Have you ever had the feeling that you’ve known someone forever after a few minutes of conversation? Is it love at first sight? Did you know each other in past lives?

Chances are it’s probably not.

More accurately, if you think the person is beautiful, you pay closer attention when identifying their personality traits, according to a new University of British Columbia study published in the December edition of Psychological Science.

UBC psychology professor Jeremy Biesanz, who co-authored the study with PhD student Lauren Human and undergraduate student Genevieve Lorenzo, spoke with the Straight about the trio's findings.

“We know that there is a kind of halo effect around beautiful people,” Biesanz said. “They are seen more positively and as possessing more desirable characteristics”.

The study placed more than 75 male and female participants into small groups for three minute, one-on-one conversations. After each interaction, each participant rated the person they spoke with on physical attractiveness and five major personality traits.

Biesanz compared the process to speed dating, in which people have a short window of time to get to know their “date” before moving on to the next person. Biesanz said that the study confirmed what most already know—beautiful people have it pretty good. But he explained that while people’s initial reaction to eye-catching folks might have a bias, it also comes with a good degree of accuracy.

“We know that people spend more time looking at and paying attention to more attractive individuals,” he said. “They also discern their personality characteristics more accurately.”

Despite the obvious tilt towards the aesthetically pleasing, Biesanz notes that beauty is still in the eye of the beholder.

“What we show here is that not everyone has to agree that you’re attractive,” he said. “If someone sees you as attractive more than others do, this effect will occur for them.”

According to Biesanz, viewing your partner through rose-coloured glasses can be a great foundation for a relationship.

“Within relationships the golden combination is when your partner views you positively, they view you accurately,” he revealed. “That is the best combination.”