April 08, 2003

Hair Color, Personality and the Observer

Hair color, personality, and the observer

Lawson, E D

Psychological Reports. Vol. 28(1), Feb 1971, pp. 311-312

Abstract
Investigated stereotypes associated with hair color. 79 male and 161 female undergraduates completed semantic differential scales on 7 categories of hair-color person. Dark men clearly preferred brunette women; blond men were equally divided in preference for blondes and brunettes; blond, brunette, and red-headed women clearly preferred dark men; and artificial blondes preferred dark and blonde men. Other comparisons were made within sex and between hair-color groups. Results indicate: (a) stereotypes based on hair color are widely held, (b) different stereotypes exist on the basis of the hair color and sex of the respondent, and (c) 4 of the 6 hair-color categories gave the highest scores to their own group.

Posted by Dienekes at April 8, 2003 01:50 AM | PermaLink
Comments

Thanks for the info I would love the full text

Posted by: sara at November 8, 2003 02:27 PM

It's not available online, I'm afraid.

Posted by: Dienekes at November 8, 2003 06:58 PM

I am doing a science fair project on IQ testing Blondes vs Brunettes and was wondering if you know if any studies have been done on this topic?
Thanks
Miriam
MiddosMom@netscape.net

Posted by: MiriamMalka at November 13, 2003 05:35 PM

I am trying to do a research paper on the stereotypes given to redheads. I have redhair, and I'm left handed. Through out my entire life every person I have met had a comment about my red hair. As a child I was subject torment from classmates because of my redhair. As a child adults always had something to say about my red hair. Now that I am an adult if a man approaches me, he has something to say about my red hair. The first thing my mother-in-law said to my husband after she met me was "I can already tell she's bad news because she has redhair. I have been searching for information and research studies on why redheads are discriminated against and stigmatized. I can not find anything. I don't know why people think of redheads as devilish, or evil or sexual. I am none of those things! Can anyone help me figure this out?

Posted by: Katie at January 30, 2004 08:39 AM

re Katie's post of January 30th, 2004

I am also red headed, left handed and doing a small piece of research into stereotypes given to redheads. I'm particularly concerned with the physical attractiveness stereotype as opposed to temperament etc. and I'm finding it quite difficult to even formulate a research question, let alone find any supporting evidence. I'd be pleased to share anything I do find with you and vice versa. Good luck, Helen

Posted by: Helen at February 20, 2004 08:02 AM