Tall, muscular men seen as better leaders

​New York: If you want to be seen as a leader, go hit the gym! New research suggests that when it comes to judging a person's leadership potential, a muscular physique might just be a more important attribute than wisdom and intelligence. For example, take the case of Arnold Schwarzenegger whose past popularity was a result of his physical prowess as a "Mr. Universe" bodybuilder.

The experiments first measured the strength of various men using a handheld, hydraulic Dynamometer that measures chest and arm strength in kilograms or pounds. After being rated on strength, each man was photographed from the knees up in a white tank shirt to reveal his shoulder, chest, and arm muscles.

In one experiment, groups of men and women -- about 50-50 -- were shown photographs of the different men on a computer screen. Before the participants saw the photos, they were told that they would be rating people who had been recently hired by a new consulting firm.

The participants were asked questions such as, "Do you think this person would be a good leader?" and "How effective is this person in dealing with others in a group?" The physically strong men in the pictures were given higher status because they are perceived as leaders.