Physical attractiveness stereotype and memory

In English Five experiments examined explicit and implicit memory for information that is congruent with the physical attractiveness stereotype (i.e. attractive-positive and unattractive-negative) and information that is incongruent with the physical attractiveness stereotype (i.e. attractive-negative and unattractive-positive). Measures of explicit recognition-sensitivity and implicit discriminability revealed a small (but significant) memorial advantage for congruent information compared to incongruent information. Measures of explicit memory showed a reliable recognition-bias towards congruent information compared to incongruent information; this recognition-bias was unrelated to reports of subjective confidence in retrieval. The present findings shed light on the cognitive mechanisms that might mediate discriminatory behaviour towards physically attractive and physically unattractive individuals.