The Beauty of Self-Actualisation: Linking Physical Attractiveness and Self-Fulfilment

Abstract

The current study examined the relationship between physical attractiveness and self-actualisation. It was hypothesized that higher levels of physical attractiveness lead to higher levels of self-actualisation, as physically attractive and self-actualised people share certain characteristics, such as inner-directiveness, sociability and self-acceptance. To investigate this hypothesis, 119 participants completed the Personal Orientation Inventory (POI) questionnaire as a measure of self-actualisation and six professional judges rated the participants’ level of physical attractiveness. The study revealed that participants in the high attractiveness group scored significantly higher on 7 of the 12 POI scales in comparison to the participants in the low attractiveness group: Inner-Directed, Self-Actualising Value, Feeling Reactivity, Spontaneity, Self-Regard, Self-Acceptance, and Capacity for Intimate Contact. The role of self-esteem and the self-fulfilling prophecy effect were discussed as possible explanations for the findings.