I'm under a different sort of spell. I think all people are beautiful until they prove otherwise. I don't give a hoot about how a person looks. I care a great deal about how they think, act, and treat others. I do have a tendency to surround myself with people who are smarter than I am. Does that count?

To a degree everyone’s definition of attractiveness/beauty differs wildly, depending on culture, age, religion, sexual orientation, gender and so on. I don’t have a “type” or ethnic preference, but I always seem to end up with tall whIte men. I am drawn to auras which manifest in expression, body language and intelligence. I think the first time someone said I was an “old soul” I was 5. I remember being in my early 20’s and had an 85 year old female patient tell me I had a very sexual aura! That was an odd moment given the environment (exam room while wearing scrubs a lab coat and I was likely wearing a surgical cap. I blew it off as silly given it was an ophthalmology practice and hr vision sucked.

Took a lot of life experience before I understood what that meant. When I started practicing Buddhism it became something I could recognize in others. That kind of vision and discernment was never more clear than when I looked into my daughters eyes. My son? Notsomuch. I don’t consider that a bad thing, it is what it is but my daughters eyes blew me away.

No matter the package, I’m drawn to kindness, compassion, selflessness, willingness, humor and intelligence, to date for whatever reason they seem to be white and tall. I have found tall men seem to be attracted to short women and I’m barely 5’2”.being someone drawn to auras it makes meeting people through the glow of a screen kind of tough. I generally want to meet IRL as soon as possible so as not to build expectations or emotional investment to discover in the first 5 minutes there’s no way it’s going anywhere.

Clear as mud hu?

I'm sure I've been under the spell but, as others have noted, not for long. Sometimes all it takes is for them to open their mouths, sometimes it takes a conversation or two, and sometimes all it takes is watching how they treat other people. Granted, some beautiful people ARE more intelligent, honest and capable than others, and beauty is perceived differently, but I think eventually I can discern someone's true character.

As a side note, given the skeptical nature of our group, I wonder if we're more inclined than the average population to question stereotypes of beauty, and thus be less under the influence of the Halo Effect?

Honestly, I can say yes it has happened to me, but it doesn't last too long when I get past the looks and hear the stupid shit they're saying. lol
I have seen it in other people and wondered what they're thinking, but we all need time to figure it out for ourselves.

I’ve met enough stupid beautiful people to know how crazy that is. That doesn’t mean, however, that I’m not attracted to Barbi Benton. But there’s also the fact that beauty takes many forms. A beautiful mind is also attractive, so is a wise soul.

As far as finding attractive people more Intelligent, Honest, and capable, I have not fallen under that spell. If you used different adjectives then I might have a different answer but I can't think of any right now. test me out respondents!

Beautiful is a relative term. I would say that I am initially attracted to people whom I find physically attractive, which each person sees differently. However, if I talk to that person, and they are unintelligent, religious, shallow, superficial, or generally without depth, attraction immediately disappears, and I start looking for an exit.

I don't know about this, but I'm generally more patient with people I find attractive.

I think I have. There is this woman I met (she's in a relationship, so that restricts how I can interact with her), whom I thought I could trust, ie. be honest, open, vulnerable. NOT!! I have since changed and actually lean more toward the "ordinary" or "average" looking woman. I think I now have a prejudice AGAINST attractive females.

I really feel the opposite. Growing up with as many handsome brothers and sisters as i have I don't expect much of them because they always seem to get by on looks or brawn. I always felt that people who aren't attractive by the usual standards normally concentrate on other parts of their personality.
More often than not I jump straight to distrust. Gulity until proven innocent

Lauren's point above is certainly something to consider for this group. As an agnostic / atheist you are more inclined to be a logical thinker therefore more able to overcome / recognise the subconscious 'first impression'. That being said nobody is perfect which I will move on to in a moment.
To really think about the answer you need to turn the question on its head and consider the alternative; do you perceive unattractive people as less intelligent, honest or capable?
I am a manager at a firm of Solicitors and see day to day how other (male) supervisors favour the more attractive female employees. I certainly believe there is a prejudice in most people (whether they admit it or not).
I have treated someone less favourably because I find them unattractive to the point of repulsive. However, as a manager (and more importantly, human) my moral duty was to rectify this the following day and ensure the person felt welcome and had the same support as everyone else should they require it.
Silvereyes, I like the phrasing 'under the spell of the Halo effect' as fortunately it is just that, a spell, something which can be broken.

Actually, no, remarkably enough. And I'm genuinely surprised by this. I typically judge someone's intelligence on what they say and do, and attractiveness is just that; attractiveness.

Yes, i see it. That's how we are socialized.

To some extent, yes, but the facade melts away pretty quickly. I can usually tell within five minutes of talking to someone if there's any substance to go with the looks.

For example, all I have to do is listen to a Brittney Spears record for two seconds to know that she's a pretty dim bulb. However, listening to the work of someone like Tarja Turenen from Nightwish or Simone Simmons from Epica, it becomes clear very quickly that they are not just physically beautiful women. They are musical geniuses as well.

First I'll say yes. But not so much today. Hmmm... ive actually seen this. At work. At play. At retreats centers for addiction. Animal attraction. Lust. Ive seen attractive people get picked before a not so attractive person. This is real and it happens. Im not jealous. This never effected me. It happens a lot in schools. Perception is crazy. I use to think those preachers were smart. Damn, that was a hard lesson. They are deceptive and cunning. They're manipulative. Ugh!

Well, I can tell you I don't get as much help from random men and "free stuff" since I hit middle-age.

I've seen it in action but the person had the charm as well.
It was like all they had to do was show up and be hired.

My first wife was beautiful and i always noticed the opposite. Some people, especially women, seem to instantly think that if a person is unusually attractive they must have serious character flaws.she was a good person, never vain, who I sometimes thought felt she had to humble herself, apologize for her looks.i could write a book on the crap she had to take for something she couldn't help.

Most of the time when dealing with someone in person I am only attracted to them if I also like them. Don't care what someone looks like; if I don't like them they're not attractive. Now having said that I must admit I have a big weakness for fit women, especially with some muscles. Been a few times it took me too long to realize that it wasn't working with a muscular woman.

I've always had a soft spot for those who are overlooked in this world. Good looks are nothing to be praised for. It's a random genetic lottery that the person won. Nothing to do with integrity or being a good person. Some of the most intriguing attractive people I've met aren't stereotypically beautiful but they have a special quality. Looks fade anyway so best the person has a good heart at the end of the day.

I think most persons have a bias that way. What is interesting is that the concept of what makes a person "beautiful" is not universal and differs by cultures and time periods.

No I have never made this connection,I think it’s how an individual initially presents themselves ,manners ,dressing appropriately grooming and vocabulary that forms my opinion.

I see people as people. I’ve been a waitress for enough years to be able to read people’s “aura”, if you will. Maybe I’m guillible and kidding myself, but I really don’t think I judge people on their attractiveness.

Well it makes sense if it means that attractive people take better care of their body. I understand not all people can help their looks but it's a good guess that somebody who's face is riddled with acne, is obese, and has gross teeth don't take good care of themselves.