perceived as more persuasive and are hired for sales positions over less attractive
individuals.^14
In the United States, people tend to value the appearance of males who are tall
and muscular. As for women, they are considered more attractive if they are tall and
slender.^15 This view of attractiveness is not the rule in all cultures. For example, in
large parts of Africa, plumpness is considered a sign of beauty, health, and wealth,
and slimness is evidence of unhappiness, disease, or mistreatment at the hands of
one’s husband.^16 Buxom and stout women are also valued in much of Russia. There
is even a Russian proverb that states,“One need not worry about fat, only about
being hungry.”It is not only the perception of the body that is part of a culture’s atti-
tude toward beauty. In Myanmar, an extended neck is considered a sign of beauty.
Face painting is still common in parts of Africa and South America and among
some American Indian tribes. In China, social change has brought about a transfor-
mation in how female beauty is viewed.“The tendency to conform to a modest stan-
dard of dress is strong only in small cities or rural areas.... In large cities, young people
crave individual styles and world-famous brands.”^17
Ethnocentrism often heavily influences perceptions of attractiveness. A person
usually internalizes the definitions of attractiveness related to the particular culture
in which they live. Hence, what is called beauty in one culture may appear repugnant
to people of another culture. A case in point is the face painting we just mentioned.
Some people might be repulsed by other people painting their faces and bodies, but at
the same time, many women in the United States use lipstick, makeup, and other
means to change their appearance. For them, the use of makeup is often important
but not the use of paint. We also see signs of ethnocentrism appear among males. In
Iran, for instance, men are banned from having“decadent Western haircuts.”^18
Remland offers an excellent summary of cultural perceptions of beauty and
ethnocentrism:
The many exotic rituals we often see in PBS documentaries or in the pages ofNational
Geographic, such as neck stretching, lip enlargements, earlobe plugs, teeth filing, and so on,
represent the beautifying practices common in many parts of the world. Of course, liposuc-
tion, hair implants, facelifts, laser surgery, and the like, while not the least bit extraordinary
to many Westerners, may seem abhorrent to people from other parts of the world.^19
Because cultures are always in flux, perceptions of attractiveness are beginning to
change as cultures have greater contact with one another. Even today, doctors are
reporting an increase in plastic surgeries in places like China, Russia, Korea, and Bra-
zil. In addition, within the United States, plastic surgeons have noticed an increase in
the requests for cosmetic surgeries coming from people with a variety of ethnic and
international backgrounds.^20Skin Color
Perhaps we should have begun our discussion of appearance with skin color, as it is
the first characteristic people notice when they approach a stranger and the one that
has the greatest impact on perception and interaction. For centuries and in nearly
every culture, the lightest-skinned individuals were perceived to have the greatest
social status and power. Even today, within the United States,“skin color is the first
racial marker children recognize and can be considered the most salient of phenotypic
attributes.”^21 Often, that marker is perceived negatively. Folb stresses how these304 CHAPTER 9•Nonverbal Communication: The Messages of Action, Space, Time, and Silence
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