (MMBCQ), and determine whether it yields reliable scores and valid interpretations. This purpose was achieved through a series of three studies. The first study consisted of a qualitative investigation that identified nine major aspects of men's bodies and appearance that are most important to their body image. The second study developed items to assess these nine dimensions. A pilot test then reduced the original 55 items to a total of 39 items, which assessed the dimensions of muscularity, body fat, youthfulness, body hair, and penis. The third study refined the MMBCQ to a total of 35 items and provided additional reliability and validity evidence for the MMBCQ subscales. This new measure will allow researchers to extend their understanding of the male body image construct beyond muscularity alone. Through the use of a mixed methods approach and a combination of CTT and IRT, this dissertation uses modern validity theory to provide a comprehensive model of test development and validation.
... With the ageing of the baby boomer population, dependent variables related to ageing and body size (e.g. perceived age, body image, and self-esteem) were assessed (Carruthers & Carruthers, 2007;Cash, 1990;Dixson & Vasey, 2012;Kinley, 2010). ...
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Fashion is the way we wear our clothes, adorn our bodies, and train our bodies to move [Craik (1994)15. Craik, J. (1994). The face of fashion: Cultural studies in fashion. New York, NY: Routledge.View all references. The face of fashion: Cultural studies in fashion. New York, NY: Routledge]. To assess the state of knowledge about the communicative nature of fashion, the goal of this research was to conduct a content analysis of research published after 1986, identifying fashion's effect on perceptions. Articles for analysis (N=115) were identified from online database searches. Coding categories developed by Burns and Lennon [1993. The effect of clothing on the use of person information categories in first impressions. Clothing and Textiles Research Journal, 12(1), 9–15] and Damhorst [1990. In search of a common thread: Classification of information communicated through dress. Clothing and Textiles Research Journal, 8(2), 1–12] were used to code dependent variables. Results found that information communicated by fashion was related to potency (35.3%), evaluation (32.1%), physiological and biological traits (11.8%), demographic characteristics (8.3%), miscellaneous (5.3%), dynamism (5.7%), and quality of thought (1.5%). To further analyse information communicated by fashion, we recommend more research on effective coding taxonomies.
... In addition to the stigma of having a mental illness, individuals with TTM may also have the added burden of a visible stigma, the hair loss. In general, research shows that men with male pattern baldness are perceived as less physically attractive, less interpersonally desirable, and higher in age than non-balding men (Cash, 1990;Lee, Ha, Kim, Kim, & Kim, 2002). There are no known studies examining the social perceptions of women with hair loss. ...
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Trichotillomania (TTM) is associated with stigma and negative social perceptions. Disclosing one’s condition has reduced stigma in several conditions; but not in TTM. The role of severity, causal explanation, and familiarity with TTM on social perceptions of hair loss was examined. Undergraduates (N=290), randomly assigned to conditions varying by causal explanation (i.e., vignettes describing TTM, a genetic condition, or no explanation of cause) and severity of hair loss (i.e., photographs depicting mild, moderate, and severe loss), provided their social perceptions of female disclosure. Disclosure of TTM was rated more negatively than nondisclosure. Severe hair loss was associated with greater negative perceptions than mild hair loss. TTM as an explanation was perceived more negatively than a genetic explanation. When hair loss was mild or moderate, TTM as an explanation was rated most negatively. When hair loss was severe, a TTM explanation and non-explanations yielded more negative perceptions. Familiarity with TTM was associated with higher acceptability. Results suggest when TTM disclosure may be beneficial.
... Some men report a feeling of weakness when they receive an extensive haircut, just as did Samson of biblical fame. Moreover, men may also feel an assault on their identity or self-images when they lose their hair ( Cash, 1990). The meaning of the signals that men's hair projects is another issue to be addressed in future research. ...
