Abstract (eng)
This study indicated a trend in attractiveness based attribution biases within a burnout relevant population that mainly did not correspond with the Attractiveness-Gender-Bias (AGB). After controlling for the effects that the covariates burnout, depression, current mood and self-esteem had on the outcome, an average effect of attractiveness was found. Mostly internal attributions were preferred. Ability was usually accredited to unattractive women. Attractive women were surprisingly devalued by men. Women showed the AGB only in the rivalry condition. The desire for contact with attractive persons of the opposite sex was confirmed in such a way as in the "beautiful is good" heuristics. In case of women with growing burnout symptoms, a desire for social withdrawal especially from attractive people was found. Men, in contrast, showed an increased need for contact, which could be traced back to depression. Both sexes showed no meaningful mating need. Furthermore, a positive relationship between burnout and the feeling of performance losses was shown. The determined correlations of burnout and depression with self-esteem showed that depression established a higher negative connection with self-esteem. Increasing burnout showed only a mean negative effect on the self-esteem after controlling depression. In total, also due to the partial gender heterogeneous study results, complex and individual relations in social comparison and its evaluations in the AGB, on the one hand, and burnout effects in demarcation of depression, on the other hand, can be assumed. Variables such as the attractiveness bias, mood, or self-esteem could be confirmed as factors. Further factors not included in this study, such as the measure of comparison orientation, similarity or own attractiveness, seem suspicious. An evolutionary psychological justification as predicted in the AGB seems possible for the desire towards attractive persons, but appears inadequate for
ability assessment in a burnout population.