Do you judge someone by looks?

[elfpirate]

[b]Okay, first off- we are [i]programmed[/i] to make snap judgements about every new input we face... including visual information. It's an instinct that serves to protect us. [/b]

[b]Without our mental schemas, we wouldn't know that it would be a good idea to run from the guy who's wearing nothing but blood-stained duct tape and is weilding a chainsaw.[/b]

[b]Our schemas grow to accomodate new information and are changing all the time, but it would be pretty much impossible to change your programming altogether and get rid of them.[/b]

[b]I do try, however, not to judge people harshly based on their appearance-- and I'm usually quite successful in that regard.[/b]

[b]And I whole-heartedly agree with James on this:

[QUOTE=James][color=#b0251e] When I'm going out with someone, their personality directly impacts my attraction to them.

Of course, I can meet someone and think that they look gorgeous. But if I don't like their personality, I will start to find them less physically attractive.

Alternatively, I can meet someone who I feel indifferent about physically (ie: I don't think they're gorgeous or unattractive, just somewhere in the middle), but if I [i]like[/i] them as a person, I will be much more likely to start finding them physically attractive.

So, although physical looks are obviously there and they have some influence, I have to say that in my case, personality directly impacts physical attraction. I know that's not the same for everyone -- but if I find someone annoying or I simply don't like them, it doesn't matter how physically attractive they are. Chances are, I won't find them too attractive at all.[/color][/QUOTE]
[b]There's this girl that I had the biggest crush on for almost a year, but never had a lot of opportunities to spend time with her. I thought she was the cutest punkrock chic in the world. I was truly smitten.[/b]

[b]Then, she moved into my house (just as a room-mate). And I got to know her. Now, I think she's one of the foulest creatures that walks the planet... and it's all because she has a rotten personality. It's sad, really...[/b]

[b]I guess I neglected to follow one of my favorite old addages: Never judge a book by its cover...[/b]
[/b]

[Dielover]

I've been going out with this guy on the net and he has never seen my face, but still he insisted that we date. He liked my personality and he begged on his hands and knees. (so he says) If all people were like that with their friend ships and love realationships, then not so many people would go home and say "Why am I here God? Nobody needs me, so maybe I should die." It makes me sick to see people making fun of other people. I have actually beaten people up for doing so. hehe... I'm a bad girl

[Gelgoog Pilot]

I don't think I'd ever associate long hair with that person being gay....that's just odd. Anyway...To answer the question, yes I'm sure I've been guilty of judging people by their looks many of times. I don't name call unless I know how that person is.

I feel that judgement by looks goes like this. We humans being basically animals, have instincts ingrained within us. Here lets say if someone looks threatening or strange we tend to think badly of them go on the defensive and such. It's possible that this is merely a way to avoid a possible risk to ourselves. If you see something intimidating or precieve someone as dangerous, right away you're going to exclude yourself from them. Then again...you may see someone who appears weaker than you and to try and bolster your defenses you insult them to try and make yourself look stronger in others eyes who may be more of a threat to you...its wierd...I agree with this idea that we have underlaying instincts but...I think also that we can break these preconceptions of people.

[r3vival]

[QUOTE=DerelictDestiny][COLOR=DarkRed][SIZE=1]I aboslutely judge a person by their looks. Whole heartedly.

It's not intentional but during the first few moments before you even talk to the person how else am I suppose to determine if this individual is worth my time or not? How much do they care about their presentation? What kind of impression are they intending to give? Possibly social status.

It says so much. Like someone else was saying, they don't really care too much and thus wear sweatshirts and jeans, that tells me they're a person comfortable with themself and really doesn't care what people think of them.

Sure it's horribly judgemental but it's not something I can ignore. Afterall, a person's presented looks are a representation of their personality. At least I think so.[/SIZE][/COLOR][/QUOTE]


I agree that a persons looks are in some sense a reflection of their personality. This is judgemental but of course it doesn't mean I'm going to cut somebody off just because of their looks. My first impression on somebody is souly based on looks and EVEN MORE THAN LOOKS how they carry themselves what type of manner they act in publicly (laughing joking all the time, always looking depressed, etc.) Of course first impressions aren't the final impressions thats why their called first they are subject to change perhaps in getting to know that hey they arent exactly who I thought they were whether it be better or for worse. I think it is IMPOSSIBLE not to judge at all based on looks whether you admit it or not you make connections based on looks. Whether it be as insignificant a connection as "Hey, she looks polish" or something of the sort or even "She looks ghettod out I hate her" (NOT TO BE TAKEN OFFENSIVELY ITS NOT HOW I FEEL JUST AN EXAMPLE) everybody judges based on looks.