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This study explores the possibility that women's hair signals their reproductive potential. Evolutionary psychology and related approaches are considered as rationales for the belief that women's hair is a signal for mate selection and attraction. A sample of women were approached in public places and surveyed as to their age, hair quality, marital status, hair length, children, and overall health. A significant correlation between hair length and age indicated that younger women tend to have longer hair than older women. Hair quality was correlated with women's health. Consistent with the principle of intersexual selection, the results of this study indicate that hair length and quality can act as a cue to a woman's youth and health and, as such, signify reproductive potential. Future directions for research on women's hair are discussed.
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Alopecia is defined as partial or complete hair loss. The most common form is androgenetic alopecia, which occurs in both men and women. Despite the nonsurgical options available for treatment, the only permanent solution is hair transplantation. Hair loss has been shown to have significant psychological consequences associated with loss of self-confidence, poor self-image and difficulties in social functioning. We aim to examine the effect of hair transplantation on quality of life and psychosocial functioning. Forty-eight patients with androgenetic alopecia were enrolled in this two-center prospective study and underwent hair transplantation by the Follicular Unit Extraction method. Different questionnaires were used to assess their quality of life and other psychosocial parameters before and after hair transplantation. According to SF-36 Physical and Mental Health Score patients showed significant improvement in life quality after hair transplantation. Diener's Life Satisfaction Scale (DASS-21) revealed increased life satisfaction after the procedure. Stress and anxiety DASS-21 subscales showed significantly reduced results; while, the DASS-21 depression scale and MSPSS were not significantly changed. Taken together, quality of life and psychosocial functioning increased after hair transplantation. Structured abstract is required. Please provide.I insert name of paragraphs within abstract as follows: background, methods, results, conclusion Level of Evidence II: This journal requires that authors assign a level of evidence to each article. For a full description of these Evidence-Based Medicine ratings, please refer to Table of Contents or the online Instructions to Authors www.springer.com/00266.
Chapter
In this chapter, we review the literature on attractiveness by explaining the multifaceted nature of attractiveness and then focusing on physical attractiveness as it has a predominant impact on attractiveness.
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Understanding heuristics in stage financing is imperative, given the consequences of staging for both new venture entrepreneurs and VC investors. This study documents how entrepreneurs’ physical attractiveness affects VCs’ staging intensity during the early stages of the funding process, while taking into account the ethnic constellation of a given VC – entrepreneur dyad. Using a dataset for a representative sample of 231 European IT-ventures, the study finds that physical attractiveness of the lead entrepreneur and the ethnic constellation of a given VC-entrepreneur dyad independently and jointly affect a VC’s staging intensity during the early stages of the financing process. These findings were subjected to a two-stage least squares analysis and Heckman selection models.
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Hair follicles are complex, minuscule, dynamic organs found only in mammals, representing one of their most defining features. Despite their tiny size, they possess impressive physiological properties, often overlooked by those who can be misled by their small size. Some properties of the hair follicle in mammals are unique and extremely diverse: sensation, protection, camouflage, thermal regulation and insulation, decoration, cleansing, transport, pigmentation, dispersion of sebum, and pheromones, signaling, and communication, even stem cells reserving for renewal and reparative responses. Hair cannot be, therefore, scientifically ignored.
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A full head of hair is an essential part of the general body image ideal, it has always been regarded as a symbol of virility and strength and is closely related to physical attractiveness. In contrast, baldness has always been associated with unfavorable meanings and negative feelings.
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Hair loss is a common and often progressive condition that affects patients of all ages, races, and genders. For some patients, hair loss may be caused by natural aging along with a genetic and hormonal predisposition, while in others it is a sign of an underlying medical condition. Despite the high prevalence and overall benign nature of hair loss, many patients suffer from significant negative psychosocial effects such as reduced self-esteem and self-confidence [1] along with a reduced perception of attractiveness, likeability, and overall success by others [2, 3]. These factors have spurred an intense social interest in camouflaging or combatting hair loss for centuries and multiple medical and surgical treatments have been devised with varying success. Arguably, the first hair transplant procedure was reported by Hodara [4] in 1897, and eyebrow and eyelash transplant techniques were first described in Japan in the 1930s [5]. The modern era of hair transplantation began in the late 1950s in New York, when N. Orentreich [6] identified the concept of donor dominance and used free donor occipital grafts to areas of hair loss in patients with male pattern baldness. This concept remains the fundamental foundation for hair transplant success to this day and laid the groundwork for hair follicle harvesting, whether by strip technique (follicular unit transplant: FUT) or by follicular unit extraction (FUE).
