Why the handsome ones seem so unpleasant

Question

Suppose that in the whole population, how good-looking someone is and how kind they are are completely independent. You only agree to date people who are either very good-looking or very kind (or both): anyone who is neither is turned down.

Among the people you date, what relationship will you observe between looks and kindness? Explain with a simple model, and give another setting where the same illusion appears.

Accepted Answer

Among the people you date, looks and kindness will appear negatively correlated: the better-looking ones will tend to be less kind, and vice versa. Nothing about people has changed; your selection rule created the pattern. A simple model. Score each trait from 0 to 10, independently and uniformly. You date anyone whose looks are at least 7 or whose kindness is at least 7. The people you turn down are the square where both scores are below 7. What remains is an L-shape: a strip of good-looking people with all levels of kindness, and a strip of kind people with all levels of looks. Within the L…

Why the handsome ones seem so unpleasant

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