"Contrary to popular belief, new research suggests that being too good-looking can actually be a disadvantage, particularly in the online fitness space. The study, coauthored by researchers at the University of Dayton and University of Oregon, found that the more attractive the influencer, the lower the engagement they received on their social media posts. The reason? It all comes down to a sense of relatability, and what researchers have termed the "beauty backfire effect.""
"In the study, researchers showed 299 U.S. adults mock Instagram posts featuring a highly attractive female fitness influencer, a moderately attractive one, or a text-only control. The 'halo effect' and 'pretty privilege' are both widely studied phenomena where people's good looks often work to their advantage. Yet the highly attractive influencer scored lowest on both relatability and engagement. Participants also reported a dip in self-esteem after viewing her post. The moderately attractive influencer, on the other hand, boosted participants' confidence."
Mock Instagram posts featuring highly attractive, moderately attractive, and text-only controls were shown to 299 U.S. adults. Highly attractive female fitness influencers received lower relatability and engagement and triggered decreases in participants' self-esteem. Moderately attractive influencers increased confidence. The phenomenon is termed the 'beauty backfire effect' and links to social comparison theory: unattainable body ideals discourage rather than motivate. The backfire was stronger for highly attractive women than equally attractive men and was most apparent in the fitness domain. When replicated with finance influencers, appearance did not have as much impact on engagement.
Read at Fast Company
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