“Maxims or Myths of Beauty? A Meta-Analytic and Theoretical Review”, 2000-05 (; backlinks; similar):
Common maxims about beauty suggest that attractiveness is not important in life. In contrast, both fitness-related evolutionary theory and socialization theory suggest that attractiveness influences development and interaction.
In 11 meta-analyses, the authors evaluate these contradictory claims, demonstrating that (1) raters agree about who is and is not attractive, both within and across cultures; (2) attractive children and adults are judged more positively than unattractive children and adults, even by those who know them; (3) attractive children and adults are treated more positively than unattractive children and adults, even by those who know them; and (4) attractive children and adults exhibit more positive behaviors and traits than unattractive children and adults.
Results are used to evaluate social and fitness-related evolutionary theories and the veracity of maxims about beauty.