Subscribe
The latest psychology and neuroscience discoveries.
My Account
  • Mental Health
  • Social Psychology
  • Cognitive Science
  • Psychopharmacology
  • Neuroscience
  • About
No Result
View All Result
PsyPost
PsyPost
No Result
View All Result
Home Exclusive Relationships and Sexual Health Attractiveness

Attractiveness has a bigger impact on men’s socioeconomic success than women’s, study suggests

by Eric W. Dolan
November 21, 2023
in Attractiveness, Social Psychology
Share on TwitterShare on Facebook
Follow PsyPost on Google News

A recent study published in Social Science Quarterly has shed light on an intriguing aspect of our lives—how our physical appearance during our teenage years can impact our future social mobility. Researchers found that being perceived as attractive during adolescence can significantly boost a person’s chances of moving up the social ladder in terms of education, occupation, and income.

We’ve all heard the saying that “looks aren’t everything,” but this study suggests that they might matter more than we think when it comes to social mobility. While previous research has explored various factors influencing social mobility, such as education and family background, the role of physical attractiveness has often been overlooked. This study aimed to fill that gap by examining how physical appearance in adolescence might affect a person’s future opportunities and success.

“My co-author and I became interested in this topic because there is a popular notion that physically attractive individuals have an advantage over others, not only in terms of finding romantic partners, but also in terms of achieving other important outcomes, such as having higher incomes,” explained study author Alexi Gugushvili, a professor at the University of Oslo. “Yet, we couldn’t find many studies which would show if attractiveness really helps to improve individuals’ socioeconomic position when compared to their parents.”

To conduct the study, researchers analyzed data from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health (Add Health), which involved over 20,000 adolescents in the United States. They looked at information from three different waves of data collection, spanning from the mid-1990s to the late 2010s.

The researchers assessed the participants’ physical attractiveness using interviewer ratings obtained during the first wave of data collection when the respondents were aged 12-19. The attractiveness ratings ranged from “very unattractive” to “very attractive.” These ratings were used to gauge the participants’ physical attractiveness during their adolescent years.

To measure social mobility, the researchers compared the educational, occupational, and income attainment of these adolescents in adulthood with the socioeconomic status of their parents. This allowed them to determine whether individuals had moved up or down the socioeconomic ladder compared to their parents.

The researchers found that individuals who were rated as attractive or very attractive during their adolescent years were more likely to experience upward social mobility in terms of education, occupation, and income when they became adults. This effect was significant even after accounting for various factors such as socioeconomic background, cognitive abilities, personality traits, health, and neighborhood characteristics.

“Despite decades of research on how some individuals climb the social ladder in comparison to their parents, many important characteristics that can facilitate intergenerational social mobility are not well understood,” Gugushvili told PsyPost. “In the present study, we showed that being physically attractive helps individuals be better educated, have more prestigious jobs, and earn higher incomes when compared to their parents.”

The study also uncovered gender differences in the impact of physical attractiveness on social mobility. While physical attractiveness mattered for both males and females, it appeared to have a stronger influence on males’ educational and income mobility compared to females. For females, the effect of physical attractiveness on occupational mobility was less pronounced.

“The most surprising finding of the study was that physical attractiveness appears to matter more for males than females,” Gugushvili said.

But the study, like all research, includes some caveats. For instance, the researchers relied on interviewers’ assessments of physical attractiveness, which may not be a perfect measure. Additionally, factors influencing attractiveness and social mobility could be intertwined in complex ways. Future research could delve deeper into understanding the mechanisms through which physical attractiveness affects social mobility and explore whether these effects persist over time.

“I think it is particularly interesting to study how and why males benefit more from their looks than females, and if the same association also holds in countries other than the United States,” Gugushvili said.

The study, “Physical attractiveness and intergenerational social mobility“, was authored by Alexi Gugushvili and Grzegorz Bulczak.

