Beauty discrimination

[ticklebutton]

It's always been obvious. Controlled studies have shown that attractive students get more attention & higher evaluations from their teachers, good-looking patients get more personalized care from their doctors, and handsome criminals receive lighter sentences than less attractive convicts.

Now a new study shows how your looks influence your earning power.

A London Guildhall University survey of 11,000 33-year-olds found that unattractive men earned 15 percent less than those deemed attractive, while plain women earned 11 percent less than their prettier counterparts.

Plain people earn 5 to 10 percent less than people of average looks, who in turn earn 3 to 8 percent less than those deemed good-looking.

In the report "Beauty, Productivity and Discrimination" it was found that the probability of a male attorney attaining early partnership directly correlates with how handsome he is.

Size matters, too. A University study released last year found that tall people earn considerably more money throughout their careers than their shorter coworkers, with each inch adding about $789 a year in pay.

Still, beauty is in the eye of the beholder, and it is the appearance of confidence & inner goodness that is most attractive, not the presence of physical beauty; it's more to do with how you carry yourself and the energy you exude, rather than having perfect features or a great physique.

The author of Teach Yourself Body Language maintains that anyone can increase their attractiveness to others if they pay attention when others speak, really listen to what they're saying & then respond to it, and are good-humoured. He also stresses the importance of posture, bearing, and body language.

Try this experiment - for one week stand up straight yet relaxed, keep your head up, and smile at those who meet your eyes.
Based on many such experiments, he predicts you will begin to be treated with more warmth and respect, and start attracting more people to you.

 

[BOFH666]

Try this experiment - for one week stand up straight yet relaxed, keep your head up, and smile at those who meet your eyes.
Based on many such experiments, he predicts you will begin to be treated with more warmth and respect, and start attracting more people to you.

Ummm, can't do that, every time I do people run screaming in fear, yelling something about glowing red eyes and the coming of the anti-christ. And smiling just seems to make it worse, you're just trying to be friendly and they seem to be frozen in terror.... 😉

 

[TicklishSinner]

well is size matters i will always be under paid..LOL, but that is interesting that people can get away with that type of stuff

 

[ticklebutton]

well if size matters i will always be under paid..

You may be tiny, but I have a feeling you will never settle for less than you deserve.

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[ticklebutton]

...And smiling just seems to make it worse, you're just trying to be friendly and they seem to be frozen in terror... 😉

Many famous ghoulies, ghosties, and long-leggedly beasties have had that very same problem.

You're in good company. 😛

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[BOFH666]

Re: Re: Beauty discrimination

Many famous ghoulies, ghosties, and long-leggedly beasties have had that very same problem.

You're in good company. 😛

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Hey, new survery: Can outright evil make up for lack of cute in job interviews? 100% of system administrators say Oh HELL Yes!

 

[steph]

I smile most of the time unless upset or distracted...

and I was in the hospital the other day, doing my patient rounds and a smiled at a lady police officer in the trauma unit...She ran up to me and said "OMG, finally, a friendly face! Can you PLEASE tell me where I can find a bathroom?" I was flattered by what she said to me but felt a little sad too, what is WRONG with everyone??

XOXO
PS--for the record, I'm short too (always wanted to be tall though!) but it hasn't hurt me one bit! (It makes you look younger than you really are and kind of helps with the cuteness factor, plus it makes people think you're kind of small and meek until they try to take advantage and you shock the hell out of 'em by putting them in their place!) Oh, and you get to date guys of any size you want 😀

XOXO

 

[Roseblossom]

It's interesting that the gap is smaller for women than for men. Could it be that plain women are somehow perceived as being smarter than pretty ones? The air-head Barbie Doll predjudice.

Or maybe the responsible (higher-paying) positions are less likely to be given to a woman who looks like she wastes alot of valuable time on maintaining her looks, hair, makeup, etc.?

~Rose~

 

[BigJim]

Try this experiment - for one week stand up straight yet relaxed, keep your head up, and smile at those who meet your eyes.
Based on many such experiments, he predicts you will begin to be treated with more warmth and respect, and start attracting more people to you.

In my opinion this is not so much the effect of a more beauteous countenance, but the result of sending out more positive "vibes" than you normally do.

 

[ticklebutton]

In my opinion this is not so much the effect of a more beauteous countenance, but the result of sending out more positive "vibes" than you normally do.

Certainly.

That's what I find beautiful

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[Jimblast]

That's a great study!

It's an essential aspect in the business world to always look your best. Listening is a lost art. Most indidviduals have the '80-20' rule backwards during business conversations. They talk 80% of the time and listen maybe 20%. Want to set yourself apart? Try listening in any conversation 80% of the time and speak only 20%. It works. When we send candidates to interview, I always tell them to be sure that with their last question they ask is to ask their prospective employer, '....what did it take for you to get to where you are today..'. Afterward, I tell them to just sit back and listen because believe me, people LOVE to talk about themselves. I make sure my employees are always aware of both points. It isn't just in business, but in just about everything where how attractive one is creates more opportunity. You have to have a happy balance of inner peace, inner security, and care enough about your appearance to make it all work. Some people just have a 'presence'. I believe not only this study, but others like it offer some excellent advice. Typically, if you look better you just feel better. Posture is a very subtle yet incredibly effective way to project that 'presence'. If you don't believe any of this works, try it. You'll likely be astounded at the positive response.

 

[sugarmouse]

been beautiful can also make life more complicated...ppl tend not to see beyond looks...and peopel with looks tend to not try as hard to better themselves in other ways......one of my firend is in a mental home at the moment long story but shes very beautiful and it has done her badly🙄

 

[TummyDragon]

There have been a few scientific studies which elaborate on the statistical data you mentioned.