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Many older adults try to avoid age discrimination by hiding visible signs of aging. But using cosmetic procedures to conceal one’s age also incurs negative evaluations. This paradox prompted us to ask whether people can detect age concealment and, if so, whether they would either negatively evaluate concealers due to age-concealment stigmas or positively evaluate concealers because they look better. Across four studies with targets who underwent age-concealment procedures, we found that people could detect age concealment. Although people negatively evaluated concealers when thinking about them abstractly, they favored concealers over nonconcealers if they saw photos of them. Moreover, seeing photos of concealers improved subsequent evaluations of new concealers. The visual benefits of age-stigma concealment may therefore attenuate its stigma.
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Dr. Thomas Cash conducted seminal work on the beliefs and stereotypes related to attractiveness as well as their impact, and their transmission through cultural and interpersonal processes. This initial work has inspired and given rise to an important body of research significantly increasing our understanding of these processes. Here we review the initial contributions and research directions set up by Dr. Cash, as well as the main findings of the research that has built on his foundations. Specifically, we review findings related to the existence of attractiveness stereotypes and appearance ideals, research examining the social and interpersonal impacts of such stereotypes, and finally the sociocultural transmission of these beliefs. Future directions related to the extension of our understanding to appearance characteristics beyond shape and weight, as well as increased focus on minority identities and their intersection, are proposed.
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It is a common experience among dermatologists that a significant number of their patients have psychological overlays to their chief complaints. This particularly holds true for complaints related to conditions of the hair and scalp. The exact incidence in any particular dermatologic practice most likely depends on the dermatologist’s interest; however, even for those dermatologists who are not specially interested in the psychological aspects of dermatologic disease, some patients have such overt psychopathologic conditions, such as trichotillomania, factitial dermatitis, or delusions of parasitosis, that even the least psychologically minded dermatologist feels obliged somehow to address the psychological issues. Ideally, this would be accomplished simply through referral of the patient to a mental health professional. In reality, the majority of psychodermatologic patients are reluctant to be referred to a psychiatrist. Many lack the insight regarding the psychological contribution to their dermatologic complaints; others fear the social stigmatization of coming under the care of a psychiatrist.
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Body hair has increasingly become a focus of male attention, with a growing number of men engaging in hair removal (depilation) and strategies to manage male pattern balding. Heidi Williamson explores the social and psychological drives that underpin practices around male body hair grooming, and outlines the psychosocial consequences of both depilation and androgenic alopecia
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Background: Hair constitutes an integral part of our self and our self-identity, which is why hair loss may cause a broad range of psychological problems related to our identity. However, the association between quality of life (QOL) in alopecia areata (AA) patients and their clinical characteristics has not yet been investigated in Korea. Objective: The purpose of this study is to compare the QOL in patients with AA and healthy controls by using Hairdex scale. The relationship between their QOL and their clinical characteristics will be investigated. Methods: 102 AA patients and 82 healthy controls were recruited in this study and compared by use of Hairdex. Correlation analysis was performed to examine the relationship between the QOL and the clinical characteristics of patients with AA. Results: The total Hairdex scores and all domain scores, except those of the symptomatic domain, of the Hairdex scales in AA were higher than those of the healthy controls. Clinical characteristics, including the age, disease duration, AA type, AA area, treatment satisfaction, treatment history, anxiety and depression, showed significant correlation with QOL. Of these characteristics, the depression and treatment satisfaction showed strong association with QOL. Conclusion: AA can a impair patient's quality of life and has a significant psychological impact.
