It was previously proposed that expression of secondary sexual characteristics may provide cues to individual's immunocompetence. Body odour could partly serve as one of such characteristics, which provides crucial information about potentional partner even in humans. The main aim of the diploma thesis was to test a relationship between body odour quality and reactivity of immune system. In empirical part of the study we collected body odour samples from 21 men aged between 18-40 years before and two weeks after the vaccination against hepatitis A and B (Twinrix) and meningococcus (Menveo). The participant's blood samples were obtained three times to determine levels of IgG and IgM antibodies (markers of reactivity of immune system), testosterone, cortisol and CRP levels. In the second part of the study, a panel of 88 female raters aged 18-40 assessed body odour samples for their attractiveness, intensity and healthiness. In contrast to our expectations, we found no significant association between levels of antibodies induced by vaccination and perceived body odour attractiveness and health. Simultaneously, there were no significant changes in body odour ratings, neither in levels of testosterone and cortisol ratings, before and after the vaccination. However, we found a negative association...

Malgré un taux de chômage élevé en France, les entreprises font face à de réelles difficultés de recrutement sur certains métiers, allant parfois jusqu’à évoquer une pénurie de main d’œuvre. Ainsi, attirer les individus en réussissant à susciter le choix de ces métiers est au cœur des enjeux des acteurs du marché de l’emploi. Ceux-ci évoquent régulièrement la question de l’image des métiers. En ce sens, de nombreux travaux en sciences sociales se sont intéressés au processus de choix professionnel en plaçant l’image métier au cœur de cette démarche sans pour autant avoir cherché à l’explorer. Dès lors, la compréhension de ce qu’est l’image métier et de son processus de formation présente un intérêt certain d’un point de vue académique et managérial. / Despite a high unemployment rate in France, some companies are facing real difficulties in recruiting in certain profession. They sometimes evoke a shortage of labor. Thus, attracting individuals and lead them to raise the choice of those professions is at the core of this issues that concern companies and professional branch. They regularly raise the question about the image of these professions. In this sense, many studies in social sciences investigated the process of vocational choice by placing profession image at the heart of this approach without exploring it. Therefore, understanding profession image and how it is processed in peoples’ mind presents some interest from an academic and managerial point of views.

Past studies, that studied facial attractiveness, focus mainly on fluctuating asymmetry, averageness, masculinity, femininity, and skin coloration influences on attractiveness assessment. Their findings have been used by intercultural studies. They have revealed that people from diverse areas prefer differential development of sexually dimorphic cues, according to, e.g. local health and economic situation. We have done an online questionnaire survey. We included Czech (N = 100), Iranian (N = 87) and Turkish (N = 185) facial stimuli and raters of both sexes. We have studied whether members of all the populations would utilize the facial colouration and sexual dimorphism cues in a similar way. We have also tested whether there were differences in the facial width to height ratio (fWHR) between the sexes in all the populations. We have also wondered if the populations differed in the variance of facial skin colouration. Raters from all the populations saw feminine women as attractive. Turks and Czechs found masculine men as attractive, while Iranian women found more average Iranian men as attractive. Averageness positively predicted the attractiveness of the Czech and Turkish faces of both sexes. Older and more average Czech men were considered more masculine by Czech women. More average and younger Czech...

