Asian American Attitudes toward Height | Asian American Poll

AA ATTITUDE TOWARD HEIGHT
(Updated Saturday, Jun 6, 2026, 12:07:54 AM to reflect the 100 most recent valid responses.)

Assuming you are an Asian American, how important is height in your assessment of a person's attractiveness?
It's a key element of attractiveness. | 20%
It's one of many factors I consider. | 44%
It's less important than other personal qualities. | 28%
I am not attracted to tall people. | 8%

Assuming you are an Asian American, which best matches your feelings toward your own height?
I'd like to be 3 inches taller. | 43%
I'd like to be an inch taller. | 27%
I'm happy with my height. | 26%
I'd like to be an inch shorter. | 4%

HOME | PERSONALITIES | FEATURES | NEWS

© 1996-2025 Asian Media Group Inc
No part of the contents of this site may be reproduced without prior written permission.

"It would be of little doubt that if the world power structure was reversed (Asians on top, Westerns on bottom, as it once was), we Asians would be snickering at their height and their lighter skin."
-------------------------------------
Po:

You are absolutely right. However...with your logic...it seems ironic that in this contemporary time when those light skined Westerners are "On top"...they emphasize so much on getting "A Nice Tan". But in retrospect...when the Asians were "On top"...Western women were perhaps even more paranoid about keeping their skin "Fair" than Asian women are today.

In a sense I think it has to do with the superiority and inferiority complexes within the mind. It also in a sense portrays a difference in the Western and Asian mentality. You used the word "reverse" in your post. I think "reversed" is how I would describe the Western and Asian mentality in comparison to each other.
Westerners...refuses to value any features peculiar to people that they have not surpassed in some way. But once they advance others to a safe extent...it's no longer a threat to desire features peculiar to the people that they have already surpassed. Pretty much they have to know that they are THE BEST before they even let any insignificant thing get by as "better". Westerners' pride.
The Asian mentality is in a sense just the opposite. Sometimes I feel that the Asian mentality puts its own people down by being too objective about it's weaknesses. I'm not suggesting that people should deny their flaws. I just think that if we are unwilling to change some aspects of the Asian mentality...then we are in no place to even be in discontent about certain things. Things like why "Caucasian features" define the "Idealistic beauty."

Caucasian features such as light skin, height.
Beijing Angelique (F.O.B) Tuesday, May 07, 2002 at 22:22:40 (PDT)

"Who knows what to believe anymore. The once 'miracle food' is now perceived to be dangerous."

and the truth commercials tell me that cancer sticks stunts growth as well. so we're gonna blame all the height problems in asia to the tabacco commpanies!

giv'me a break, if a study even TRIES to be scientific then it ought to list specifically which and what organization funded the studies. if you're gonna read something about soy-beans kill people (which is BS since we chinese have been eating it for millenia) and like TH Lien's statement about "got milk" industry government subsidies, what are you going to believe? you said to use our brains, so let's be smart consumers, eh?
villageidiot Tuesday, May 07, 2002 at 20:28:28 (PDT)

"As a general rule, great leaders tend to be more average height rather than tall."

and to this all i can say is: NAPOLEON!
villageidiot Tuesday, May 07, 2002 at 20:22:46 (PDT)

be,

The place I saw that information about presidents and height, was SNL during the year Perot was running for office. There were so many jokes about the fact the he was short, and why he couldn't get elected. The skit was so funny....

As to why American are so pre-occupied with height and leadership quality I don't know.

I do know most Chinese society don't believe in that myth and value intelligence above all. Chinese people believe more or less if you're smart, you can move the world. As oppose to the Greeks and the big lever and fulcrum myth.

Those standardized testing in Chinese society for office positions have been going for thousands of years all over Asia.

As for height and leadership. Isn't there the 7'5" NBA hopeful from China. I don't think their going to let him lead a team. The height and leadership myth is a racially inclusive myth. Need not apply to any asians basically.
AC Dropout Tuesday, May 07, 2002 at 15:09:41 (PDT)

Height as a valued trait dates back many centuries, if not thousands, of years spanning across many cultures.

The Olmec Indians lived in the Gulf Coast during 1200-1300 BC (what is now southern Mexico). Huge carvings of their rulers ranging from 6 ft to 10 ft tall suggest that height and bigness with associated with power. The statures were notable for their natural instead of stylized representations of the face. The pre-Islamic Buddhist statues (destroyed in Afghanistan) are another example of ancient carvings linking bigness with power.

The appeal for tallness applies not just to people but to structures such as buildings around the world.

As for looks, studies have shown that babies tend to stare at better looking people longer than not so good looking ones. A simple example on height. Children see their parents as very tall because of height difference. Parents hold the power too and hence, the mental association of height with power and preference for better looking people begin at an early age before exposure to the media.
ko hun Tuesday, May 07, 2002 at 11:57:16 (PDT)

NEWEST COMMENTS | EARLIER COMMENTS