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This exploratory study used self-report measures from 173 men aged between 18 and 35 years, who had not yet experienced signifcant hair loss, to examine potential predictors of future anxiety in young men about Male Pattern Baldness (MPB). Predictor variables were measured using the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory - Trait scale (STAI-T), Appearance Orientation (AO) scale, and Body Areas Satisfaction Scale (BASS), Locus of Control scale (LOC), Self-Consciousness Scale-Revised (SCS-R), and the Texas Social Behavior Inventory - Short Form A (TSBI-A). Confrmatory Factor Analyses (CFA) of extant scales were conducted. A scale to measure the criterion variable of Future Anxiety Specifc to MPB (FAMPB) was developed based on theory and previous research about anxiety, male body image, and the psychological effects of MPB. Using stepwise regression analysis, predictor variables of trait anxiety, appearance orientation, private self-consciousness, powerful others locus of control, and variables based on Zaleski's (1996) proposed determinants of future anxiety which in combination accounted for 45.3% of the variance in future anxiety about MPB in this sample.
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Androgenic alopecia (AGA) or male pattern hair loss is the most common form of hair loss and affects up to 50% of all men by the age of 50 This article looks at the pathophysiology diagnosis and treatment (both medical and surgical) of AGA (C) 2010 WPMH GmbH Published by Elsevier Ireland Ltd
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According to Evolutionary Psychology, what are now almost universally regarded as attractive features of the face and body, and certain mate recruitment strategies, conferred strong survival benefits to humans in prehistoric times, and still play an important role in our sex lives today. While there are over a hundred books and over two thousand articles covering these subjects, the recommended readings that follow each section of this article may provide science librarians with a more manageable way to familiarize themselves with the principal findings in the field thus far. Selections were based on the featured works being favorably reviewed, heavily cited, or highly current, and may be useful for collection development.
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The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of appearance management cognition on attitude toward appearance management and the effect of this attitude on appearance management behavior. It also examines how demographic factors affect these relationships. This study gave a questionnaire survey to adults between the ages of 40 and 50 in Seoul, Daegu, and Ulsan, South Korea. Data collected from 368 respondents were analyzed using descriptive statistics, t-test, factor analysis, and structural equation modeling. The study model was tested by structural equation modeling, the results of which revealed a positive effect of appearance management cognition on attitude toward appearance management and a positive effect of attitude toward appearance management on appearance management behavior. The results of t-testing showed that there were significant differences in cognition, attitude, and behavior toward appearance management by gender, age, educational level, and income.
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This study examined the differences in appearance orientation and appearance management behavior in groups (classified by the body mass index) as well as explored the differences in each of demographic variables. Data were collected from 513 respondents from the city of Daegu as well as Gyeongbuk province. Collected data were analyzed by descriptive statistics, ANOVA, and Duncan tests. The results showed that 14.3% of the respondents were underweight, 60.0% normal, and 25.7% overweight according to BMI. The appearance orientation of the respondents was revealed to be high. Skin care was the most popular appearance management behavior, followed by make-up, clothing selection, hair care and weight training. Due to appearance orientation by body type, the appearance orientation for the underweight was the highest followed by normal and overweight. There were significant differences in skin care, make-up, clothing selection, hair care among the three groups in appearance management behavior; however, no differences in weight training. Generally, appearance management behavior of the underweight was the highest, followed by the normal and the overweight. In addition, there were significant group differences in appearance orientation and appearance management behavior according to demographic variables. This study contributes basic information to the field of appearance management behavior research and beauty industry marketing strategy through a better understanding of the relationships of BMI, appearance orientation, and appearance management behavior.
Prostate cancer is a burden on society. Its prevalence can reach up to 80% in males aged 70 years and older. Current screening programs based on prostate-specific antigen testing lead to overdiagnosis and overtreatment with uncertain benefits on survival. Androgenic alopecia is also highly prevalent in elderly males. Observational studies have found that androgenic alopecia is linked to prostate cancer, but studies have been conflictual. Further research should focus on finding the exact mechanism linking these two pathologies. This should help clinicians improve screening programs and guide research into novel molecules to help in the prevention and treatment of both androgenic alopecia and prostate cancer.