Made available in DSpace on 2015-05-14T13:16:37Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 arquivototal.pdf: 1005482 bytes, checksum: 759ffb4376499fcf1bcd231746489fdb (MD5) Previous issue date: 2010-03-17 / Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior - CAPES / This research aimed to evaluate the role of the pupil diameter in attractiveness between individuals of opposite sex and to check the relationship between pupil diameter and some emotional expressions considered universal. Analyzed through both quantitative and qualitative methods, the research was divided into two independent studies. The stimuli for both of them were 10 volunteers faces, which the pupil diameters were manipulated to generate five different sizes (2, 3, 4, 5 and 6 mm). In study I, "Is there a relationship between facial attractiveness and pupil diameter?", 60 UFPB students, aged between 18 and 26 (M = 20.65, SD = 2.20), took part in the research, and the following instruments were used: visual acuity test, interview, questionnaire, answer sheet of the visual analogue scale (VAS) and two softwares. In addition, this study was divided in two procedures. In the first, the participant chose the face considered more attractive, among the five faces equal with different sizes of pupilla. From the analysis with Chi-square (X²), we found that there was significant effect for the factor pupilla in both group of men (X² = 21.93; p< 0.05), and of women (X² = 44.73; p< 0.05). In the second study, the participant indicated a score of attractiveness for each face, through the scale of VAS. The results were analyzed by repeated measures ANOVA and revealed a significant difference for the factor pupilla [F(1, 234) = 19.06; p < 0.05]. Through the post hoc test (Tukey HSD), we can say that the larger diameter pupils were considered more attractive and pupils of smaller diameter were considered less attractive. From the data obtained by interviews, it was conducted a Bardin analysis of content, with which we discovered a thematic class of attractiveness and subclasses of concept, incidence, attractive element and facial attractiveness. The results of experimental and content analyses support the idea that the pupil has a relevant role in attractiveness. In Study II, "Is there a relationship between emotional expressions and pupil diameter? , the participants, the stimuli and equipment were the same as in study I. The instruments in this study were: visual acuity test, interview, questionnaire and one specific software developed by LPNeC. In this experiment, participants must associate each displayed face with one of the six emotions (joy, sadness, fear, anger, surprise and contempt). The Chi-square (X²) showed significant differences in factor pupilla (p<0.05). The group of men associated the diameter of 4mm to emotion Joy (X² = 190.81; p<0.00) and the group of women Joined the diameter of 5 mm (X² = 29.61; p<0.00). Both the group of men (X² = 21.55; p < 0.05) of women (X² = 29.61; p < 0.05) were associated Smaller diameters (2 and 3 mm) with contempt. Only the men associated fear to pupilla of 6 mm (X²=30.21; p<0.05) and Surprise to pupilla of 5 mm (X²=31.84; p > 0.05). were not found significant differences between groups for the emotions of Sadness and Anger. In regard to the categorical analysis, it was created a thematic class of emotion, which was refered to the recognition of the specific emotions (sadness, joy and anger). These quantitative and qualitative results suggest that the pupil is related to the recognition of some specific emotions. / A presente pesquisa teve como objetivos gerais avaliar o papel do diâmetro da pupila na atratividade entre indivíduos de sexo oposto e verificar se há relação entre o diâmetro da pupila e algumas expressões emocionais consideradas universais. Analisada através do método quantitativo e qualitativo, a pesquisa foi dividida em dois estudos independentes. Os estímulos para ambos foram 10 faces de voluntários, cujos diâmetros das pupilas foram manipulados para gerar cinco dimensões diferentes (2, 3, 4, 5 e 6 mm). No estudo I, Existe relação entre atratividade facial e diâmetro de pupila? , participaram 60 alunos da Universidade Federal da Paraíba (UFPB), com idade entre 18 a 26 anos (M= 20,65; DP= 2,20), e utilizou os seguintes instrumentos: teste de acuidade visual, entrevista, questionário, folha de resposta da escala de VAS e dois softwares para rodar os experimentos (face mais atrativa e escala de VAS). Além disso, esse estudo subdividiu-se em dois procedimentos. No primeiro, o participante escolhia, dentre o conjunto de cinco faces iguais com diferentes tamanhos da pupila, aquela considerada mais atrativa. A partir das análises com Qui- Quadrado (X²), verificou-se que houve efeito significante para o fator pupila tanto no grupo dos homens (X² = 21,93; p< 0,05), como no das mulheres (X² = 44,73; p< 0,05). No segundo, o participante indicava, através da escala de VAS, um escore de atratividade para cada face. Os resultados foram analisados pela ANOVA para medidas repetidas e revelou diferença significante para o fator pupila [F(1, 234) = 19,06; p < 0,05]. Através do teste post hoc (Tukey HSD), pode-se afirmar que de forma geral as pupilas de diâmetro maior foram consideradas mais atrativas e as de menor diâmetro, menos atrativas. A partir dos dados obtidos pelas entrevistas, foi realizado a analise de conteúdo de Bardin, em que surgiu a classe temática de atratividade e subcategorias de conceito, ocorrência, elemento atrativo e atratividade facial. Os resultados das análises experimentais e de conteúdo apóiam a idéia de que a pupila tem um papel relevante na atratividade. No estudo II, Existe relação entre expressões emocionais e diâmetro de pupila? , os participantes, os estímulos e o equipamento seguiram o mesmo padrão do estudo I. Os instrumentos utilizados foram: teste de acuidade visual, entrevista, questionário e um software específico desenvolvido pelo LPNeC. Nesse experimento, os participantes tiveram que associar cada face visualizada a uma das seis emoções (alegria, tristeza, medo, raiva, surpresa e desprezo). O teste Qui-Quadrado (X²) mostrou diferenças significantes no fator pupila (p<0,05). Na emoção de Alegria, o grupo dos homens (X²=190,81; p<0,00) associaram ao diâmetro 4mm e as mulheres (X²=29,61; p<0,00) ao diâmetro de 5 mm. Já na emoção de Desprezo, tanto o grupo dos homens (X² = 21,55; p < 0,05) como o grupo das mulheres (X² = 29,61; p < 0,05) associaram aos diâmetros menores, 2 e 3 mm. Na emoção de Medo, foi revelada diferença significante apenas no grupo dos homens (X²=30,21; p<0,05), o qual associou a pupila de 6 mm, como também na emoção de Surpresa, o qual os homens (X²=31,84; p > 0,05) relacionaram ao diâmetro 5 mm. Nas emoções de Tristeza e Raiva não foram encontradas diferenças significantes entre ambos os grupos. Com relação à análise categorial, foi criada a classe temática de emoção, a qual se referia ao reconhecimento das emoções específicas (tristeza, alegria e raiva). Estes resultados quantitativos e qualitativos sugerem que a pupila está relacionada com o reconhecimento de algumas emoções específicas.

