Science says students learn more from attractive teachers

Do good looks mean good grades?

A teacher’s physical appearance may play a big role in student learning, according to a study carried out by researchers at the University of Nevada. Their findings suggest that students are more likely to pay attention and do better in class if their teacher is attractive.

In the study, 131 university students were asked to listen to an audio lecture while looking at a photo of the supposed lecturer. The photos were different for each student as 69 participants looked at the photo of a “highly attractive” lecturer, while 62 others looked at the photo of an “unattractive person.” The students were then asked to answer a multiple-choice quiz about the lecture.

The photos of lecturers were previously rated by a separate group of students based on attractiveness.

As cliche as it may sound, students with an attractive educator performed better and scored higher than students with a less attractive lecturer. Moreover, the physically attractive educators also got higher ratings in teaching ability and presentation.

The researchers noted that the result was not based on sexual attraction since the findings were consistent despite the gender of the lecturer or student.

Their results show that physical attractiveness signals a connection to better student concentration and supports studies that suggest that good-looking people are often judged positively based on their physical attributes. The report also indicates that attractive people are often considered more intelligent, persuasive, and competent.

It is important to note that the study only involved a single lecture and not a semester or year-long lecture with an in-person educator. Furthermore, all of the lecturers in photos were Caucasians, while students were of different nationalities and races.