Abstract

*This proposal was written in partial fulfillment of requirements for an undergraduate research methods course and is not intended to be carried out.*

Relationship between Attractiveness of Teacher and Students Compared to Academic Achievement in Class and Standardized Tests

Brentt Swetter

Class group pictures, report card grades, and Terra Nova test grades will be collected from the previous year’s 2^nd, 4^th, and 6^th grade students of a mostly white, middle class, small school district in Northeastern Pennsylvania. Previous year’s teachers’ will be asked to rate students on attractiveness and similarity to themselves. Independent raters will also rate each student on attractiveness, the teacher on attractiveness, and rate how similar the teacher and each student appear. Results should show the “what is beautiful is good bias,” self fulfilling prophecy, and that subjects rate similar people higher on attractiveness.