Pessoas que apresentam grandes deformidades dentofaciais podem ter prejuízos sociais, pessoais e emocionais. A cirurgia ortognática é utilizada para correções dessas deformidades, que consequentemente afeta as aparências das faces dos pacientes. Este estudo teve como objetivos: 1) Avaliar amostras de faces da população de Ribeirão Preto, SP e as faces prototípicas provenientes delas, consideradas sem deformidades; 2) Analisar atratividade facial de dez pacientes submetidos a cirurgias ortognáticas nas fases pré e pós-cirúrgicas; ao relacionar suas atratividades aos parâmetros físicos alterados pela cirurgia; e também avaliar as consequências na qualidade de vida, ansiedade e auto-estima destes pacientes. As análises faciais foram frontais e obedeceram aos critérios preconizados na literatura de meios, terços e quintos faciais. A coleta de dados com os pacientes foi feita no CEDEFACE (Centro de Pesquisa e Tratamento das Deformidades Buco-Faciais). Foram obtidas fotografias nas fases pré e pós-cirúrgicas; momentos em que também foram aplicadas escalas de qualidade de vida (WHOQOL bref), de ansiedade (IDATE e Escala Analógica de Humor) e autoestima (Escala de Autoestima de Rosenberg). Dois experimentos foram realizados. Um com as fotos das faces pré e pós-cirúrgicas a fim de avaliar a atratividade facial dos pacientes antes e depois das cirurgias e outro para comparar a atratividade facial dos pacientes com a atratividade de faces prototípicas relativas ao sexo e etnia correspondentes. Nesses experimentos os julgamentos de atratividade foram provenientes de uma amostra de 40 participantes leigos. Os resultados apontaram que: 1) As análises do banco de faces e protótipos apresentaram parâmetros físicos faciais diferentes daqueles apontados na literatura, principalmente na análise dos terços e quintos; 2) A cirurgia ortognática contribuiu para o aumento da atratividade dos pacientes, embora estes ainda considerados menos atrativos que as faces prototípicas. Também foram notadas melhoria na condição psicológica por meio do Whoqol bref e diminuição da ansiedade por meio da Escala Analógica de Humor. Tais resultados apontam para a importância de estudos sobre parâmetros físicos faciais relacionados à melhoria de sua estética e que a cirurgia ortognática para o tratamento de deformidades dentofaciais pode trazer benefícios estéticos e emocionais àqueles que a procuram. / People with salient dentofacial deformities can have social, personal and emotional injury. The orthognathic surgery is used to correct these deformities, and consequently, it affects the facial appearances of the patients. The general aims of this study were: 1) Evaluate samples of faces from a population of Ribeirão Preto, SP and their prototypical faces considered as without deformities; 2) Analyze the facial attractiveness of ten patients before and after being submitted to orthognathic surgery; searching the relationship between the attractiveness and physical parameters modified on the faces by the surgery; and also assessing the effects of this surgery on the quality of life, the anxiety and the self-esteem of these patients. The facial analyses were frontal and from the halves, the thirds and the fifths of the faces. The pictures of faces before and after the orthognathic surgery were from voluntary patients from CEDEFACE (Centro de Pesquisa e Tratamento das Deformidades Buco-Faciais) at Araraquara, SP. Before and after the surgery, these patients also had their quality of life (by WHOQOL bref scale), the anxiety (by IDATE and Escala Analógica de Humor) and the selfesteem (by Escala de Auto-Estima de Rosenberg) evaluated. There were two experiments. From an experiment, forty volunteers judged the attractiveness of the faces pictured before and after the surgery. From the other experiment, the volunteers compared the attractiveness of the patient faces with the attractiveness of the prototypical faces, respectively to their sex and race. The results showed that: 1) The facial analyses of the faces from population sample of Ribeirão Preto, SP, and their prototypical faces indicated physical parameters that differ from the literature, mainly for the facial analyses of the thirds and the fifths 2) The orthognathic surgery contributed to increase the facial attractiveness of the patients, although they were still considered less attractive than the prototypical faces. Improvement in psychological condition, assessed by the Whoqol bref, and anxiety decrement, assessed by the Escala Analógica de Humor, were noticed. These results pointed out the importance to study facial analyses related to the aesthetic improvement, and that the orthognathic surgery to treat dentofacial deformities can bring aesthetic and emotional benefits to the patients.

