A influência de atributos físicos na formação de primeiras impressões: uso do TAT e impacto no processo decisório de profissionais de recursos humanos / The effect of physical attributes in the first impressioni nformation: use of Thematic Apperception Test (TAT) and impact in decision-making of human resources employees
AUTOR(ES)
Altay Alves Lino de Souza
DATA DE PUBLICAÇÃO
2010
RESUMO
The present study intends to verify the effect of physical attributes in decision-making under uncertainty conditions. Facial hair has an important role in the evolutionary history of Homo sapiens with an adaptative value in the ancestor environment. This feature could have been selected in the sexual selection context for intrasexual or intersexual selection. Moreover, the skin color is a physical feature that people can use to make evaluations. But the selection based on skin color can be a byproduct of coalizions that represents a mental model used for long time in the evolution of man, as the facial hair. This thesis is composed by four studies. The first study (Study I) retakes Freedmans (1969) research about the use of TAT IV, V and VII plates. The control group (n=356) saw and told stories about the original plates presenting an older man with a serious look near to a younger unbearded man also with a serious face (VII); a young woman embraced with a young man (V); and an old woman who does not look to a younger man (IV). The experimental group (n=347) saw the same plates but with a beard drawn on the young man in each plate. In the second study (Study II), 1014 undergraduates evaluated each one of the TAT plates based on 26 attributes proposed by Muscarella (1990) in five factors. The Study I showed significant associations between presence of facial hair, higher status and dominance in relation to unbearded stimuli. We also found association between Agressivity on the stories with difference in the status between the plate characters, regardless of facial hair. In Study II we found that shaved face models received higher scores of attributes related to neoteny. Facial hair tends to increase the perception of traits like masculinity, dominance, aggressiveness, power and self confidence. We expected that men with physical attributes associated with masculinity, maturity, dominance and status would also receive higher scores of attractiveness by Women, but this result was not found, supporting the hypothesis of intrasexual selection of facial hair. The Studies III and IV showed the effect of facial hair and skin color on HR employees and managers in job selection process. A less intimidating face makes shaven face candidates more chosen to corporative jobs (Financial Director). On the other hand, bearded candidates were chosen to "liberal" jobs like Web Designer, probably because the link among facial hair presence and non conformist, creative and dominant traits. Related to skin color, we do not find any preference of differential association with any characteristic. It is important to note that, in long term, the success of a person is a complex multifatorial phenomenon; but the impact of first impressions on decision making process under uncertainty conditions is indisputable. First impressions may change as more information is gained during the subsequent contact. But these impressions serve as a template, guiding the interpretation of subsequent information. People tend to "judge books by their nonverbal covers" and the lack of awareness of this impact can yield judgment bias in the evaluation and decision making.
ASSUNTO(S)
comunicação não-verbal decision making nonverbal communication psicologia evolucionista classification (cognitive process) evolutionary psychology classificação (processos cognitivos) tomada de decisão