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Background: Female pattern hair loss (FPHL) produces chronic progressive hair loss in women. The morbidity is predominately psychological. Empirical research investigating the psychological aspects of FPHL and the impact of initiation of treatment in Australian women is absent. Objective: To examine the impact of FPHL on the quality of life (QOL) and the impact of initiation of treatment on QOL. Method: 77 women with biopsy-proven FPHL receiving treatment with oral antiandrogens, 53 women on a waiting list to receive treatment for FPHL and 82 women not affected by hair loss completed the Women's AGA Quality of Life Questionnaire (WAA-QOL). Results: AGA affected women reported poorer health-related QOL than non-affected women. There was no change in QOL over a two-month period following assessment and initiation of treatment. The WAA-QOL was found to have excellent internal consistency (Cronbach's alpha = .97) and test-retest reliability (correlation coefficient = .92). Conclusion: The findings confirm the detrimental impact of FPHL on the QOL and the lack of impact of medical consultation and initiation of treatment on QOL at 2 months. This has implications for the treatment of psychological difficulties associated with FPHL and suggests a possible role for adjuvant psychological intervention.
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This inquiry uses an anthropological construal of metaphor to argue for the multi-vocal presence of symbolic meanings in the marketplace. Metaphoric imagery is described as it emanates from marketers, popular culture media and consumers with respect to the product area of hair care. We identify two primary deep metaphors for hair: (1) a living organism requiring nourishment and hydration; and (2) a malleable structure that may be subjected to design and utilized as apparel, accessory, or protection. This theoretical approach is compared to two others currently `in play' in marketing: the Brands-as-Icons model of Holt (2004) and the Meaning Management Model of McCracken (2005).
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Androgenetic alopecia is a common cause of hair loss in both men and women. The exact pathogenesis of androgenetic alopecia is not well understood. As the name implies, the role of androgens and genetic susceptibility predisposes to pattern hair loss due to gradual conversion of terminal hair into vellus hair. Male and female pattern hair loss are clinically distinct entities but histologically indistinguishable. The role of sex hormones in females is less understood. This article discusses current understanding of the etiopathogenesis of hair loss in men, diagnostic tests available, and its medical management.
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Pharmaceutical marketing has evolved in response to changing forces in the health care environment. Several parties now have a substantial interest in how and why specific pharmaceutical products are prescribed. In response, direct-to-consumer advertising (DTCA) of prescription drugs has gained considerable popularity. This paper reviews the DTCA marketing campai n designed and implemented by the Upjohn Company for Rogaine® (topical minoxidil). The actual and potential advantages and disadvantages of this new marketing strategy are identified and recommendations are made for future marketing efforts.
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It is commonly believed that attractive people are more successful, but the empirical support for this belief is mixed. A number of role-playing, laboratory studies have demonstrated that more attractive men are more often hired, but the laboratory data for women are less consistent. Few studies have explored the effects of attractiveness on actual hiring and starting salaries for men or women. Even less work has been done on the impact of attractiveness once on the job. It was predicted that there would be positive effects for attractiveness and that the effects would be stronger as people worked longer on their jobs. To test this prediction, a sample of 737 male and female MBA graduates from the years between 1973 and 1982 was used to explore how facial attractiveness relates to starting and later salaries. Results indicated that more attractive men had higher starting salaries and they continued to earn more over time. For women, there was no effect of attractiveness for starting salaries, but more attractive women earned more later on in their jobs. By 1983, men were found to earn 2600moreontheaverageforeachunitofattractiveness(ona5pointscale)andwomenearned2600 more on the average for each unit of attractiveness (on a 5-point scale) and women earned 2150 more. Implications for research in this area are discussed.
