The Power and Paradox of Physical Attractiveness [Paperback]

Gordon L. Patzer (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: April 14, 2006

The Power and Paradox of Physical Attractiveness is a scholarly look into physical attractiveness. It articulates the great importance placed on this dimension of a person's appearance. Analysis of the dynamics and consequences reveals a powerful, pervasive, and frequently unrecognized or denied physical attractiveness phenomenon. This phenomenon transcends time, geography, and culture, regardless of demographics and socioeconomics of individuals and populations. With penetrating vision, Dr. Patzer provides evidence that despite professed ideals, people do judge others by their looks. Physical attractiveness is a more powerful determinant of a person's fortune and misfortune in life than people admit. No matter the words, thoughts, and ideals proclaimed by people, these same people judge, assume, infer, believe, act, treat, decide, accept, reject, and behave toward or against individuals, in patterns consistent with their own physical attractiveness and that of others. While many dimensions define appearance, physical attractiveness predominates. The physical attractiveness of a person impacts every individual throughout every community, across the United States and around the world. All people inherit and alter their physical attractiveness, which is determined by complex, interdependent, physical and non-physical factors. Hidden and not-hidden values drive thoughts and actions with significant effects and realities whereby higher physical attractiveness is beneficial, lower physical attractiveness is detrimental, and associated pursuits are relentless. Physical attractiveness may look skin-deep as a surface aspect of appearance, but looks can be deceiving. Researchers throughout the world collect empirical data complemented with anecdotal data to probe beyond the surfaces. Through investigations that meet meticulous scientific methodological procedures, acute observations reveal previously undetected dimensions that advance understanding about physical attractiveness. The Power and Paradox of Physical Attractiveness explores, discovers, and documents the theories, evidence, and circumstances in which physical attractiveness is a remarkable veneer with influences that extend considerably beyond what we call skin-deep. The author, Dr. Patzer, formally cites more than 750 references as he identifies a complex phenomenon in which physical attractiveness serves as an informational cue that propels a multiple-stage process. Through this process, people knowingly and unknowingly infer extensive information based on this cue, which in-turn triggers assumptions, expectations, attitudes, and behaviors. It ultimately leads to powerful consequences with significant benefits and detriments for every person, accompanied by continuous pursuits toward these benefits and away from these detriments, caused by his or her level of physical attractiveness.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"Gordon Patzer makes me think. This is a high compliment in a world of vapid sound bytes and meaningless cliches. Having written a cover story on the subject of beauty for Psychology Today, I feel qualified to say that Patzer's work is interesting, fearless and even inspired. If a profound writer's job is to comfort the afflicted while afflicting the comfortable, Patzer continues to pass this test."

Michael Levine
Best selling author of 16 books and public relations consultant for some of Hollywood's biggest names.

Professor Patzer has raised to a new level our understanding of the importance that our culture places on physical appearance. The Power and Paradox of Physical Attractiveness is by far the most comprehensive and rigorously researched work on this subject I have found. There will be many opportunities for both the professional and the layman to apply its insights."

Anna Soo Wildermuth, AICI, CIM
Certified Image Master and past president of the Association of Image Consultants, International, Ms. Wildermuth is CEO of Personal Images, Inc: Image and Communication Skills for Individuals and Corporations, past president of the Association of Image Consultants, International, and co-author of Unlocking the Secrets of Successful Women in Business.

--This text refers to the Kindle Edition edition.

About the Author

Gordon L. Patzer, Ph.D., is respected and recognized internationally for his expertise concerning physical attractiveness phenomenon. Hundreds of researchers and scholars have cited formally his published analyses and perspectives, while scores of reporters for popular mass media have published interview quotes. His commitment to scientifically understand the psychology and sociology of physical attractiveness at levels far more than meets the eye and far beyond skin deep is a long-term quest. The national American primetime television news program Dateline NBC, while featuring his expert analyses on-camera for an investigative segment broadcast in 2004, reported that, "Dr. Patzer has spent more than 30 years studying physical attractiveness." He formally conducted his first related experiment in 1973 and published his first related book in 1985 (The Physical Attractiveness Phenomenon, Plenum Press, NY). Interviews with Dr. Patzer discussing physical attractiveness phenomenon have been reported by the Associated Press, published by newspapers from west coast USA (Los Angeles Times) to east coast USA (Boston Sunday Herald) to England (Sunday Correspondent, London), magazines (Harper's Bazaar, ELLE, Working Woman, Self Magazine, and Los Angeles Times Magazine), on radio in large and small American markets, and on the Internet (WebMD, MSNBC, CNN.com, online magazines internationally, and blog discussions originating in many countries). The Today Show on NBC, a national morning talk-and-news television program, featured him on-camera for a research news segment broadcast in 2005 about employment and pay differences caused by physical attractiveness. Recent endorsement review comments from professionals, available on request, further emphasize his respected and recognized expertise. Dr. Patzer has succeeded in executive positions in and out of academia. These include more than ten years as a university dean, ten years as a university department chair, and progress up professorial ranks to tenured professor, as well as earning a Ph.D., MBA, MS, and BA. Business employments have focused on organizational strategy for consumer / audience behavior in primetime programming at CBS Television Network and in the movie industry at Saatchi & Saatchi. Earlier, as an entrepreneur, he started two small businesses: a talent booking agency and an employment agency. International travels have spanned Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, Czechoslovakia, England, France, Germany, Guatemala, Hong Kong, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Macau, Mexico, New Zealand, Nicaragua, Poland, Russia, San Salvador, Switzerland, and Thailand. Prior to accepting a dean’s position at Roosevelt University in Chicago, California State University honored his service while a dean with their lifetime title of Professor Emeritus.

Product Details

• Paperback: 336 pages
• Publisher: Brown Walker Press (April 14, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1581124430
• ISBN-13: 978-1581124439
• Product Dimensions: 9.6 x 7.3 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.3 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,541,524 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Content is supreme, reading level is difficult, March 28, 2007

By 

Stephanie Manley (Houston, TX) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Power and Paradox of Physical Attractiveness (Paperback)

On content I would rate this book a solid 5, but I found the readibility of this book to detract from its message. The book is filled with scientific evidience in masse when it comes to proving that beauty reigns when it comes to popularity, picking out a mate, professional success, and just about anything else in life. This book is more of an academic book than it is for general pleasure reading. In fact this book would be an excellent choice for research, as experiments are solid, and come in such large quanity it would be of value to many.

The major distraction of this book is the complex language was written in. Constant complex-compound sentences with a post college level vocabulary makes Patzer's book a slow read. If this would have been easier to read, I would have given this book a solid five.

Content in this book is solid, ever wondered what impact attractiveness has in intimate relationships, work relationships, and relationships with strangers? What characteristics of physical attractiveness does each gender find the most important? It may surprise you that each gender cares for different qualities than we tend to normaly think of. This book would an excellent resource for anyone wanting to quantify how attractiveness plays a part in daily lives.

7 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Blah, blah and more blah, November 12, 2006

By 

Kathryn Penobscott "Book Lover" (San Francisco, CA United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Power and Paradox of Physical Attractiveness (Paperback)

Dr Patzer is clearly an expert on this interesting topic. Unfortunately, his writing style is ponderously academic. He manages to make physical attractiveness seem dull and surprisingly uninteresting.