Known as the “ugly friend effect,” an impression by which someone would look more attractive if he/she is in the company of people who are less good looking. Many people have considered the ugly friend effect as a myth. However, with new research coming out, it seems that the spectacle is indeed a scientific fact.
Physical Science journal made a report on a research they made with this phenomena. The findings show that a person’s attractiveness increases when accompanied by people less blessed with good looks than compared to when the person stands alone when judged.
Scientists at the Royal Holloway University gathered participants to rate the attractiveness of different people. The moderators distributed photographs of individual faces as their subject.
The volunteers had to re-assess the same subjects they rated. This time however, the moderators gave out pictures of their subject with the company of unattractive people.
After the introduction of the unattractive faces with the subject, the rate of attractiveness of the original faces increased. The score was compared to the initial rate that was given when the subject is only shown by its lonesome.
Dr. Nicholas Furl from the Royal Holloway University stated. “Until now, it’s been understood that a person’s level of attractiveness is generally steady. If you saw a picture of George Clooney today, you would rate him as good-looking as you would tomorrow. However, this work demonstrates that the company we keep has an effect on how attractive we appear to others.”
The study also revealed that looking at unattractive faces sharpened the volunteer’s critical thinking. The volunteers have become more sensitive in comparing between two or more attractive people.
“The presence of a less attractive face does not just increase the attractiveness of a single person, but in crowds, could actually make us even more choosy,” stated Dr Furl. “We found that the presence of a distractor face makes differences between attractive people more obvious and that observers start to pull apart these differences, making them even more particular in their judgment.”
Hugh Hefner Effect
Hugh Hefner is the owner of the Playboy magazine. Pictures of him often show Hefner accompanied by several of his girlfriends.
Researchers believe that evolution can explain this phenomenon. In the animal kingdom, the alpha male with numerous mates have been considered as genetically superior.
Experiments made with a grouse in the 90’s found that the attractiveness of a male would increase by simply adding female birds around him.
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