Appearance cues are often used to simplify and make sense of social interactions. People strive for some consistency and continuity in their appearance perceptions. Humans seek some aesthetic stimulation in their environments.
Humans create their own realities, in part, by managing their appearances.
To fit their lines of action together, people use symbols. We act toward other people, in part, on the basis of the meaning their appearances hold for us. Meanings associated with appearances emerge in social interaction with others. Cultural values are produced through cultural forms. Cultural beliefs and values tend to perpetuated when they are represented on a relatively unconscious level.