EDIT: Dont take any of this the wrong way I strongly believe that judgements along the terms of he has long hair he's gay are horrible and honestly make no sense... There is no real logical connection personality wise (sure girls have long hair but so what?) its just like saying every girl with short hair is a lesbian its unrelated hair is fairly irrelevant when it comes to sexual orientation

Also well put siren short and to the point also very accurate at that

[Guest Redfield]

Nothing wrong with long hair...


anyway,judging people by looks just shows how shallow people can be.Really now,i know plenty of cute girls,some can be nice girls with a repected reputation,other can be evil manipulative *****'s with no regard for the feelings of others,only they're own.If people judge you by how you look,then they're just proving they're own ignorance to the world around them.

[DarkShippo]

I don't like Judgeing people before i know them i know nothing of them so i shouldn't say anything about them. It's rather hard because i'm constatly wondering, " what is that persons life like? who are they?" -_- stuff like that. The reason i really dislike juding people before i know them is me many people say i'm a drug addict a hippie because of my hair and i have sleeping problems the only nickname i have that i like is jesus...don't ask. I have had people hate before they know me then they get to know me and don't hate me. 16 people on the internet want to got out with me because "i'm the nicest person they have ever met and talked to" but they wouldn't even know me if they dod live near me becuase i'm "ugly"...i hate people -_-

[fynessajynx]

[quote name='DarkShippo']16 people on the internet want to got out with me because "i'm the nicest person they have ever met and talked to" but they wouldn't even know me if they dod live near me becuase i'm "ugly"...i hate people -_-[/quote]


hmmm...I often felt the same way. I even had someone offer me a trip to Japan they were going to pay the whole way, but when they found out what I looked like they dropped the subject, though they still remained my friend.

but i did manage to find my husband online through a forum. it's funny, I've always thought if we would have met in person before getting to know each other online, we may have never gotten together because of the shells we put around ourselves in "real" life. I had such low esteem, I didn't think even the other "not so hotties" would like me :animedepr

just goes to show that someone's personality can more than make up for what they look like on the outside :animesmil

[Sara]

[QUOTE=DeathBug]Well, the old saying used to be that you can't judge a book by it's cover.

But that was back when all books had mono-colored covers with just the titles on them. Nowadays, books have summaries and critcs' reviews on them, and lists of other books by the same author, as well as descriptive blurbs from the publishers. You can totally judge books by their covers, and be right at least half the time.

The same trend applies to people.[/QUOTE][color=indigo]That needed quoting. I don't know whether to laugh or cry. :p

I don't think I can put anything much better than James did. You definitely grow to find people atttractive.

I actually, though, disagree with the impression I'm getting here that some of you think that looks are the only way you can judge someone when you first meet them. In my experience, looks are actually a relatively small part of the "first impression."

I mean, I can't say I know anyone that I consider either gorgeous or ugly, heh. I've never seen anyone I was put off by or attracted to, simply on the basis of physical appearance. Maybe it's just me, but I've never had a crush on a guy because he was "hott." I mean, come on. No!

When you meet someone, you don't only see their straight physical appearance. You talk to them, you hear what they say, you listen to their voice, you watch their facial expressions, notice their attitude and bearing, notice their sense of humor. It's all part of meeting someone for the first time. First impressions. Sure, I've had a crush on someone after only meeting them once (much to my chagrin, I might add!), but objectlvely (and speaking as someone who is now friends with said people) they aren't all that handsome. :p And on the flip side, attitude (even physical bearing--the angsty slouch, for example) can [i]definitely[/i] be a turn off, even (especially?) on first contact.

So I have to say that I find the 'mental' aspects of appearance--how people hold themselves, whether or not (and how) they smile much [i]more[/i] giving than the looks people are born with.[/color]

[RahXephon]

[QUOTE][B]Originally Posted by fynessajynx[/B]
I had such low esteem, I didn't think even the other "not so hotties" would like me [/QUOTE]

fynessajynx, you've got a friend. I feel the same way but i gave up caring a while ago..

Now, to the point i was trying to make...I have long hair, it is naturally curly, i am a guy and im not gay. Plenty of people probably think that i am gay but even if i told these people that im not, they wouldn't believe me. Therefore i just dont talk to these people. But to contribute to the topic, we all judge people, no matter what (this has been said) as long as you dont do anything stupid with these assumptions, like spread rumors for example, then i am fine with people thinking whatever they want. People think what they want, if u tell them otherwise, it wont do anything.

thats my two cents

Im out...

[NinjaJedi007]

i think im guilty of juding by looks. dont get me wrong. i dont go out and get in people's face about it or do stuff like that. what im talking about is that sometimes you cant help but think about someone due to their appearance. ive been to a bunch of parties, even walking around at school, i see girls dressed really sl*tty sometimes. not only dressed that way, they've got the make up and hairstyles to go with it. when i see something like that its kinda hard to take her seriously.