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The list experiment is used to detect latent beliefs when researchers suspect a substantial degree of social desirability bias from respondents. This methodology has been used in areas ranging from racial attitudes to political preferences. Meanwhile, social psychologists interested in the salience of physical attributes to social behavior have provided respondents with experimentally altered photographs to test the influence of particular visual cues or traits on social evaluations. This experimental research has examined the effect of skin blemishes, hairlessness, and particular racial attributes on respondents' evaluation of these photographs. While this approach isolates variation in particular visual characteristics from other visual aspects that tend to covary with the traits in question, it fails to adequately deal with social desirability bias. This shortcoming is particularly important when concerned with potentially charged visual cues, such as body mass index (BMI). The present article describes a novel experiment that combines the digital alteration of photographs with the list experiment approach. When tested on a nationally representative sample of Internet respondents, results suggest that when shown photographs of women, male respondents report differences in levels of attractiveness based on the perceived BMI of the photographed confederate. Overweight individuals are less likely than their normal weight peers to report different levels of attractiveness between high-BMI and low-BMI photographs. Knowing that evaluations of attractiveness influence labor market outcomes, the findings are particularly salient in a society with rising incidence of obesity.
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Although alopecia is one of the most prevalent dermatologic conditions in the United States, it is typically viewed as a benign process with only cosmetic consequences. Androgenic alopecia has an especially strong perception as a cosmetic management issue. This contribution reviews literature gathered through MEDLINE from PubMed to emphasize the value of hair as a part of the system and to illustrate that androgenic alopecia, like psoriasis, can have severe consequences and serve as a risk factor for the development of life-threatening diseases. Individuals with alopecia experience psychosocial and psychiatric illness and may be at risk for cardiovascular disease, prostatic cancer, and squamous cell carcinoma of the scalp. All persons with alopecia should be evaluated and treated by a physician to minimize its psychological effects and reduce the risk of developing other medical conditions and be further assessed for the presence of commonly associated comorbid conditions.
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Ethological reports of animal dominance signals suggested that certain human brow and mouth gestures would influence the attributions of social dominance made by children. Stimulus photographs depicting adults with lowered brow expressions or without smiles were hypothesized to appear dominant relative to photographs showing adults with raised-brow expressions or with smiles, respectively. In addition, the cross-species record suggested that faces with physiognomic characteristics indicative of physical maturity would also look dominant. In tests of these hypotheses, children between 4 and 7 years of age heard stories describing social dominance interactions and chose photographs of adults who looked like the dominant characters described in the stories. The results confirmed predictions and indicated that human nonverbal dominance signaling may be patterned after that of other species.
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Examined whether physically attractive stimulus persons, both male and female, are (a) assumed to possess more socially desirable personality traits than physically unattractive stimulus persons, and (b) expected to lead better lives (e.g., be more competent husbands and wives and more successful occupationally) than unattractive stimulus persons. Sex of Subject * Sex of Stimulus Person interactions along these dimensions also were investigated. Results with 30 male and 30 female undergraduates indicate a "what is beautiful is good" stereotype along the physical attractiveness dimension with no Sex of Judge * Sex of Stimulus interaction. Implications of such a stereotype on self-concept development and the course of social interaction are discussed.
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Examined the self-fulfilling influences of social stereotypes on dyadic social interaction. Conceptual analysis suggests that a perceiver's actions based upon stereotype-generated attributions about a specific target individual may cause the behavior of that individual to confirm the perceiver's initially erroneous attributions. A paradigmatic investigation of the behavioral confirmation of stereotypes involving physical attractiveness (e.g., "beautiful people are good people") is presented. 51 male "perceivers" interacted with 51 female "targets" (all undergraduates) whom they believed to be physically attractive or physically unattractive. Tape recordings of each participant's conversational behavior were analyzed by naive observer judges for evidence of behavioral confirmation. Results reveal that targets who were perceived (unknown to them) to be physically attractive came to behave in a friendly, likeable, and sociable manner in comparison with targets whose perceivers regarded them as unattractive. (42 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2012 APA, all rights reserved)
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Morphological traits may convey social messages among humans as they do among other species. This study presents data from observers in 11 national/cultural settings who viewed 19 pairs of portrait photographs and selected either more dominant-looking or happier-looking pair members. Significant cross-sample agreement in dominance attributions emerged for eight portrait pairs. Significant cross-sample agreement in happiness attributions occured for nine portrait pairs. Post hoc, among the characteristics of dominant faces were receded hairlines and relatively broad faces. The traits of happier- looking faces frequently included relatively dark eyes and thick lips, with some exceptions.
