Why Do Looks Matter?
Looks play a part in every personal and professional relationship that we engage in. We can’t help but be attracted to things that are aesthetically pleasing.
Read More: Discover fascinating and influential instances of the Halo Effect in action with these 7 compelling examples.
There is a lot of scientific evidence that suggests that having attractive looks might actually play a larger part in our social success compared to personality and self-esteem.
Do Looks Matter More Than Personality?
This is a difficult question to answer. But we would say that attractive looks have at least equal importance to a good personality.
The standard advice that men hear about attracting a girlfriend or long-term partner is to “just be confident”. A 2019 study showed that unsolicited sexual advances were seen as disturbing and uncomfortable when initiated by an unattractive male and the opposite reaction when an attractive male did the same.
This study is another clear example of the “halo effect”. A psychological phenomenon where we tend to apply positive characteristics to attractive people such as high intelligence or trustworthiness without evidence.
Another relevant study concluded that attractive children and adults are judged more positively than their unattractive counterparts, even by those who are close to them. This is shocking, even when you account for things like personality, your looks will still manage to influence people’s feelings and thoughts toward you.
Do Looks Matter For A Guy?
Yes, looks 100% matter for men. More men are beginning to come to the realization that looks are extremely important for them as well, not just women.
Dating has become more competitive. With the advent of apps such as Tinder and social media giants like Instagram and Tik Tok. Looks play an even bigger part in our lives.
It was proven that when a man is seen as more attractive by women, women wouldn’t require that man to wear condoms during sex. Women were far more likely to be sexually irresponsible with a man based on his attractiveness.
Do Looks Matter For A Girl?
Yes. Looks do matter for women. It is a widely accepted belief that men are drawn toward attractive looks more than women are, but this might not actually be the case. Most men are willing to date someone of lesser attractiveness and social status, whereas women were not as willing to do the same. This phenomenon is known as hypergamy.
Women on average are usually more attractive than their male counterparts. Because of this, women will also benefit from the halo effect.
Do Looks Matter In A Relationship?
Yes, your looks also matter in relationships. If there is no physical attraction between two people. There is a very high likelihood that that relationship is doomed to fail if there is no sexual attraction involved. Both parties will have a hard time caring about each other’s feelings or valuing their opinion if they feel that they could be dating someone better.
6 Clear Signs That Someone Is Attracted To You
- Smiling at you
Smiling is the most obvious sign of satisfaction or happiness in a person. A person smiling at you is a clear sign that they enjoy your presence and may like to get to know you better.
- Eagerness to touch you
Have you ever been physically touched by someone that hated your guts? Most likely this hasn’t happened. If someone is willing to make physical contact with you, they are clearly attracted to and very comfortable around you. Touching is a clear green light.
- Making eye contact
Looking directly into someone’s eyes when speaking to them is not only a sign of respect but in the context of romantic relationships. Eye contact conveys that you are serious about the person you are speaking to and are highly interested in them.
- Nervousness when around you
Being nervous around someone is also a signal of interest. Nervousness shows that you are anxious about the outcome of the interaction. It shows that you want the interaction to end in a positive direction. You typically aren’t nervous around those you don’t like.
- Whispering in your ear
Whispering in your ear, similar to physical touch, is a behavior that you typically only do around people you are very comfortable with. Or highly attracted to.
- Mimicking your movements
We tend to take on characteristics of people we spend a lot of time around. This applies to friends and family members as well. If a potential partner is adopting some of your habits or mannerisms, it is likely they might be interested in you romantically.
Do Looks Matter At Work?
Depending on the type of work you do, the importance of your looks will vary. For any job that requires a lot of face-to-face or direct-to-customer interactions, having good looks will benefit you. But, if you happen to work a remote job or physical labor job, being attractive isn’t as important.
If you are male with many female co-workers, attractive looks will lead to more overt flirting and a much more positive work environment. There was a study done on social sexual behavior in the workplace.
The study revealed:
- 60% of flirtation originated from other co-workers. 25% from clients and customers. And 8% from a boss or supervisor.
- Men and women did not differ much in the frequency of flirtation
- Men had greater positive reactions to being flirted with.
- Being the focus of flirtation predicted positive psychosocial resources. (Meaning the feeling of being powerful, physically attractive, or socially connected)
- Higher psychosocial resources predicted less stress
The study demonstrated that flirtation in the workplace can lead to lower levels of stress. While this might not be the case for every workplace. Having good looks would obviously increase your chances of receiving flirtatious comments from the opposite sex (or same sex, if that’s what you prefer).
So long story short, even in the workplace, your looks matter. A lot.
Here’s a sketch done by SNL that hilariously shows the difference between an unattractive man and an attractive man engaging in the same flirtatious behavior at work.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
If your looks matter, why do people say that looks don’t matter?
Attractive people have a clear advantage in life. They are assumed to be smarter and better than the average person. Most people will deny the importance of looks and prefer keeping a more hopeful and positive worldview.
Do looks affect our social status?
Looks absolutely affect your social status. In fact, looks might actually increase your social status (in certain settings).
Do our looks affect our success?
Attractive looks 100% affect your success. Even lower-level jobs such as being a waiter or bartender will result in higher income when attractive staff service customers. They will consistently receive more tips and the opposite sex will fawn over them.
Does appearance matter in a job interview?
Yes, look your best at a job interview. The first impressions last forever. It has been said by many that an interviewer will judge a candidate within the first 10 minutes of meeting them. You should increase your chances of landing that job by maximizing your looks!
Do relationships based solely on looks last?
No, relationships based solely on looks won’t last forever. It is a fact that you need to be attracted to your partner to maintain the relationship (and even acquire one). But ONLY being attractive, and lacking proper social skills, personality, etc. is a recipe for disaster.
Conclusions
If you are still reading, I am sure you clearly understand that your looks DO matter in all aspects of your life. And being unattractive is a major handicap. Luckily your looks aren’t set in stone, you can become more attractive with the right information (here at looksmaxer.com) and consistent effort.
