Social Comfort and Attractiveness Perception: Impact of Prosthetics, Physical Disability, and Comfort Distance on Interpersonal Interactions

Abstract

Derived from the disease-avoidance model is the hypothesis that people may direct negative cognitive and behavioral responses towards individuals with physical disfiguring conditions, including physical disabilities. Based on this proposal of a behavioural immune system, physical disability, a noncontagious physical disfiguration, may falsely activate cognitive disease-avoidance processes resulting in prejudicial or negative responses against individuals with physical disabilities. For the first time this hypothesis is put to the test by investigating whether ratings of attractiveness and comfort for a social interaction vary systematically with physical disability (Studies 1 and 2). In addition, we tested whether these ratings were associated with individual differences in pathogen disgust, perceived vulnerability to disease, and concern for contracting COVID-19. In Study 3 we overcame possible methodological limitations by employing a virtual reality environment and using both male and female models. A fourth study was conducted to extend the first two studies by using a more diverse set of avatars. Results from Studies 1 and 2 indicated that disability did not significantly impact comfort ratings for social interactions, although nondisabled stimuli were rated as more attractive. However, Study 3 showed that in a VR environment, participants preferred closer proximity to nondisabled avatars, regardless of gender, over disabled ones, a preference not mitigated by the presence of prosthetics. Study 4 replicated these findings with varied 2D avatars, showing that disability significantly affected both comfort and attractiveness ratings, with nondisabled avatars rated highest, followed by those with prosthetics, and finally disabled avatars. Despite these findings, the expected relationship between comfort ratings and individual differences in pathogen disgust or perceived infectability did not emerge, challenging the behavioral immune system hypothesis. The discomfort associated with physical disability may be more related to social stigma or 3 preconceived notions than to an innate disease-avoidance response. In conclusion, this research contributes to understanding how physical disability influences social comfort and attractiveness perceptions, challenging the behavioral immune system hypothesis and highlighting the role of social and cognitive factors in these judgments.