Link: http://www.etc-architect.com/?p=286
From ETC-Architect
I am unsure if you are familiar with the halo effect in psychology. The effect describes our inbuilt judgement to observe a person in a few aspects and then use them as the template for all other traits of that person. Actually only the positive form is called the halo effect, while the negative is referred as horns effect.
The halo effect or sainthood is formed by some general characteristics. They are physical attractiveness and happiness. Actually almost all people will associate a high intelligence and subject matter expertise with people that are looking like a happy model. Being sad and deliberate unattractive usually invokes the horns effect.
So as we want to win over people in architecture as a design is always just a given option we need to push for the halo effect. It is hard to impossible for most of us to change our physical base, however as long as we guarantee a good degree of cleanliness we should be OK. The important thing is however that you need to be seen as happy. Happy architects are winners both in our area, as well as in building architecture and all areas of design you will not accept a design by a sad person even if it is far superior.
So sainthood matters and funny enough the halo effect is more prevalent with females being less influenced by the halo effect (Journal of Personality and Social Psychology 31 1975). So this is why I recommend anyone wanting to get successful in architecture first to get in sainthood with all other things secondary.
