The Origins and Functions of Appearance-Based Stereotypes: Theoretical and Applied Implications

Early Predictors of Attachment in Infants with Cleft Lip and/or Palate

“…The direction of this finding is inconsistent with social-psychological formulations suggesting that less attractive infants receive less responsive care (Langlois, 1995;Tobiasen, 1984). Infants with cleft lip and palate had the highest level of attachment security (80%) among the groups studied.…”

“…Although some aspects of temperament (e.g., infant proneness to distress) have been related to specific behaviors in the Strange Situation, such as separation distress (Vaughn, Lefever, Seifer, & Barglow, 1989) For infants with clefts, the number and severity of infant problems may be sufficient to create significant risk for insecure attachment. An unrepaired cleft lip may limit the infant's capacity to communicate emotions in the early months of life, making it difficult for the mother to respond to the infant in a contingent and sensitive manner, perhaps increasing the probability of insecure attachment even after the lip is repaired (Barden et al, 1989;Langlois, 1995;Pruzinsky, 1992). An unrepaired cleft lip may limit the infant's capacity to communicate emotions in the early months of life, making it difficult for the mother to respond to the infant in a contingent and sensitive manner, perhaps increasing the probability of insecure attachment even after the lip is repaired (Barden et al, 1989;Langlois, 1995;Pruzinsky, 1992).…”

“…One exception was infant facial appearance, which has figured prominently in many theoretical formulations of how craniofacial anomalies affect caregiver responsiveness (e.g., Langlois, 1995). These domains are infant characteristics, maternal characteristics, and family/ social context.…”

Facial maturity and daily social interaction.

“…Physical appearance is an especially important determinant of person perception, and attractiveness is the aspect of appearance that has been most extensively researched. In general, attractive people are attributed with more desirable personal characteristics than are unattractive individuals (see Langlois, 1986Langlois, ,1994. The attractiveness halo effect has been replicated across a variety of contexts, ranging from studies of first impressions (e.g., Cunningham, 1986;Cunningham, Barbee, & Pike, 1990), to evaluations made after an initial social interaction (e.g., Garcia, Stinson, Tckes, Bissonnette, & Briggs, 1991), to actual social behaviors (e.g., Garcia et al, 1991;Langlois, Roggman, & Reiser-Danner, 1990).…”