Attractive appearance as a factor of human social adaptation

Objective. To analyze available literature data on the influence of appearance on social adaptation and hypothesis that attractive appearance of a person provides some advantages regarding interpersonal contacts and position in society. Material and methods. We enrolled 58 studies after screening of PubMed and eLibrary.ru databases using the following keywords: “external attractiveness of a person”, “role of appearance”, “social adaptation”. We analyzed data on social and biological aspects of influence of personal appearance on relationships in society. Results. Traditionally, the role of a person’s appearance in social life is considered as something secondary due to idea of universal equality. The review and analysis show that people with beautiful appearance are more successful in social terms, while those with unattractive or nonstandard appearance have a lot of difficulties in establishing social contacts. An outwardly attractive person is subconsciously regarded as a bearer of positive qualities, trustworthy and vice versa. Some studies prove that assessment of another person’s beauty is programmed at the genetic level. Without denying the role of aesthetic preferences in assessing appearance of another person, various authors once again emphasize validity of biosocial nature of humans and biological role of such assessment. In this case, the assessed person is considered at an instinctive level as a sexual partner or competitor. From the standpoint of natural selection, external attractiveness unconsciously regarded as a sign of the animal’s health ensures survival of population. Conclusion. This review proves the role of biological aspects in assessing appearance of other people that influences their adaptation in society.