Fashion, Beauty and Fame - the Psychology of Being Fabulous

How psychologists have sought to explain beauty and attractiveness across time; the aim is also to encourage students to engage with appearance in a wide sense including facial disfiguration and body issues, including cosmetic surgery addiction or the use of the body as “art”. This is then linked to the fashion cycle and how fashion changes and how self presentation and clothing are integral to self identity and social group memberships and symbolic communication. Finally beauty and fashion are brought together in an examination of the effect of celebrities as role models on consumers/viewers as indicators of fashion and attractiveness.

Fashion and celebrity along with beauty are multi billion dollar industries, consequently an examination of the psycho-social processes at work in these areas presents itself as an innovative and exciting area.

The aims of the course are to facilitate a familiarity and understanding of how psychologists have sought to explain beauty and attractiveness, as well as body modification and adornment and how superficially what is consider attractive or ‘normal’ has changed. This requires the student to understand basic face processing and the various theoretical approaches to beauty as well as up to date integrated theories. The aim is also to encourage students to engage with appearance in a wide sense including facial disfiguration and body issues, including cosmetic surgery addiction or the use of the body as “art” and clothing (fashion). By the end of the module students will be expected to have an appreciation of the different types of explanations put forward for dress and adornment including tattooing and piercing, as well as the fashion cycle and how these practices and trends have moved from sub culture to main stream.

The course will consider the different approaches to and explanations for the fashion cycle and process and how this has been accounted for in psycho-social terms both historically and currently and to gain a familiarity with the concept of fashion and dress as non verbal communication and symbolic interaction. The marketing of fashion, and the motivations of the wearer- self worth, role adoption, luxury and fake good purchase. Impression management and the study of effects of appearance on others are examined in terms of the ‘beauty halo effect’, be it initial evaluations of strangers or even in a legal setting.

The aims of the fame component are to examine the nature of fame and the effect of celebrities/stars who act as fashion and beauty role models.

 Defining beauty – history and psychological approaches – cognitive,social, bio-evolutionary and modern integrated theories

 Beauty Halo effect

 First impressions, impression management & stereo types

 Beautiful bodies- shape /dissatisfaction/ Body dysmorphia ( ‘ugly syndrome’)

 Looking different – disfigurement& Cosmetic surgery addiction

 Cultural and historic differences

 Male body image /the Adonis complex /body building addiction

 Fashion process – origins of fashion; fashion theories

 Adornment, body modification (tattooing, piercing), cosmetics –psychological factors

 Fashion & personality

 Perfume, shoes and fetish wear

 Social self, and role adoption , group membership

 Fashion as communication

 Luxury and counterfeit products

 Famous faces, celebrity worship, Para-social relationships , role modelling & advertising

 Brands ( documentary film)

 Fashion & Film (documentary film)

 Ashmore et al (1996) Thinking about fashion models looks: a multi dimensional approach in Personality & Social Psychology Bulletin 22(11) pp1083

 Entwistle, J. (2007) The fashioned body Polity Press; UK

 Johnson, T. Attmann, J (2009) Compulsive buying in a product specific context: clothing Journal of Fashion and marketing 13 (3) 394-406

 Kaiser, S. (2002) The social psychology of clothing USA; Fairchild

 Swami, V. & Furnham, A. (2008) The psychology of physical attraction UK; Routlidge

 Other Journal articles to be confirmed

On successful completion of this module students will:

Be able to demonstrate an understanding of fundamental psychological principles applied to beauty, fashion consumerism and celebrity.

Specifically you will acquire an understanding of the various psychological theories related to attractiveness/appearance evaluation (cognitive, social, bio-evolutionary & integrated), impression management and body image related issues. By the end of this course you will be familiar with some major theories used to understand the fashion cycle/change process and will be able to apply these to psychological processes such as self esteem, group membership and identity. In addition you will have gained insight into the fame and celebrity process both from the point of view of the individual but also from a wider consumer & media psychology perspective.

Finally through your assessments (in English) you will demonstrate independent learning and research, as well as the ability to communicate your ideas effectively.

- One 1750 word essay including APA reference section, in English, from a choice of set essay titles (80% of final grade)

- Formative assessment mid way – short in class test (20%)

2 absences maximum- exceeding the absence allowance results in a fail grade

Students must respect the principles of academic integrity. Cheating and plagiarism (including copying work from other students, internet or other sources) are serious violations that are punishable and instructors are required to report all cases to the administration.