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Do physical appearances influence how you/others think of something?

ZoruaBoo

*slaps younger me*
I think they do to everyone, but we all hate to admit it. However, when it comes to people I don't judge them on looks.
 

iFi Salamander

I'm a vampire!
I think they do to everyone, but we all hate to admit it. However, when it comes to people I don't judge them on looks.

"Everyone judges people on appearances. However I don't."
 

ZoruaBoo

*slaps younger me*
"Everyone judges people on appearances. However I don't."

The title of the thread says 'SOMETHING' not people specifically. And what I meant was that if you were looking at two pieces of cake, for example, you are going to be more attracted to the one that is nicer looking even though you haven't tasted them yet.

But when it comes to people, physical looks don't matter, so I don't judge them on how they look.
 

iFi Salamander

I'm a vampire!
The title of the thread says 'SOMETHING' not people specifically. And what I meant was that if you were looking at two pieces of cake, for example, you are going to be more attracted to the one that is nicer looking even though you haven't tasted them yet.

But when it comes to people, physical looks don't matter, so I don't judge them on how they look.

In defense I don't anyone in this topic has actually discussed the appearance of objects.
 

GhostAnime

Searching for her...
Regardless of how much you know about a person; even beyond their looks, even if you've met them and know their personality, you would still have incomplete data. Prejudice is all about judging based on incomplete data. Think about it: when will we ever completely know a person? A person could be a dangerous serial killer, but do we truly know that person enough to judge them? Technically, no. So, everyone is prejudice. It's all about the scales of how much you know.

As stated, it can be both positive and negative, and quite frankly, even positive ones can be bad, because you're overrating a person in comparison to everybody else (also known as the "Halo Effect").

The only way to combat it is to simply acknowledge it and factor it in your judgments. You can't get rid of it, but at least know when you're under it. You must also be open to always changing and adapting it as you gain more information on the said person. Lastly, you must understand what is "enough" information for judgment. Clothes can potentially be enough information if the pattern continues for an absurd amount of time. If a person wears gaming shirts, enjoys math and science, and I speaks in japanese phrases, they're likely a geek.

If I only see ONE of the aforementioned things, I may not have enough information to judge them as a geek; and even if the said person was a geek, can I say more than what I already know? No, they could still like to party. They could still be religious. They could still be something else. Until they explicitly state that they not, you can't completely rule it out.

So it's all about understanding the scope of what you actually know and changing accordingly. Use stereotyping as an advantage. All humans follow trends no matter what; just don't treat them as absolute.

Oh, and I beg of you to give people a chance no matter what negative thing you associate with them. This goes further than just "judging": this includes friendship and romance as well.
 
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iFi Salamander

I'm a vampire!
Regardless of how much you know about a person; even beyond their looks, even if you've met them and know their personality, you would still have incomplete data. Prejudice is all about judging based on incomplete data. Think about it: when will we ever completely know a person? A person could be a dangerous serial killer, but do we truly know that person enough to judge them? Technically, no. So, everyone is prejudice. It's all about the scales of how much you know.

As stated, it can be both positive and negative, and quite frankly, even positive ones can be bad, because you're overrating a person in comparison to everybody else (also known as the "Halo Effect").

The only way to combat it is to simply acknowledge it and factor it in your judgments. You can't get rid of it, but at least know when you're under it. You must also be open to always changing and adapting it as you gain more information on the said person. Lastly, you must understand what is "enough" information for judgment. Clothes can potentially be enough information if the pattern continues for an absurd amount of time. If a person wears gaming shirts, enjoys math and science, and I speaks in japanese phrases, they're likely a geek.

If I only see ONE of the aforementioned things, I may not have enough information to judge them as a geek; and even if the said person was a geek, can I say more than what I already know? No, they could still like to party. They could still be religious. They could still be something else. Until they explicitly state that they not, you can't completely rule it out.

So it's all about understanding the scope of what you actually know and changing accordingly. Use stereotyping as an advantage. All humans follow trends no matter what; just don't treat them as absolute.

Oh, and I beg of you to give people a chance no matter what negative thing you associate with them. This goes further than just "judging": this includes friendship and romance as well.

It helps to be able to notice little things people do to understand their psyche.
 

Cutty

Forever now

At first yeah. Its just human nature. Help them to survive I suppose.
People usually want to see what they want to see. Its all started w/ your eyes eh?

