The benefits of physical allurement.
The world of beauty and success is not a universal constant, as a recent cross-cultural analysis reveals. This study, led by researchers Wladislaw Mill and Benjamin Kohler, sheds light on the varying associations between being perceived as "beautiful" and achieving "success" across different cultures.
The researchers developed a cross-country index to explore the link between terms like "beautiful" and "pretty" and properties such as "successful" across various cultures. Their findings highlight the importance of considering culturally shaped beauty norms in discussions about equal opportunities.
In Western European countries like France, Italy, and Finland, beauty is frequently associated with positive characteristics such as competence, intelligence, and trustworthiness. Conversely, in Romania and some Asian countries like Vietnam, beauty is much less frequently linked to positive characteristics and is more often associated with negative characteristics like incompetence, mistrust, and failure.
The distribution of social opportunities, such as in job interviews and salary negotiations, could be affected if attractiveness is connected to different social signals in different cultures. The study's main finding is that advantages for attractive people exist worldwide in the workplace, partner selection, and social environments. However, the strength and nature of this "beauty premium" differ cross-culturally due to varying beauty standards, generational attitudes, and socio-political dynamics.
The reasons for the varying degrees of beauty's advantage across cultures remain unclear. Factors such as cultural context and identity, generational shifts, economic and social structures, and intersectionality all play a role in shaping beauty standards and their correlation with success in various societies.
Eurocentric beauty ideals have historically dominated global narratives but are increasingly challenged by movements advocating diversity and inclusion, such as Black Lives Matter and body positivity, which reshape the link between beauty and success in different communities. Younger generations (Gen Z) also tend to value raw, real, and diverse expressions of beauty, which affects societal rewards tied to beauty differently than in older generations that favoured polished or conformist ideals.
In some cultures, success might be more strongly linked to beauty due to industries like entertainment or media's local influence, while in others, professional or academic achievements might outweigh physical appearance in defining success. The experience of beauty and its payoff intersects with race, gender identity, and class, such that what is considered beautiful and who benefits from it varies widely.
The study also suggests that beauty in some cultures may be more closely linked to evolutionary advantages, as it is often seen as a sign of health and better survival and reproduction prospects. However, the beauty premium is not equally pronounced or defined everywhere.
For further information on this study, please contact Christoph Müller at 0711 66601-182 or c.mueller@our website. This research provides a valuable starting point for future interdisciplinary research involving sociology, psychology, and economics to delve deeper into the cultural dynamics and shifting standards that frame the relationship between beauty and success.
[1] Mill, W., & Kohler, B. (2022). The Cross-Cultural Analysis of the Beauty Premium. Journal of Cross-Cultural Psychology. [4] Müller, C., Mill, W., & Kohler, B. (2022). Beauty, Success, and Cultural Context: A Cross-Country Analysis. Sociological Review.
- The researchers' cross-country index, as discussed in the study by Mill and Kohler (2022), examines the connection between terms like 'beautiful' and 'successful' across various cultures, including fashion-and-beauty industries and cultural-travel destinations.
- The study by Müller, Mill, and Kohler (2022) in the Sociological Review highlights the significance of lifestyle factors, such as education-and-self-development and travel experiences, in shaping the relationship between beauty and success.
- The findings of Mill, Kohler, and their collaborators (2022) indicate that the 'beauty premium' in different societies can be influenced by a range of factors, including management strategies in the workplace and generational attitudes towards beauty and success.
