Attractiveness and objectification: How these impact forgiveness and trait perception

Abstract

Literature has highlighted the positive relationship between attractiveness and forgiveness, due to positive attributes ascribed to attractive people. Also noted, is the positive relationship between attractiveness and objectification. How a person’s objectification of others would influence their reaction to a transgression committed by an attractive person remains unclear. Additionally, whether there is a notable difference between male and female subjects is unknown. The current study was an exploratory analysis, which examined whether objectification moderated the relationship between attractiveness and forgiveness, and whether this differed for males and females. Using a 2 x 2 x 2 experimental design, a fictional offender’s attractiveness was experimentally manipulated using facial stimuli, resulting in four experimental conditions, (1) male participant and attractive offender, (2) male participant and unattractive offender, (3) female participant and attractive offender and (4) female participant and unattractive offender. 251 participants took part in an online survey, involving a hypothetical transgression embedded within a Tinder date scenario and were required to indicate attitudes towards their transgressor. They also completed a modified version of Noll and Frederickson’s (1998) Self-Objectification Questionnaire, which measured their objectification of others. No interaction was found between attractiveness and objectification on forgiveness and trait perception of the transgressor.