Physical Attractiveness and Locus of Control in Elementary School Children

The relationship of physical attractiveness and locus of control in 126 elementary school children, grades three through six, was investigated. The study was an attempt to replicate, with children, the results found by Anderson (1978) for college aged subjects that a curvilinear relationship exists between physical attractiveness and locus of control. Ten independent adult observers rated yearbook pictures of all subjects on physical attractiveness. The mean physical attractiveness rating for each subject was compared with their locus of control score on the Nowicki-Strickland Locus of Control Scale for Children (1973). No significant interaction was found between physical attractiveness and locus of control, locus of control scores did not differ significantly by attractiveness or by sex, locus of control scores did differ significantly by grade level. Mean locus of control scores were progressively more internal from the third grade to the sixth grade in the subjects sampled