Superficial Traits Rated as Pivotal in TV-Age Elections : Politics: Americans pick their candidates the way they buy vegetables, a researcher suggests. Look good and usually you’ve got an advantage.

Americans choose their elected leaders, in part, the same way they buy vegetables--by appearance.

By using only photographs, UC Irvine political science professor Shawn W. Rosenberg asked 700 people over the last year to rate real and mock politicians on characteristics such as competence, trustworthiness, leadership ability and political demeanor. He concluded that the best-looking, best-dressed candidates got much higher marks.

By manipulating appearances--showing pictures in which hair styles, clothing and makeup had been altered--of six test candidates, Rosenberg found that he could push positive ratings up or down 20 percentage points. In a real election, the right looks could add 5% to 8% to a candidate’s vote total, enough to swing a close race, concluded Rosenberg and his research partner, Boston University economics professor Shulamit Kahn.

The manipulation study revealed that smiling, conservatively dressed politicians project a positive image. But Rosenberg also uncovered a few quirks that he is at a loss to explain, such as the strong preference for one eye shape. A rounded upper eyelid with a straight lower lid, he found, is preferred over eyes that do not curve on top or curve equally on top and bottom. And while baldness is bad for men, a widow’s peak hairline is regarded as a sign of competence in women.

Rosenberg, whose academic background is in both political science and psychology, set out to explore how Americans make sense of politics. He concluded that most people don’t.

“I’m disturbed, yes. But surprised? No,” Rosenberg said. “The amount of attention we pay to politicians is really minimal, even during an election period, and the overall understanding of issues is quite rudimentary. As a result, we rely on often superficial cues or pieces of information to direct our judgment of candidates and events.

“What people are doing is saying, ‘I don’t really understand politics, so let me look at this person and decide if this person is trustworthy and competent.’ But how you look is not necessarily who you are, because that can be manipulated so readily.”

The study focusing on manipulation of features and dress was the latest in a series of candidate preference works Rosenberg has done since 1984. It is expected to be published next year in the scholarly journal Political Psychology. The appearance studies have drawn attention--and mixed reviews--from politicians and the strategists who play a role in shaping the candidates’ public images.

“I hope we haven’t spent a lot of taxpayer money on these surveys,” said Assemblyman Richard Katz (D-Sylmar), who acted as a consultant in Christian F. (Rick) Thierbach’s unsuccessful state legislative race against Republican Curt Pringle of Garden Grove last year. Katz discounted the study, in part because the mock candidates used by Rosenberg were unknown and presented without the context of a normal political campaign.

Appearance plays a role in political success--just as dressing appropriately for a job interview can help determine who gets the position, Katz agreed. And although he said that Thierbach’s strait-laced demeanor and perceived standoffishness hurt the campaign, he said issues and party affiliation have more to do with winning votes than capped teeth.

“You have to take (appearance) into account, but you can’t let it be the determining factor,” Katz said. “There is some truth to the notion that people get impressions based on how you hold your head, your body language, your dress. But I believe voters pay attention to the message.

“I tend to give voters a lot of credit,” Katz said, noting the several ballot measures that voters waded through last fall to overwhelmingly select one insurance reform measure over others. “People who live in ivory towers don’t understand voters.”

But U.S. Rep. Robert Dornan (R-Garden Grove), who hosted a cable television talk show for seven years before entering politics, said good looks and professional attire are critical to political success.

“All things being equal, the candidate with the neatly combed or well-coiffed hair, the conservative dress and the professional demeanor will get elected,” Dornan said. “Some congressmen get away with wearing some peculiar forms of dress--you look at them and think, ‘Maybe it was the issues there, maybe he’s a good old boy who fits his district.’ ”

Harvey Englander, a Newport Beach political consultant who has directed campaigns for Democrats and Republicans during a 21-year career, said he has used Rosenberg’s findings and common sense to make over some of his candidates to enhance their election chances. But he doesn’t consider such packaging a manipulation of voters.

“I’ve changed a candidate’s hair style, glasses, and gone shopping with the candidate for new suits and ties,” he said. “My clients have a message to impart, and we want to create an atmosphere where that message is heard. I don’t think the public will follow the message if they don’t feel comfortable with the messenger.”

Light-colored shirts and dark suits work well for television appearances, but may not appeal to less formal voters in a rural district, Englander said. He also believes that candidates can’t be too good-looking.

“I’ve heard that the average elected legislator is more attractive than the average person,” he said. “I don’t know if that’s true. But I do know voters don’t go for people who are too slick--a George Hamilton look is not good for a candidate. There are no absolutes.”

