Are You Too Attractive The Shocking Downside of Extreme Beauty
A new study into Instagram influencers reveals a counterintuitive truth about online beauty: extreme attractiveness can backfire. In a digital world crowded with influencers, being too attractive may turn followers away rather than draw them in. This phenomenon, dubbed the beauty backfire effect, anchors the visual storytelling journey that follows.
In This Article:
- Extremely attractive fitness influencers received fewer likes and followers than moderately attractive creators
- The beauty backfire effect Humility boosts engagement for highly attractive influencers
- Women face stronger backlash than equally attractive men
- 1 - Popularity
- 2 - Money
- 3 - Muscles
- 4 - Intelligence
Extremely attractive fitness influencers received fewer likes and followers than moderately attractive creators
Researchers from the University of Dayton showed hundreds of participants mock Instagram posts from fictitious fitness influencer accounts. The participants were asked which posts they'd like, and which accounts they'd follow. Their results revealed that extremely attractive fitness influencers received fewer likes and followers than moderately attractive creators. "Our new research suggests that in a digital world full of influencers – trusted tastemakers with large online followings – being too attractive can actually backfire, particularly in the fitness space," researchers Andrew Edelblum and Abby Frank explained in an article for The Conversation. "We call this the \"beauty backfire effect.\""
The beauty backfire effect Humility boosts engagement for highly attractive influencers
In the study, the team set out to understand whether the mantra 'sex sells' applies to influencers in the fitness space. "Sex sells" has been a mantra in marketing for decades, they explained. "As researchers who study consumer behavior, we've seen plenty of evidence to support it: Attractive models and spokespeople have been shown to reliably grab attention, boost clicks and make products seem more desirable." The team enlisted hundreds of participants, who were shown Instagram posts from fitness influencers varying in attractiveness. The results were 'striking', according to the experts. "We found that extremely attractive fitness influencers – or \"fitfluencers\" – got fewer likes and follows than their moderately attractive peers," they explained. However, the influencer's tone was also found to play a crucial role. When highly attractive influencers were humble and shared their struggles, challenges and fitness plateaus, their like–counts went up. When highly attractive influencers were humble and shared their struggles, challenges and fitness plateaus, their like–counts went up (stock image) In contrast, when they boasted about their natural talent or exceptional dedication, their like–counts plummeted. "This suggests that humility can be a powerful communication tool for influencers who might otherwise seem \"out of reach,\"" the researchers explained.
Women face stronger backlash than equally attractive men
Unfortunately for ladies, gender appears to play a key role in the beauty backfire effect. In a follow–up study, highly attractive female fitness influencers were found to face stronger backlash than equally attractive men. According to the experts, this might reflect a 'broader social tendency to judge women’s looks more harshly.' The researchers hope their findings will inspire further research into other factors that may influence the beauty backfire effect, including race and disability.
1 - Popularity
Men appear more attractive if they're popular with other women, according to scientists. The theory is that women are especially attracted to men with partners because they are more likely to be kind and faithful - which makes them 'good mates'.
2 - Money
Women are more likely to find men attractive if they think they have a bulging wallet, a new study has found - but for men it's still all about the looks. A recent study suggests that women are four times as sensitive to salary when considering a male partner as men are when choosing a female partner.
3 - Muscles
When it comes to what women want, muscular, tall men still win out, a recent Australian study suggests. Scientists showed a group of 160 women photographs of shirtless, faceless men and asked to give them an attractiveness rating. The results show men who looked strong, with muscular arms and toned torsos, did far better than those who had worked a little less hard at the gym.
4 - Intelligence
It seems that, for some, looks and personality really don't matter. Nearly one in ten people find intelligence to be the most attractive feature in a partner - a trait known as sapiosexuality, according to researchers at the University of Western Australia.
