Lesson 4A – Reading and Vocabulary
The Power of Appearance
When we see someone for the first time, our brains instantly notice things like their age, hair, eye and skin colour or height and voice, and we use this information to make assumptions about their education, social position and character. Without realising it, we then make important decisions – such as who to vote for, who to give a job to or who to trust – based on these assumptions.
🟦 Main idea: People often judge others immediately based on physical appearance.
A few years ago, social scientists set up an experiment in 45 different countries, in which people had to guess what 120 individuals were like based on pictures of their faces. The results showed that in every region of the world, people rated men and women over 40 as more confident, responsible, sociable and reliable.
🟦 Main idea: People across the world make similar judgments about appearance.
.There are also studies that show that we perceive grey-haired individuals as wise or mature, or people who wear glasses as intelligent
🟦 Main idea: Certain physical features create specific impressions (e.g. intelligence or wisdom).
The way we dress also has an impact in situations such as school, social occasions or work. We often look up to someone who is very well-dressed and look down on those who don’t dress as smartly. We show more respect to people in uniforms and are more likely to listen carefully to a doctor when he or she is wearing a white coat instead of casual clothes.
🟦 Main idea: Dressing well or wearing uniforms affects how others treat us.
The clothes we wear don’t just affect what others think of us; they also affect how we feel about ourselves. In one fascinating experiment, scientists showed that if you wear a white coat that you believe belongs to a doctor, your ability to pay attention increases sharply. Apparently, wearing what you think is a doctor’s coat can bring out the best in you! However, if you wear the same white coat believing it belongs to a painter, there’s no improvement in your ability to concentrate.
🟦 Main idea: Clothes also affect our own mindset and performance.
So our physical appearance and clothes influence the opinions people have of us and their behaviour towards us. This can sometimes make them use unfair stereotypes and get it wrong. But it seems that the clothes we wear also have a powerful effect both on how we feel and how we act. Perhaps that’s worth remembering the next time you’re trying to decide what to wear.
🟦 Main idea: Appearance can lead to stereotyping, but also boosts self-image and behaviour.
|
Word / Phrase |
Meaning |
|
look up to |
to admire or respect someone |
|
look down on |
to think someone is less important or smart |
|
bring out |
to show or highlight a quality |
|
get it wrong |
to make a mistake in judgment |
|
set up |
to organize or create (an experiment, event, etc.) |
