Physical attractiveness, sex, ethnicity, teacher expectancy, student ability, and language grouping impact on school behavioral and academic outcomes

Abstract

The primary purpose of this study was to add to the descriptive data on Hispanic students and investigate the relationship among naturally occurring student characteristics (physical attractiveness, sex, ethnicity) and school related variables (teacher expectancy, student ability, and language grouping) in a bilingual (English-Spanish), bicultural (Anglo American-Hispanic) predominantly middle class environment. Major questions concerned: (a) the relationship among the naturally occurring student characteristics, school related variables, and school behavioral and academic outcomes; (b) whether significant differences existed in the school outcomes of students in the stipulated levels of attractiveness; and (c) if significant differences existed between actual and teacher expected outcomes of identifiable gender, ethnic, and language program groups of students. Subjects for the study included 180 Anglo American (60%) and Hispanic (40%) elementary school children from two schools in a Texas public school district. Subjects were selected from black and white school photographs in specific gender and ethnic groupings based on rater agreement about level of physical attractiveness. Results of the study revealed that physical attractiveness only attained a level approaching significance in its relationship to one variable, ethnicity. Anglo American subjects tended to receive higher overall attractiveness ratings than Hispanic subjects. Ability was the best single predictor for academic scores and sex was the best single- predictor of behavior rating.