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Psychological research on physical appearance remains predominantly the study of physical attractiveness as a trait dimension. This perspective ignores the fact that most persons actively modify their appearance across time and situations by means of self-grooming or self-adornment, for example, as many females do by use of cosmetics. To document and facilitate research from the perspective that appearance is not merely a fixed trait, this bibliography of psychological studies, reviews, and commentaries is provided.
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36 male and 44 female college students were presented with a series of 15 stimuli which were designed to represent the variables of hair color, hair length, quantity of scalp hair, hair quality and amount of facial hair. Each stimulus was rated on scales representing the Evaluative, Potency, and Activity dimensions. The proposition that stereotypes are identifiable was strongly confirmed. Of 18 specific predictions 15 were also confirmed. Explanation in full of these findings was not effected.
Article
-For a scenario describing a slender male 160 male students indicated more favorable ratings as more assertive, better supervisor, and more acceptable to others. The most salient features of a social interaction are the physical characteristics of the actors and it has been shown that various physical dimensions elicit particular trait attributions. For instance. it has been found that muscular body build is linked to favorable personal traits, while obese, and to lesser extent, slender body build is associated with negative stereotypes (1, 2, 3, 5). Others (4, 7) examined the emotive or personality attributions made to physiognomy and kinestic cues. Hair length has been related to evaluations made of a male target (6). Few studies have attempted to link physical characteristics to specific performance-related attributes. The purpose of this study was to determine whether individuals would utilize information about physical characteristics in making job-related evaluations of a hypothetical person. One hundred and sixty male undergraduates were randomly administered one of eight scenarios in which a hypothetical male applicant was being considered for promotion to a managerial position in a large company. The description of the applicant varied along the following three physical dimensions: height (tall vs short), physique (slender vs obese), and cranial hair (full vs bald). After reading a particular scenario, each subjea predicted the extent to which subordinates and colleagues would accept the applicant as a supervisor and the subject rated the applicant on various job-related behaviors, e.g., assertiveness and fairness. Ratings were given on 7-point scales. A 2 (height) X 2 (physique) x 2 (cranial hair) analysis for completely randomized groups showed no significant main effects for height or cranial hair. However, a number of significant effects were found for physique. The slender applicant was rated over the obese applicant as more assertive (Slender M = 7.87, SD = 1.48; Obese M = 6.92, SD = 2.0; p < ,001). as making a better supervisor (Slender M = 7.49, SD = 2.15; Obese M = 6.81, SD = 2.45; p < .05), and as being more favorably accepted by colleagues (Slender M = 7.87. SD = 1.38; Obese M = 6.98; SD = 1.83; fi < ,001) and by subordinates (Slender M = 7.87, SD = 1.60; Obese M = 6.70, SD = 1.89; p < .05). As mentioned earlier, researchers have found a negative stereotype associated with an endomorphic body build. This study supports the ubiquirousness and potency of this unfavorable stereotype in U. S. society. Such individuals are typically described as mentally unhealthy and as lacking in self-confidence and personal incentive. Such a stereotype is not suggestive of a leadership role. Moreover, the subjects in this study may have perceived height and cranial hair as outside of one's personal control, whereas body weight may be voluntarily regulated and therefore more negative attributions were assigoed to the overweight applicant.
Article
Thirty-eight American female college students completed several body-image measures and were photographed while wearing their typical facial cosmetics and following the removal of their makeup, in a counterbalanced within-subject experimental design. Results indicated more positive body-image cognitions and affect in the cosmetics-present than the cosmetics-absent condition. The more makeup typically worn by the subject, the greater the body-image differences between the two cosmetics conditions. Sixteen peer judges rated the attractiveness of the women in either the cosmetics-present or the cosmetics-absent photograph. Male judges were less favorable when the women were cosmetics free; female judges were not differentially affected. Findings are discussed in the context of a dynamic state-trait perspective that physical appearance is not simply a fixed, immutable attribute, but rather is altered by individuals to manage and control their self- and social images.