Este projeto teve por objetivo investigar se existem diferenças nos julgamentos de atratividade de faces masculinizadas e feminilizadas entre mulheres durante a etapa folicular tardia e na etapa luteal (fases do ciclo menstrual) e se estas se correlacionam às alterações dos níveis hormonais. Foram incluídas 30 mulheres voluntárias, na faixa etária de 18 a 42 anos com ciclos menstruais regulares, com duração entre 24 e 33 dias, sem uso de anticoncepcional hormonal (AH). Foram utilizados para a avaliação da atratividade facial dois protótipos faciais: um de uma face feminina e outro de face masculina. De cada um desses protótipos foram confeccionadas mais quatro faces, cujos traços de duas foram masculinizados e das outras duas foram feminilizados em diferentes graus. Foram realizadas duas sessões experimentais para cada participante. A primeira sessão foi na etapa folicular tardia do ciclo menstrual e a segunda na etapa luteal do ciclo. Em cada sessão, a participante era instruída a ordenar decrescentemente as faces conforme o quão atraente cada uma lhe parecerá. Em seguida a participante classificava as faces em três grupos: Amigo, Inimigo e Amante. Posteriormente foi colhida a amostra de sangue para posteriores análises dos níveis hormonais. Ou seja, tanto na etapa folicular tardia quanto na luteal, as participantes avaliaram as imagens das faces e doaram uma amostra de sangue. As frequências foram comparadas e verificou-se que para as faces masculinas masculinizadas e a face neutra foram consideradas as mais atraentes na fase folicular tardia e na fase lútea. Na fase folicular tardia, para as faces masculinas, quanto mais masculinizadas elas forem, maior sua pontuação no grupo Amante. Na fase lútea, a face original masculina e todas as faces masculinas masculinizadas foram mais frequentemente classificadas ao grupo Amante, mas a face 50% masculinizada teve um aumento na qualificação de Inimigo. E finalmente, não foi verificada uma correlação entre os níveis hormonais e a preferência por faces mais masculinizadas ou feminilizada. Não foi evidenciada uma mudança significativa na preferência do julgamento das faces; observando-se que existe sempre uma preferência por faces mais masculinizadas para faces masculinas, e preferência por faces mais feminilizadas para faces femininas, independente das fases do ciclo menstrual. / This project aimed to investigate whether there are differences in attractiveness judgments of masculinized and feminized faces by women during the late follicular and the luteal phases (phases of the menstrual cycle) and whether these judgments correlate with hormonal level changes. Thirty women with age between 18 and 42 years old, with regular menstrual cycles lasting between 24 and 33 days, and without use of hormonal contraceptive (AH) were volunteers in this study. Stimuli were images of a female and a male prototypical faces that by computer morphing technique generated other faces with exaggeration of the gender traits by 25% and 50%. Two experimental sessions, the first in the late follicular phase and the second in the luteal phase, were conducted for each participant to judge the attractiveness of the faces, sorting them from the highest to lowest attractive. Finishing this task, the participant classified the faces into three groups: \"Friend\", \"Enemy\" or \"Lover.\" After each session in both menstrual phases blood sample of the participant was collected for further hormone level analysis. The masculinized male face and the original male face were chosen as more attractive in the follicular phase and the late luteal phase. Besides, in the late follicular phase, the more masculinized are the male faces, the higher is their score into the \"Lover\" group. In the luteal phase, also all masculinized and the original male faces were classified more frequently into the Lover group, but also the 50% masculinized male face was more frequently classified into the Enemy group. And finally, there was no correlation between hormone levels and preference for more masculinized or more feminized faces. Then, there is no evidence that hormonal levels change the face preferences. There was always a preference for masculinized faces to male faces, and preference for feminized faces for female faces, regardless of the menstrual cycle phases.

