The societal obsession with appearances can make us believe that being physically attractive is crucial to getting ahead in life. This is called “pretty privilege,” also known as the beauty premium, which refers to the benefits that individuals deemed conventionally attractive receive in various aspects of life, such as in employment spaces and social interactions.
However, society seems to be waking up to the fact that beauty privileges are often a double-edged sword.
Beauty premium biases seem to have a varied impact on different individuals. A 2017 study published in the journal Behavioral and Brain Sciences concluded that attractive women and opposite-sex interactions benefit more from beauty biases than attractive men or same-sex interactions.
Moreover, not all domains of one’s life benefit from physical attractiveness. It appears that, in many cases, individual characteristics and contextual factors matter more.
Here are three reasons why physical attractiveness often has contradictory effects on a person’s life.
1. Beauty Is A Fickle Friend
Physical appearance can impact an individual’s financial compensation. The beauty premium dictates that attractive individuals have a systemic advantage and therefore will earn more than their less conventionally attractive counterparts.
However, research from a comprehensive survey conducted over a 13-year period has poked holes in this notion. The study concluded that unattractive individuals earned more than traditionally attractive people. Individuals’ higher earnings were influenced more by their health, intelligence, conscientiousness and extraversion than by their level of attractiveness. This indicates that while good-looking people might have an upper-hand at the selection stage, staying and making an impact is still a matter of hard skill and knowledge.
Additionally, preferred attractiveness levels seem to vary according to one’s career. For instance, a 2020 study assessed the influence of professionals’ attractiveness on the public’s willingness to buy tickets for their speeches.
Audiences preferred to pay more for presentations by attractive speakers from business and social science backgrounds but preferred less attractive speakers from the natural sciences. This is an interesting example of how one’s perceived professional prowess is a product of multiple biases, not just the beauty bias.
While attractiveness does impact monetary compensation, an individual’s unique characteristics, personality traits and career choices exert a stronger influence. Simply put, the beauty premium seems to fade in the face of individuality.
2. There Is No Such Thing As Objective Beauty
The perceived skills possessed by individuals seem to be unaffected by their attractiveness. A 2019 study found that during service encounters, service representatives’ physical attractiveness did not impact customers’ perceptions of their abilities at work.
Researchers found that people’s satisfaction with and liking for service professionals was influenced by subjective perceptions of their own and others’ attractiveness. Customers tend to compare themselves with attractive people and establish social distance based on the conclusions they draw. Upon finding an attractive individual similar to themselves, the customers might perceive a closer social bond of belongingness. On the other hand, if individuals find a greater social distance based on the differences between their own and others’ attractiveness, they might respond to them with prudence.
Additionally, research has attributed the successful careers of attractive individuals to the way they socialize, which often sets them apart. They exhibit a stronger sense of power and nonverbal presence which tends to increase management’s faith in their abilities.
The effects of the beauty premium could possibly be attenuated by enhancing one’s confidence, no matter what one looks like. For example, one can adopt a powerful posture to enhance their nonverbal presence and command attention. Exhibiting subject matter expertise, a strong command over one’s language and a collaborative spirit could also help one level out the playing field.
3. Beauty Does Not Guarantee Love
Physical attractiveness appears to have a damaging impact on the longevity of romantic relationships. Research conducted by psychologists at Harvard University found that attractive people were less likely to maintain long-term relationships. After assessing the relationships of attractive people and celebrities, they concluded that divorce rates were higher among attractive individuals.
Despite being in committed relationships, attractive individuals show more interest in alternative partners. Their attention towards attractive others increases if they feel dissatisfied with their current relationship.
Additionally, attractiveness offers a higher number of “potential options” which heightens the risk of comparison and dissatisfaction in one’s current relationship. Unfortunately, the perks of being beautiful cannot repair a struggling relationship.
Although the beauty premium offers significant advantages to attractive individuals, it’s not all it’s cracked up to be. Interestingly, focusing on cultivating valuable skills and tapping into one’s unique personality can have a highly positive influence on public perception and opportunities.
The contradictory effects of the beauty premium highlights the importance of cultivating authenticity and inclusivity no matter your level of “objective” attractiveness.
Do you rely on your appearance more than caliber? You might be dealing with underlying self-esteem issues. Take the Impostor Syndrome Scale to learn more.
