Reply to How Much Do a Kid's Looks Factor Into Admissions Decisions?

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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]Research shows that people are more likely to think beautiful people are smart and talented.  Why wouldn't we make those assumptions about children as well?[/quote]

I wonder if that is true for both men and women. I think beautiful women are assumed to be less intelligent. But I digress....

My MIL is a child psychologist. She told us that studies have shown that attractive infants get more attention than unattractive infants. Adults (parents, caregivers, strangers) and other children are more likely to smile at them and try to engage them. And this attention helps the babies develop both mentally and emotionally. There are some fairly universal markers of a baby being attractive. Large wide-set eyes being the one that I remember (and true for most mammals, not just humans). It is heart-breaking to think that some kids are at a disadvantage from day one just because of how they look. It doesn't fit with our democratic ideals of being a meritocracy.

Extrapolating from this discrepancy in the treatment of infants, it is very possible that the people evaluating the play dates subconsciously focus more on the attractive kids than the less attractive kids.[/quote]

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