Article
The present study used videotape to examine selected determinants of perceptions of physical attractiveness and gender (masculinity/femininity) in a college student sample of 30 men and 85 women. Both body and facial attractiveness contributed to the prediction of overall attractiveness, although neither variable was a more powerful predictor than the other. Perceptions of overall physical attractiveness, both static (“fixed target”) and dynamic (“moving target”), were positively related to perceptions of grooming. In predicting dynamic physical attractiveness from static physical attractiveness and certain nonverbal indices thought to be related to attractiveness evaluations in naturally occurring conditions, only static physical attractiveness entered the regression equation at a significant level. Still, perceived friendliness and natural body movement were related to overall attractiveness perceptions. Finally, physical attractiveness was significantly related to gender perceptions in both males and females, with natural body movement and tight-fitting clothes also predictive of perceived masculinity in males and overall grooming and natural body movement predictive of perceived femininity in females.
Article
Body image is a multidimensional construct defined by persons' perceptions of and attitudes about their body. Although the sexes differ on some parameters of body image, the present experiment was conducted to determine the manner and extent to which the sexes are socially perceived to differ. Male and female college students (n=72) completed a standardized body-image inventory, the Multidimensional Body-Self Relations Questionnaire, in response to three counterbalanced instructional contexts—for self, for the typical male peer, and for the typical female peer. As compared with the actual, often modest, sex differences found on several body-image indices, the sexes were perceived to differ substantially on all measured aspects of body image. The stereotypical misperception of the sexes was clearly a more disparaging distortion of the body image of women than of men. The findings were interpreted in relation to possible contributing factors and directions for future research.
Article
Based on contemporary social psychological theory and research, the aesthetic appeal of one's physical appearance can have considerable influence on others--on social attraction, attitudes, attributions, and actions, which in turn can affect one's psychosocial experiences and development. From this perspective, the present controlled experiment represents a modified and extended replication of recent research testing the hypothesis that aesthetic surgeries such as rhinoplasty produce improvements in physical attractiveness that foster more favorable personality attributions by others. The hypothesis was largely supported--for male and female perceivers of patients of both sexes and various ages. The implications and limitations of these findings as well as the directions for further fruitful investigation are discussed.
Body image survey report. The great American shape-up The social psychological effects of over-weight
  • T F Cash
  • B A Winstead
  • L H Janda
  • W Dejong
  • R E Kleck
Cash, T.F., Winstead, B.A., & Janda, L.H. (1986, April). Body image survey report. The great American shape-up. Psychology Today, 20,3044. DeJong, W., & Kleck, R.E. (1986). The social psychological effects of over-weight. In C.P. Herman, M.P. Zanna, & E.T. Higgins (Eds.), Physical Appearance, Stigma, and Social Behavior: The Ontario Symposium (Vol. 3, pp. 65-87). Hillsdale, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.
The psychosocial tffects of male pattern balding: A scientific study Technical report submitted to Manning The psychology of cosmetics: A research bibliography
  • T F Cash
Cash, T.F. (1987). The psychosocial tffects of male pattern balding: A scientific study. Technical report submitted to Manning, Salvage, and Lee, Inc., New York, NY. Cash, T.F. (1988). The psychology of cosmetics: A research bibliography. Perceptual and Motor Skills, 66,455-460.
Social and applied aspects of perceiving faces Perceptions of physical attrac-tiveness among college students: Selected determinants and meth-odological matters
  • T R Alley
  • Hillsdale
  • Nj: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates
  • T Brown
  • T F Cash
  • S W Noles
Alley, T.R. (Ed.) (1988). Social and applied aspects of perceiving faces. Hillsdale, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates. Brown, T., Cash, T.F., & Noles, S.W. (1986). Perceptions of physical attrac-tiveness among college students: Selected determinants and meth-odological matters. Journal of Social Psychology, 126,305-316.
Physical attractiveness: An annotated bibliography of theory and research in the behavioral sciences
  • Cash T.F.
Cash, T.F. (1981). Physical attractiveness: An annotated bibliography of theory and research in the behavioral sciences. JSAS Catalog of Selected Documents in Psychology, 11,83 (#2370).
  • Keating C.F.