Rosenberg, who has turned down offers to act as a paid image consultant to political candidates (whom he declines to name), said the emergence of television has forever changed the face of politics.

Appearances have always played a role, but since the Kennedy-Nixon debate in 1960, looks have been highlighted. Sen. John F. Kennedy, who wore a dark suit and used theatrical makeup, was a dramatic visual contrast to his presidential campaign opponent, Vice President Richard M. Nixon, who refused makeup to cover his 5 o’clock shadow, perspired profusely and looked gaunt and pale in a light-colored suit.

“Before television, the key to election was manipulating the political party structure,” Rosenberg said. “What you knew and who you knew, and family connections were also important. With the advent of television politics, the content of what you have to say is much less important. The party machinery is less important.

“Visual impressions and image are far more important.”

To find out whether a candidate’s appearance projects an image of his or her fitness for office and to what extent image affects voter preference, Rosenberg drew on family connections in the California film industry.

“We used a makeup artist and a studio photographer,” he said. “We found out we could manipulate most of the things we’re talking about.”

Using six women, aged 19 to 65, Rosenberg rearranged hair, dress and background settings. Makeup made broad faces appear narrower, long faces broader and changed hairlines to add a widow’s peak or blur a natural peaked hairline.

Positive and negative photographs of the six candidates were then presented in phony campaign flyers as Republican and Democratic party nominees. Regardless of party affiliation or issue positions, the candidates who rated highest on 29 appearance characteristics also consistently won the highest voter ratings.

Photographs of male candidates, including dozens of real congressmen and senators, were rated in a previous study with similar results. Mature age--perhaps associated with wisdom by voters--was a plus for both men and women.

Despite his findings, Rosenberg would not advise a radical make-over or cosmetic surgery for political hopefuls. If the only object is winning, American political life is diminished, he said.

“We’ve had plenty of successful politicians who would not conform to my notions of the best-looking,” he said. Senate Majority Whip Alan Cranston (D-Calif.) has overcome the potential negatives of his bald pate and thin build, Rosenberg said, and Sen. Paul Simon (D-Ill.) has turned his unfashionable bow ties into a trademark.

“Political skills and ideas still count for a lot. And half of the game is just getting to the point where the voting population can assess you,” Rosenberg said. “First, you have to be a party nominee.”

TURNING THE BEST POLITICAL CHEEK UC Irvine political science professor Shawn W. Rosenberg found that by changing hair styles, clothing and makeup of test candidates in certain ways, it was possible to alter ratings by 20 percentage points. In a real election, Rosenberg contends, the right looks could add 5% to 8% to a candidate’s vote total, enough to swing a close race.

POLITICALLY UNATTRACTIVE --hair combed over forehead --lipstick used to make lips appear fuller, no smile --no jacket or jewelry --makeup used to make eyebrows appear thicker --busier background in photograph POLITICALLY ATTRACTIVE --strong curve in upper eyelid shape --hair combed off forehead, makeup used to create the appearance of a widow’s peak --thinner lips, smiling expression --conservative dress with dark jacket and tasteful jewelry --thinner eyebrows --broad face --mature appearance (age) --simple background for the photograph POLITICALLY UNATTRACTIVE --hair combed over forehead --lipstick used to make lips appear fuller, no smile --makeup used to shade cheeks and make face appear thinner --makeup used to make eyebrows appear thicker --no jacket or jewelry --busier background for photograph POLITICALLY ATTRACTIVE --good curve in the shape of the upper eyelid --hair combed across forehead --thinner lips, smiling expression --short hair --businesslike jacket with conservative jewelry --makeup used to make face appear broader simple background for the picture Rosenberg rates real politicians: Gov. George Deukmejian --very good eye shape, with strong curve on top --age, mature appearance is a big plus --dresses formally; rarely seen in casual clothes --strong jaw is a positive --thick lips are a slight negative President George Bush --good hairline with slight widow’s peak --smiles often, with added positive of thin lips --good eye shape with curved upper eyelid --age, mature appearance --long, narrow face is a negative Lt. Governor Leo T. McCarthy --good curve in upper eyelid --thin lips are a positive --slightly long hair makes him appear young and is a negative --long, thin face is a negative Irvine Mayor Larry Agran --long hair combed down across forehead is a negative --youthful appearance is a negative --thin lips are a positive --eyebrows are thin, also a positive Former U.N. Ambassador Jeane J. Kirkpatrick --good curve to upper eyelid --age, mature appearance --short hair is a positive --presents self formally, also a positive --lips are slightly thick, could be thinned with makeup Source: UC Irvine professor Shawn Rosenberg