A simetria facial foi investigada como fator de atratividade em quatro experimentos. Fotos frontais em preto e branco de faces de homens e mulheres foram manipuladas por computação gráfica para gerar faces simétricas. No Exp. I as faces simétricas foram geradas a partir da reflexão das metades laterais, direita e esquerda, de cada face. Essas faces simétricas e suas respectivas faces naturais foram apresentadas a sujeitos para julgar o quão atrativa elas eram. Os resultados mostraram que faces assimétricas (naturais) foram julgadas como mais atrativas que as simétricas. No Exp. II utilizaram-se as mesmas faces simétricas e naturais do Exp. I, porém, excluindo-se os elementos externos da face por meio de uma moldura elíptica. Essas faces foram apresentadas aos pares e pediu-se para os participantes escolher a mais atrativa, além de julgar seu grau de atratividade. Os resultados mostraram que nenhuma foto simétrica foi julgada como mais atrativa que sua respectiva face natural, bem como as faces naturais foram mais escolhidas que as simétricas. A exclusão dos elementos externos das faces não contribuiu para aumentar o grau de atratividade das mesmas. No Exp. III as faces simétricas foram geradas por técnica de morphing a partir da imagem da face original e a sua respectiva imagem refletida. A apresentação e julgamentos das faces seguiram o modelo do Exp. II. Os resultados mostraram que nenhuma face simétrica obteve escore de atratividade maior que as naturais, mas com relação às escolhas, para faces masculinas houve maior número de escolhas para as faces simétricas. No Exp. IV foram utilizadas as mesmas faces simétricas e naturais do Exp. III, excluindo-se os elementos faciais externos. Os resultados indicaram maior escores de atratividade, bem como um maior número de escolhas das faces simétricas. Comparadas ao Exp. III houve um aumento nos escores de atratividade para as faces simétricas e uma diminuição dos escores para as faces naturais. Conclui-se que a simetria não deve ser considerada como um fator isolado na análise da atratividade facial; relações entre outros elementos podem contribuir para tornar uma face mais atrativa. / The facial symmetry was investigated as attractiveness factor in four experiments. Front pictures in black and white of men\'s and women?s faces were manipulated by graphic computation to create symmetrical faces. In Exp. I, the symmetrical faces were created starting from the lateral half right and left reflection, of each face. Those symmetrical faces and their respective natural faces were presented to people that had to judge how attractive they were. The results showed that asymmetrical faces (natural) were judged as more attractive than the symmetrical ones. In Exp. II, we used the same symmetrical and natural faces of Exp. I, however, being excluded face?s external elements through an elliptic frame. These faces were presented in pairs and we asked for the participants to choose the most attractive, besides judging the attractiveness degree. The results showed that no symmetrical picture was judged as more attractive than its respective natural face, as well as the natural faces were more chosen than the symmetrical ones. The exclusion of the external elements of the faces didn\'t contribute to increase the attractiveness degree of themselves. In Exp. III, the symmetrical faces were created by morphing technique starting from the original face image and its respective reflected image. The presentation and judgments of the faces followed the model of Exp. II. The results showed that no symmetrical face obtained score of larger attractiveness than the natural ones, but regarding the choices, for masculine faces there was larger number of choices for the symmetrical faces. In Exp. IV we used the same symmetrical and natural faces of Exp. III, being excluded the external facial elements. The results indicated larger attractiveness scores, as well as a larger number of choices fore the symmetrical faces. Comparing Exp. IV with Exp. III, we had an increase in the attractiveness scores for the symmetrical faces and a decrease of the scores for the natural faces. We concluded that the symmetry should not be considered as an isolated factor in the facial attractiveness analysis; the relationships among other elements can contribute to turn a more attractive face.