[Gavin]

[SIZE=1]Honestly I'd have to answer no, I've always made a concerted effort to avoid simply judging someone because of the way they look, because more often that not looks are not the true judge of a person. I'd definitely concur with Lore's belief that a person's appearance is a relatively tiny part of a first impression.

I have on numerous occasions found myself to be physically attracted to girls, and after actually having a chance to talk with them their physical appearance can often take a back seat to their personality. If I were to throw another old phrase into the mix, "[I]Beauty is only skin deep, but ugly goes right to the bone[/I]", and from what a few people have said that saying is definitely true. Most of the time I look for things like sense of humour, likes and dislikes and a matching personality, rather than simply seeking out a "trophy babe". But hey those are just my thoughts on the subject.[/SIZE]

[WingZero120]

I dont see the point in judgeing people on how they look. if both people are attactied to each other than who cares about looks. me im looking 4 a gf but really cant find any that have any of my interests. wb

[WingZero120]

i agree man who cares if she wants to rule the world or shes just sweet looks dnt matter. and they shouldnt matter to the world. and the girl that would be my gf would be from soul caliber sung mina

[MissWem]

[QUOTE=r3vival]I agree that a persons looks are in some sense a reflection of their personality. This is judgemental but of course it doesn't mean I'm going to cut somebody off just because of their looks. My first impression on somebody is souly based on looks and EVEN MORE THAN LOOKS how they carry themselves what type of manner they act in publicly (laughing joking all the time, always looking depressed, etc.) Of course first impressions aren't the final impressions thats why their called first they are subject to change perhaps in getting to know that hey they arent exactly who I thought they were whether it be better or for worse. I think it is IMPOSSIBLE not to judge at all based on looks whether you admit it or not you make connections based on looks. Whether it be as insignificant a connection as "Hey, she looks polish" or something of the sort or even "She looks ghettod out I hate her" (NOT TO BE TAKEN OFFENSIVELY ITS NOT HOW I FEEL JUST AN EXAMPLE) everybody judges based on looks.


EDIT: Dont take any of this the wrong way I strongly believe that judgements along the terms of he has long hair he's gay are horrible and honestly make no sense... There is no real logical connection personality wise (sure girls have long hair but so what?) its just like saying every girl with short hair is a lesbian its unrelated hair is fairly irrelevant when it comes to sexual orientation

Also well put siren short and to the point also very accurate at that[/QUOTE]
[COLOR=DarkRed][SIZE=1]Funny, I've never thought of guys with long hair as gay. Lol.

I don't cut people off either due to their looks, but either I'm just a very judgemental person or I'm just fighting the instinct to judge someone. I think appearance gives more than "a sense" of their personality. It is.

Like that guy Panda mentioned, he doesn't want people to know he's the richest guy in town so he dresses like he isn't. He just wants to be treated like part of the crowd and be proud of his achievements without everyone else knowing who he is.

There's a really good experiment that I did. I was able to do it since it's a uniformed school, with the exception of the senior students who have the privilege of wearing mufti for the rest of the year. Basically, what I did quite suddenly one day was dress really hard-core punk. Baggy pants, chains, stringy hair, fake lip rings (hahaha) the works.. I was treated differently. There were girls who would never have given me the time of day actually greet me nicely.

Even people I'm normally on friendly terms with were nicer to me because they thought I looked "so cool" and really wanted bits of my outfit.

The dumb part is, the next week, just to be annoying I dress up really cute. In pink fluffy jacket, ribbons in my hair.. the same girls I mentioned before -- didn't even say hi to me.

Looking really different, opened up a whole new circle of friends and I didn't even have to open my mouth. Of course, in doing so I also closed off some other circle of friends. You will be judged and you will judge.

It's just a matter of consciously fighting that instinct.[/SIZE][/COLOR]

[Baron Samedi]

[size=1]When you first lay eyes upon someone, [b]of course[/b] you judge them by their appearance. Inbred into you is an automated sequence, where you cast your values and standards against their appearance. It originally springs from the instinctive "Fight or Fly" mentality...where you assess a new object based upon what you believe.

If I saw a scruffy person with dreadlocks, or if I saw a middle-aged woman in furs, there are certain cultural stereotypes that spring to mind, and these affect how you would initially deal with each of these people. If you'd argue that you'd treat them both the same, then fine, argue it. But I'm not going to believe you.

Perhaps when you know a person, you don't judge them by their looks [appearances being decieving and all ~_^] but intial value judgements take place when you see a person, and that is a fact that you can't argue against.[/size]

[Fall]

Because people are too stupid to see behind the appearance of someone. And because it takes time to see what's behind someones appearance, it's seen as a waste of time. This world is so rushed today, you have to be judged by your appearance.

Admit it, you make sure you look decent before you go out. That's because you have to. If you didn't, people would think you're an idiot, or homeless, or somethin'. Appearance is everything these days. It's just stereotypes if you ask me. One thing runs on another. It's all a big circle.