 
Have you ever seen someone who was Asian? That stereotypical thing would be either extremely smart or a tennis/ping pong player.

The black guy, the one who stole your VCR and the nice sneakers he's wearing? Also, he's good at basketball and football, and can't swim.

hahaha good one man but you forgot the white guy that uses non-white people in stereotyping 'examples' and neglects to mention himself.

and he's my favourite stereotype, too
 

Chili

Well-Known Member
I just don't like people who sag. Or have their piercings on their ears super stretched out. Which is really gross and weird.
 

Blivsey

DATA_ERROR
Oh, definitely. Most of us try really hard to get past this and do a decent job of thinking critically instead of jumping to conclusions. However, we all have some sort of bias about anything with a physical appearance just based on its visual appeal. It's hard-coded into our brains, previously a mechanism for survival, mating, etc. and now used automatically as a social tool, whether you want it to or not.

I know that I'm not without visual bias. Especially in TV, movies, etc. I can be drawn to or turned away from something based on its visual direction, though these hardly count given that they're visual media in the first place. A better example would be Pokémon, wherein I choose my favorites almost entirely based on their physical appearances rather than their usability or anything sensible like that. And, like all of us to a degree, I have my personal tastes in the opposite gender (glasses, just on the upper side of a healthy weight, etc.). It does apply to everyone and everything, though - without even thinking about it, I form precognitions about people based on how they dress, treat their body, etc. - I try to discount these thoughts as much as possible, of course, but they're still there.
 

kingmassa

Justice Is Served
Of course we judge by appearance, it's our preliminary information source and one of the most visceral.

Still the point is since we have the ability to think critically and do more than pound our chests, we also have the ability to shed our first impressions when we get to peer more deeply into whatever it is we've judged.
 

(P.O.K.E.M.O.N)

AshXSerena = Canon
Yes :( this cute girl lieks me and i know if she saw me in real life she would vomit, even though she has seen pics of me it still doesnt matter, she's to pretty :(((((
 

GreatGonzales

The Master
Of course we judge by appearance, it's our preliminary information source and one of the most visceral.

Still the point is since we have the ability to think critically and do more than pound our chests, we also have the ability to shed our first impressions when we get to peer more deeply into whatever it is we've judged.

Best post in the thread.

It really depends on the appearance. If I see someone with torn, ragged, and dirty clothes, than I assume that they're unkempt. But if I see someone wearing a t shirt and shorts, like I always do, than it's impossible to make a justified judgment of any kind.
 

patrickbowers

New Member
What's this about torn clothes, and better looking slices of cakes? If you're judging a person, the first thing you should do is judge their face. ~ sorry but it's true. Everything you need to know is on their face. specifically their eyes. It's just , most people avoid eye contact nowadays , but it's really all you need to get to know someone. You're all making this way to hard, Life isn't supposed to be that difficult, so you shouldn't over simplify it.
 

Ash&Pikachu-Fan

Pika-Speed
Not really, well not in the way some would imagine it. I just say what's on my mind, its a bad and annoying habit but I'm use to it. I don't think much about appearance when I start talking.
 

GhostAnime

Searching for her...
What's this about torn clothes, and better looking slices of cakes? If you're judging a person, the first thing you should do is judge their face. ~ sorry but it's true. Everything you need to know is on their face. specifically their eyes. It's just , most people avoid eye contact nowadays , but it's really all you need to get to know someone. You're all making this way to hard, Life isn't supposed to be that difficult, so you shouldn't over simplify it.
What's this about eyes then? what does it say?
 
What's this about eyes then? what does it say?

If you're the kind of person who sees beauty in the eyes and believe that is where everything, every feeling, and the person's soul is, then yeah I guess you can stick with the eyes. But for real, sure eyes can change shape and show your mood. Some people's eyes change color from their mood. But do the eyes really show how the person truly is?

I don't believe in that, even though I find eyes to be the nicest part of someone's body, always. Eyes always have beauty in them, no matter how they look. I mean come on, who doesn't love a beautiful pair of eyes? But to judge someone's whole self on their eyes is ridiculous.

I don't judge people on their eyes. My boyfriend has the 'angry' eyes, but he's the sweetest thing ever. But if that's your way of deciding who someone is, then by all means, go ahead dears.
 
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