I can't recall the names/research facilities at present, but I'm sure a search on google would probably suffice. Basically the brain releases chemicals when we see, and especially interact, with someone whom we find attractive. Those chemicals make us "feel good" - a kind of subliminal high as it were. The connection then becomes simple. When we give a salary, or attention, or a grade, or whatever to an attractive person, we are actually under the influence of "feel good" chemistry. When we feel good, we tend to give more/ do more.

Along with the chemicals, certain areas of the brain responsible for emotional connection become highly active. As unfair as it may seem, we are wired to behave this way as instinctual nature. The theory is that we are wired with this instinct for reproductive reasons to propulgate the human race. All of the animal kingdom functions much the same way.

But, the theory does have some flaws because if ugly people couldn't get laid, there wouldn't be so damn many of us in the world.

But I digress...

 

[steph]

Re: That's a great study!

Ya, two ears, one mouth...
XOXO

It's an essential aspect in the business world to always look your best. Listening is a lost art. Most indidviduals have the '80-20' rule backwards during business conversations. They talk 80% of the time and listen maybe 20%. Want to set yourself apart? Try listening in any conversation 80% of the time and speak only 20%. It works. When we send candidates to interview, I always tell them to be sure that with their last question they ask is to ask their prospective employer, '....what did it take for you to get to where you are today..'. Afterward, I tell them to just sit back and listen because believe me, people LOVE to talk about themselves.

 

[Prinny]

I actually read this study while I was on a break in my database class at school this week. While I know that I won't make as much money as some cute female Administrative Assistant (which is my major) because I'm pretty plain, I do agree with a few theories.

I would think that people would have a harder time turning down a "good-looking" lawyer in a case because of the fact that he Is "good-looking." It sounds odd but I think people would feel selfconscious about not supporting the "good-looking" lawyer for fear they would look bad in front of other people for not picking the "pretty boy." The same goes for people arrested of a crime. No matter their guilt or innocence, in a jury case I think people would tend to believe a more attractive person. Put two men side-by-side, give them the same crime with the same evidence, but make one look more scruffy and one more attractive. Now add a jury for that trial. Who do you think the jury would more likely believe? The scruffy guy or the more attractive guy?

However, I also agree with the theory that people who exude an inner beauty can also do pretty well for themselves. There are some people that are not as attractive as others who have this inner quality about themselves that people respond to. Like that light shining from within. There are some more attractive people that do not have that light because they believe the "surface stuff" is enough.

Here's a question for you all: Put two women next to each other. Both are wearing the same outfit. One woman is rather attractive, trim, with perfect makeup, and a great smile. The other can be shorter or taller, heavier or thinner, with not much makeup, and she has a plain face; however, this woman seems to have a constant twinkle in her eye, an engaging smile, and she seems comfortable and relaxed. As a guy, or a girl, which woman do you gravitate to? Which woman seems more attractive to you?

Yes, we instinctively gravitate towards the more attractive people, as TummyDragon said. It was a matter of survival in our early days because we all thought the more attractive people would be the strongest ones, hence our thinking that they were better able to continue the human race. However, I would like to think that times have changed. 😀

Toodles!
Prinny

 

[Flatfoot]

Yes, we instinctively gravitate towards the more attractive people, as TummyDragon said. It was a matter of survival in our early days because we all thought the more attractive people would be the strongest ones, hence our thinking that they were better able to continue the human race. However, I would like to think that times have changed. 😀

Toodles!
Prinny

Times do change, as well as what society deems attractive. Someone earlier in this thread commented on how older art tended to depict nude women with larger bodies. I know that back in the Rennaissance, being a "bigger" person was considered attractive, because it was a display of wealth. That's why men would wear thick coats to try and emphasize their gut, and women would wear those dresses that made them look like they had big rear-ends. Also, being pale was considered attractive, because being tan was a sign of the working class, being outdoors all the time. My buddies who have been stationed over in Okinawa tend to joke about the "grass ninjas". The people hired to cut the grass on base over there always cover themselves up and wear masks, because they don't want to appear as "tanned, working-class" types.

As far as attractiveness in the workplace, I think how one carries themself and how professional they look holds more bearing on their pay and performance evaluation than looks alone. In the Marine Corps, this is definitely a factor. One of the things that are always emphasized to junior Marines is that "First impressions are key. You can only make one first impression, and after that, your reputation is pretty much set." You can go to any Marine workspace and see it in effect, when an out-of-shape guy tends to be under the microscope a lot more than a guy with a 300 PFT score. It doesn't matter how much better a worker the out-of-shape guy is than the in-shape guy. If he has trouble with physical training, that reputation is going to bleed over into other aspects of his work performance.

Of course, in this line of work, physical fitness is essential when you could wind up going to combat at any time. If I'm in combat, and I get wounded, I want the guy who can actually lift me in a fireman's carry and get me to the corpsman, as opposed to the guy who's gonna get winded and drop me.

 

[Prinny]

Well... ummm... I may have just either answered my own poll, or I have made a new development in that theory in the beauty discrimination article.

I have frequently perceived myself to be rather plain and not the most attractive person. That thought has been challenged in the past few years by a specific certain gentleman. The business world may be seeing the increased confidence I am gaining because of my higher self-esteem. The day after sending my own post on agreeing to the theory that more attractive women would receive higher pay, I went to work and received a $2000+ a year raise, and I am being given more responsibility and power. To argue with myself I would probably say that this happened because I have a level head on my shoulders and I know my way around Mirosoft Office programs. Whatever the case, my eyes bugged out of my head when I heard about the raise because I was just looking at my paycheck the day before thinking that it would be nice to get a $2000 a year raise. Odd how those things work sometimes!

Toodles!
Prinny