Det första steget, i en produktiv kompetensförsörjning, är att attrahera arbetskraften. För att lyckas med detta är det fördelaktigt om en organisation bearbetar sitt arbetsgivarvarumärke. Detta arbetsgivarvarumärke ger ett löfte om upplevelsen av anställningen till potentiella kandidater. Syftet med detta examensarbete är att undersöka hur sex olika civilingenjörsstudenter uppfattar attraktionskraft och vilka faktorer som är betydelsefulla. En organisation valdes ut, där civilingenjörer tillhör målgruppen, och där attraktivitet studerades från tre rekryterares perspektiv. Examensarbetet genomfördes med en kvalitativ metod samt med en hermeneutisk och abduktiv ansats. Det insamlade materialet tolkades därefter tematiskt och kodades företrädesvis med en data-driven kodning. Examensarbetets resultat visar att det finns ett antal faktorer som har betydelse för attraktionskraften hos ett företag. De faktorer som ökar attraktiviteten enligt de intervjuade civilingenjörsstudenterna är: Varumärke, Image och Arbets- och företagsprofil. Företagets miljö bedömdes vara viktigt men inte avgörande. Den faktor som inte var viktig för attraktiviteten var Kompensation, i form av ekonomisk ersättning. Resultatet visar också att det finns skillnader mellan studenternas och rekryterarnas uppfattning av attraktivitet gällande faktorer såsom arbetsprofil och image. Ett antal utvecklingsområden hos företagets arbete med att attrahera ny arbetskraft presenteras, till exempel: exponering av varumärke och hantering av image och företagsrykte. / Attracting a talented workforce is the key element of keeping the supply of skills as efficient as possible. To succeed in this effort an organization should work actively with its employer brand. The purpose of this bachelor thesis is to investigate how six different civil engineering students perceives attractiveness and which factors are of greatest importance. An organization was selected and attractiveness is studied from the perspective of three recruiters. The study was conducted with a qualitative method and with a hermeneutic and abductive approach – the collected data was then interpreted thematically. The results of the study show that there are a number of factors that are important for the attractiveness of an organisation. The factors that increased the perceived attractiveness according to the students were: Brand, Image and Work and Company profile. The company’s environment was considered important but not crucial. Financial compensation was not important for the attractiveness. The results also show that there are differences between the students and the recruiters’ perceptions of attractiveness, regarding factors such as work profile and image. Development areas in the company’s work with attracting talented workforce are presented, such as: brand exposure and management of image.

This diploma thesis brings suggestions into the field of couple and family psychology. The main topic of this thesis is wedding rings regarded from the perspective of psychology. The theoretical part develops topics such as the history and the symbolism of rings in general to subsequently focus particularly on wedding rings. Significant attention is also paid to the marriage and couple problematics, the wedding - thanks to which we have the ring - and also to narrower psychological issues such as the wedding ring effect, the attractiveness of the wedding ring itself or the issue of wearing the ring. The final part is dedicated to the variations of treating the wedding ring. In the empirical part, a data collection in the form of semi-structured interviews with subsequent qualitative analysis, was conducted. The total number of participants is thirteen. Participation of respondents in a variable life situation: newly-wed people, people in a long- term marriage, divorced and widowed people. The objective of the thesis was to capture the depth probe into the perception of the meaning and the value of the wedding ring by the wearers themselves and to find most important questions that can be associated with this symbolic phenomenon. The thesis covers issues such as the attractiveness of the wedding...

Social media is connecting individuals all over the world, where the power of interaction and information sharing has shifted from companies to consumers. Since companies now have a harder time reaching out to consumers, social media influencers have been used as a solution to influence the purchase decisions of consumers and thereby drive purchases. However, while social media influencers are said to have an impact on the purchase decisions of consumers, less is actually known about the influence on all stages of the purchase decision process. As the purchase decision is not solely based on its own but rather follows from a series of steps, also called the purchase decision process, more research based on this area is of importance. Therefore, the purpose of this thesis is to explore how consumers perceive the influence of social media influencers during the different stages of the purchase decision process. In order to gather consumers’ perceptions about the influence of social media influencers, a qualitative study has been conducted where thoughts and experiences of participants have been studied. The findings of this study show that social media influencers ability to provide content, expertise, attractiveness, social identity and trust shows evidence of how the influence of social media influencers play an important role in each and every stage of the purchase decision process of consumers. The implications of this thesis is that the study could be of use to companies who seek to engage in influencer marketing and want to better understand how social media influencers affect consumers. The original value of the study is that it acknowledges how the influence of social media influencers affects all stages of the purchase decision process, as no previous study has explored this context.