Attractiveness in psychology generally refers to the external appearance of a person. There is a consensus within and across cultures who is and who is not attractive. Thus, people show a remarkable preference for averageness, symmetry, and sexual dimorphism. This attractiveness consensus indicates that perceptions of attractiveness represent adaptations for mate choice because these features signal mate quality, such as health and reproductive fitness. Moreover, attractive children and adults seem to exhibit more positive behaviors and traits, probably reflecting the fact that they receive more attention and support. Social-psychological research has demonstrated that physical attractiveness plays a strong biasing role in social life according to which attractive people fare better in almost every context (see Langlois et al., 2000).
In sports, attractiveness appears to be relevant in different ways: First, physical attractiveness of athletes matters for sport consumption and athletes’ income. Attractiveness increases athletes’ endorser qualities and popularity. However, it is unclear to what extent gender matters and if attractiveness compensates for lower athletic expertise (Mutz & Meier, 2016). Second, physical attractiveness appears to be relevant for careers in team sport. Rosar, Hagenah, and Klein (2013) found that attractiveness correlated negatively with soccer player performance, but that coaches preferred more attractive players. In contrast, Williams, Park, and Wieling (2010) found facial attractiveness positively correlated with NFL quarterback performance and Park, Buunk, and Wieling (2007) determined that the facial attractiveness matters for positions in soccer. Thus, Park et al. (2007) and Williams et al. (2010) claimed that more attractive faces indicate traits associated with heritable fitness. Third, attractiveness might matter in judged competitions.
References
Langlois, H., Kalakanis, L., Rupinstein, A. J., Larson, A., Hallam, M., & Smoot, M. (2000). Maxims or myths of beauty? A meta-analytic and theoretical review. Psychological Bulletin, 126, 390 423.
Mutz, M., & Meier, H. E. (2016). Successful, sexy, popular: Athletic performance and physical attractiveness as determinants of public interest in male and female soccer players. International Review for the Sociology of Sport, 51, 567 580.
Park, J. H., Buunk, A. P., & Wieling, M. B. (2007). Does the face reveal athletic flair? Positions in team sports and facial attractiveness. Personality and Individual Differences, 43, 1960 1965.
Rosar, U., Hagenah, J., & Klein, M. (2013). Sind Sportreporter die objektiveren Beobachter? Sportwissenschaft, 43, 206 221.
Williams, K. M., Park, J. H., & Wieling, M. B. (2010). The face reveals athletic flair: Better National Football League quarterbacks are better looking. Personality and Individual Differences, 48, 112 116.
***Contributed by Henk E. Meier for Hackfort, D., Schinke, R. J., & Strauss, B. (Eds.). (2019). Dictionary of sport psychology: sport, exercise, and performing arts. Academic Press. https://amzn.to/3ZxARzT