male defendants at the start of their criminal trials. When, much later,
the researchers checked court records for the results of these cases, they
found that the handsome men had received significantly lighter sen-
tences. In fact, the attractive defendants were twice as likely to avoid
jail as the unattractive ones.^3 In another study—this one on the damages
awarded in a staged negligence trial—a defendant who was better-
looking than his victim was assessed an average amount of $5,623; but
when the victim was the more attractive of the two, the average com-
pensation was $10,051. What’s more, both male and female jurors ex-
hibited the attractiveness-based favoritism.
Other experiments have demonstrated that attractive people are more
likely to obtain help when in need and are more persuasive in changing
the opinions of an audience. Here, too, both sexes respond in the same
way. In the helping study, for instance, the better-looking men and
women received aid more often, even from members of their own sex.^4
A major exception to this rule might be expected to occur, of course, if
the attractive person is viewed as a direct competitor, especially a ro-
mantic rival. Short of this qualification, though, it is apparent that good-
looking people enjoy an enormous social advantage in our culture. They
are better liked, more persuasive, more frequently helped, and seen as
possessing better personality traits and intellectual capacities. And it
appears that the social benefits of good looks begin to accumulate quite
early. Research on elementary-school children shows that adults view
aggressive acts as less naughty when performed by an attractive child
and that teachers presume good-looking children to be more intelligent
than their less-attractive classmates.^5
It is hardly any wonder, then, that the halo of physical attractiveness
is regularly exploited by compliance professionals. Because we like at-
tractive people and because we tend to comply with those we like, it
makes sense that sales training programs include grooming hints, that
fashionable clothiers select their floor staffs from among the good-
looking candidates, and that con men are handsome and con women
pretty.
Similarity
But what if physical appearance is not much at issue? After all, most
people possess average looks. Are there other factors that can be used
to produce liking? As both researchers and compliance professionals
know, there are several, and one of the most influential is similarity.
We like people who are similar to us. This fact seems to hold true
whether the similarity is in the area of opinions, personality traits,
background, or life-style. Consequently, those who wish to be liked in
130 / Influence