Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Arts (MA)

Department

Psychology

Faculty/School

Faculty of Science

First Advisor

Roger Buehler

Advisor Role

Thesis Supervisor

Abstract

This thesis focuses on the psychological mechanisms responsible for the moderating role of need for cognition (NFC) in attractiveness stereotyping. Attractiveness stereotyping refers to the tendency to attribute more positive characteristics to attractive than to unattractive individuals. Recent research has found that people high in NFC show less of this attractiveness bias. The present research used two approaches to test the hypothesis that NFC moderates the bias because persons higher in NFC have greater motivation and ability to engage in systematic thought processes. First it included measures to assess the types of thoughts that participants high and low in NFC engaged in while rating attractive and unattractive individuals. Second. it included experimental manipulations to vary participants‘ motivation and ability to think systematically when rating a target person. Results of the thought measures were generally consistent with the hypotheses. however. the experimental manipulations produced several unexpected findings.

Convocation Year

2000

Convocation Season

Fall

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