Physical attractiveness has an affect in nearly every part of life. Due to psychological phenomena like the halo effect (e.g. when one character trait of a person leads others to assume other traits about them), physical attractiveness can lead individuals to believe that someone seems more intelligent, likeable, or competent. In terms of job interviews and average salary, studies have shown that conventionally attractive people tend to get jobs more easily and make more money. And, of course, physical attractiveness is one criterion that people consider important with regard to dating and relationships.

Social exchange theory is the idea that social relationships are an exchange in which a participant tries to maximize benefits and minimize costs (e.g. if the costs get too high or the benefits too low, then an individual will end the relationship). 

While intriguing, the other choices are incorrect. Comparison level for alternatives is the idea that people tend to stay in a relationship if they perceive that their relational outcomes would not be better in a different relationship and leave if they believe that their outcomes would be. Equity theory is the idea that people are happier in relationships where there is fair give and take by both people in the relationship.  The halo effect is the idea that people tend to overgeneralize one character trait; for example, if someone is handsome, other people might overgeneralize that positive attribute and assume he's also funny and hardworking. Mere exposure effect is the idea that people tend to like things or people they are familiar with/exposed to more often. 

Comparison level for alternatives is the idea that people tend to stay in a relationship if they perceive that their relational outcomes would not be better in a different relationship and leave if they believe that their outcomes would be better (such as a nicer partner).

While intriguing, the other choices are incorrect. Equity theory is the idea that people are happier in relationships where there is fair give and take by both people in the relationship. The halo effect is the idea that people tend to overgeneralize one character trait; for example, if someone is handsome, other people might overgeneralize that positive attribute and assume he's also funny and hardworking. Mere exposure effect is the idea that people tend to like things or people they are familiar with/exposed to more often. \ Social exchange theory is the idea that social relationships are an exchange in which a participant tries to maximize benefits and minimize costs; if the costs get too high or the benefits too low, they will end the relationship. 

Equity theory is the idea that people are happier in relationships where there is fair give and take by both people in the relationship. 

While intriguing, the other choices are incorrect. The halo effect is the idea that people tend to overgeneralize one character trait; for example, if someone is handsome, other people might overgeneralize that positive attribute and assume he's also funny and hardworking. Mere exposure effect is the idea that people tend to like things or people they are familiar with/exposed to more often. Social exchange theory is the idea that social relationships are an exchange in which a participant tries to maximize benefits and minimize costs; if the costs get too high or the benefits too low, they will end the relationship. Comparison level for alternatives is the idea that people tend to stay in a relationship if they perceive that their relational outcomes would not be better in a different relationship and leave if they believe that their outcomes would be.

The halo effect is the idea that people tend to overgeneralize one character trait; for example, if someone is handsome, other people might overgeneralize that positive attribute and assume he's also funny and hardworking.

While intriguing, the other choices are incorrect. Mere exposure effect is the idea that people tend to like things or people they are familiar with/exposed to more often. Social exchange theory is the idea that social relationships are an exchange in which a participant tries to maximize benefits and minimize costs; if the costs get too high or the benefits too low, they will end the relationship. Comparison level for alternatives is the idea that people tend to stay in a relationship if they perceive that their relational outcomes would not be better in a different relationship and leave if they believe that their outcomes would be. Equity theory is the idea that people are happier in relationships where there is fair give and take by both people in the relationship. 

Mere exposure effect is the idea that people tend to like things or people they are familiar with/exposed to more often (e.g. a 10 year partner) rather than things they have only been exposed to a few times (e.g. a partner someone just met). 

While intriguing, the other choices are incorrect. Social exchange theory is the idea that social relationships are an exchange in which a participant tries to maximize benefits and minimize costs; if the costs get too high or the benefits too low, they will end the relationship. Comparison level for alternatives is the idea that people tend to stay in a relationship if they perceive that their relational outcomes would not be better in a different relationship and leave if they believe that their outcomes would be. Equity theory is the idea that people are happier in relationships where there is fair give and take by both people in the relationship. The halo effect is the idea that people tend to overgeneralize one character trait; for example, if someone is handsome, other people might overgeneralize that positive attribute and assume he's also funny and hardworking.

The halo effect occurs when a person is influenced by global impressions (e.g. physical attractiveness) and then judges an individual’s specific traits (e.g. level of intelligence). The halo effect can be either positive or negative. In this example the interviewer finds George to be attractive, which impacts the interviewer's impression of his intelligence positively. On the other hand, groupthink occurs when the members of a cohesive group suspend their critical thinking skills in order to remain unanimous. The Barnum effect occurs when people accept vague or general descriptions of themselves, which is common when reading horoscopes. Cognitive dissonance occurs when a person experiences discomfort due to holding two conflicting attitudes. The job interview bias is not a term used in social psychology.

Muzafer Sherif studied intergroup conflict during the 1950’s in the Robbers Cave study. Sherif studied two groups of children at a boy's summer camp, and found that the most effective way to reduce conflict was to introduce a mutual goal that required the groups to work together cooperatively to achieve. The other choices have not been found to decrease intergroup conflict. 

According to Ainsworth’s attachment theory, an infant’s response to a caregiver’s presence of absence in an unfamiliar environment (a so-called “strange situation”) can be used to characterize the infant’s attachment style. Attachment style is based on an infant’s exploratory behaviors, response to the caregiver’s leaving, and response to the caregiver’s return. The four most recognized attachment styles are summarized in the table below (where “CG” is an abbreviation for “caregiver”). As we can see from comparing the question to the chart, Anna explored very little, seemed apathetic to her mother’s absence and her return, and appeared just as comfortable with strangers (the cousin) as with her mother: avoidant attachment.

The halo effect can be defined as the tendency to use global evaluations to make judgments about specific traits. The preponderance of research clearly demonstrates that we are more likely to believe that physically attractive people are automatically better at other things (e.g., baking, playing sports) than less attractive people.