Welcome to
www.GordonPatzer.com
Gordon L. Patzer, Ph.D.
. . . Physical Attractiveness Phenomenon
Researcher Writer Speaker
Recognized Respected Insightful
Dr. Gordon L. Patzer, Ph.D., is respected and recognized internationally for his expertise concerning Physical Attractiveness Phenomenon.
Physical Attractiveness Phenomenon can be summarized as lookism or treating people in ways biased by their level of physical attractiveness; with benefits to individuals higher in physical attractiveness and detriments to individuals lower in physical attractiveness. However discomforting the related facts, the reality is that what you look like--or, more important, how your looks are perceived--shapes your life in dozens of subtle and not so subtle ways from cradle to grave.
Hundreds of researchers and scholars have cited formally Dr. Patzer's research findings, analyses, and perspectives, and scores of mass media reporters have published interview quotes. His work includes six published books and more than twenty articles published in scholarly research journals, presented at professional conferences, and published in conference proceedings. His commitment to scientifically understand the psychology, sociology, finances, and economics of physical attractiveness, at levels far more than meets the eye and far beyond skin deep, is a long-term quest.
Small Differences, Big Consequences
Relatively small differences in a person's looks--that determine higher and lower levels of physical attractiveness--translate regularly into big consequences in life.
The video to the immediate right provides a reasonable, non-scientfic, introduction to physical attractiveness phenomenon. It provides some real-life experiences and perspectives by individuals expressing their personal experiences; which parallel findings documented by significant amounts of scientific research.
[This video (2 minutes 45 seconds)
is used here with legal permission.]
Process and Reality
Physical Attractiveness Phenomenon occurs through a four step process whereby (1) physical attractiveness serves as an informational cue, (2) from which extensive information is inferred, (3) that triggers assumptions, expectations, attitudes, and behaviors, and (4) then cause pervasive, powerful effects/consequences generally beneficial for people whose appearance is higher in physical attractiveness and detrimental for people whose appearance is lower in physical attractiveness.
Physical Attractiveness Phenomenon is powerful, pervasive, and often unrecognized or denied. It impacts every individual, throughout every community, across the United States and around the world. The realities connected to a person's physical attractiveness exist throughout life--literally from birth to death, from cradle to grave--not limited to a particular sex, age, race, religion, income, ethnicity, education, sexual orientation, geographical location, or almost any other demographic and socioeconomic descriptor.
The national American primetime television news program Dateline NBC, while featuring his expert commentary on-camera for an in-depth one-half hour investigative segment about physical attractiveness phenomenon, reported that: “Dr. Patzer has spent more than 30 years studying physical attractiveness.”