What is "lookism"

n. prejudice or discrimination on the grounds of a person's appearance ((term: looks))

Lookism is a term used to describe discriminatory treatment towards physically unattractive people; mainly in the workplace but also in social settings. A distinction should made between racial, cultural, sexual discrimination and that of physical attractiveness discrimination.

Physical attractiveness is associated with good things; in contrast, physical unattractiveness is associated with negative things. Many people make judgments of others based on their physical appearance that influence how they respond to those people. Research on the "What is beautiful is good" stereotype shows that, overall, those who are physically attractive benefit from their good looks: physically attractive individuals are perceived more positively and physical attractiveness has a strong influence on judgement of a person’s competence. In return, physically attractive people benefit from these stereotypical beliefs. Research shows that on average, physically attractive individuals have more friends, better social skills, and more active sex lives. However, attractiveness does not have any effect on the level of happiness experienced by the individual.