Attractiveness stereotype ("what is beautiful is good")

Biological Parallel

In barn swallows, males with longer, more symmetrical tail feathers sire chicks with stronger immune systems—attractiveness honestly signals genetic quality through developmental precision that only healthy organisms achieve. Females choosing beautiful mates aren't being superficial; they're reading biological résumés written in feather architecture. The attractiveness stereotype evolved because in nature, beauty correlates with fitness: costly ornaments require resources and genetic integrity, making aesthetic judgment a shortcut to assessing underlying quality.