TweetSendScanShareSendPin1ShareShareShareShareShare

RELATED

Breakups can trigger trauma in emerging adults
Relationships and Sexual Health

Romantic breakups follow a two-stage decline that begins years before the split, study finds

June 23, 2025

A new study shows that romantic relationships often begin to unravel one to two years before they officially end. Researchers found a two-phase pattern of decline in satisfaction that could help identify when relationships are heading for a breakup.

Read moreDetails
It’s not digital illiteracy: Here’s why older adults are drawn to dubious news
Social Media

Believing “news will find me” is linked to sharing fake news, study finds

June 22, 2025

People who rely on social media to “stumble upon” news are more prone to spreading misinformation, according to a new longitudinal study.

Read moreDetails
Political ambivalence has a surprising relationship with support for violence
Authoritarianism

New study sheds light on the psychological roots of collective violence

June 21, 2025

A new study from Lebanon finds that people with authoritarian beliefs tend to oppose violence against political leaders, while those high in social dominance orientation are more likely to support violence against rival group members.

Read moreDetails
Scientists observe reduced emotional distress in children living near greenery
Racism and Discrimination

Adults’ beliefs about children and race shift when a child’s race is specified, study finds

June 21, 2025

Specifying a child’s race alters how adults perceive their awareness of race and racism, according to new research. Black children are viewed as less “color-evasive” and more racially aware at earlier ages than White children or generic “children.”

Read moreDetails
Study helps untangle the complicated relationship between psychopathy and emotional awareness
Psychopathy

Psychopathic individuals recognize unfairness but are less likely to punish it

June 21, 2025

A new study shows that individuals with higher psychopathic traits are less likely to punish unfair behavior, especially when it costs them personally. The research suggests self-interest, not a lack of moral understanding, drives their reluctance to enforce social norms.

Read moreDetails
The neuroscience of why we cry happy tears
Social Psychology

The neuroscience of why we cry happy tears

June 20, 2025

Why do people cry happy tears? Neuroscience suggests these emotional outbursts occur when the brain becomes overwhelmed by joy, nostalgia, or relief. Far from being irrational, crying during joyful moments helps restore balance and deepen human connection.

Read moreDetails
Epistemic mistrust and dogmatism predict preference for authoritarian-looking leaders
Authoritarianism

Epistemic mistrust and dogmatism predict preference for authoritarian-looking leaders

June 20, 2025

A new study suggests that the way people learn to trust others early in life can shape their political ideology and preference for strong, dominant leaders—though not directly, but through dogmatic thinking and broader political attitudes.

Read moreDetails
Psychology researchers find that a simple “talking to strangers” intervention is surprisingly effective
Social Psychology

Simple social rituals like eye contact and small talk are psychologically powerful

June 19, 2025

A social psychology professor highlights how our daily habits—like wearing headphones or avoiding eye contact—can weaken social bonds. Even brief interactions with strangers can boost well-being, but only if we choose to engage rather than withdraw.

Read moreDetails

SUBSCRIBE

Go Ad-Free! Click here to subscribe to PsyPost and support independent science journalism!

STAY CONNECTED

LATEST

Romantic breakups follow a two-stage decline that begins years before the split, study finds

Believing “news will find me” is linked to sharing fake news, study finds

A common parasite not only invades the brain — it can also decapitate human sperm

Almost all unmarried pregant women say that the fetus resembles the father, study finds

New neuroscience research reveals brain antioxidant deficit in depression

Scientists uncover kidney-to-brain route for Parkinson’s-related protein spread

Scientists reveal a surprising link between depression and microbes in your mouth

New study sheds light on the psychological roots of collective violence

         
       
  • Contact us
  • Privacy policy
  • Terms and Conditions
[Do not sell my information]

Welcome Back!

Login to your account below

Forgotten Password?

Retrieve your password

Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.

Log In

Add New Playlist

Subscribe
  • My Account
  • Cognitive Science Research
  • Mental Health Research
  • Social Psychology Research
  • Drug Research
  • Relationship Research
  • About PsyPost
  • Contact
  • Privacy Policy