‘Pretty Privilege’ Paradox: Psychologists Explain Why Life Is Easier for Attractive People

In a society that remains fixated on outward appearances, the phenomenon of "pretty privilege" awards advantages and opportunities to individuals who are considered attractive.

Understanding 'Pretty Privileges'

Pretty privilege refers to the idea that people who are deemed attractive based on conventional beauty standards of society have more advantages and opportunities than those considered less attractive. People associate beauty with health, social success, intelligence, talent, and other good things anyone could ever want. Throughout the world, attractive individuals seem to show greater acquisition of resources and greater reproductive success than other people.

There have been a lot of studies that try to understand the relationship between aesthetic beauty and moral judgments. In a 2009 study, researcher Daniel B. Yarosh asked 284 participants to rate photographs of people according to how trustworthy, attractive, and likable they are. It was revealed that attractive individuals were perceived as more trustworthy than unattractive ones.

Looking good can sometimes have the opposite effect, especially for women. Some people believe that a woman must be shallow or not so smart because she is so pretty. Although pretty individuals are not necessarily smarter, funnier, or nicer, it turns out that many attractive people may end up struggling to live up to people's expectations.

In some cases, pretty privilege can also be not so pretty. There is a tendency for attractive people to feel entitled to their privilege, thinking that they deserve all the positive attention. They can also use it exclusively to serve themselves in exchange for nothing but being pretty.

Like other privileges, however, pretty privilege can be used for good when appropriately handled. People with this advantage can choose to be prosocial with that positive attention and use it to help them achieve their goals that can help other people. They can also empathize more with others affected by their social networks and social circles. As a result, these individuals may be able to influence somebody else's life positively.

If people enjoy their advantages through pretty privilege and use them to create opportunities for other people, they have put their good looks to good use. This can only be possible when they learn to understand, recognize, and be grateful for the privilege their good looks have given them.

Role of Biology in the Perception of Beauty

Experts suggest that pretty people are not to blame for this phenomenon but should be attributed to biology and psychology. Some researchers emphasized the similar areas of the brain that are involved in recognizing good looks and goodwill.

According to clinical and forensic neuropsychologist Judy Ho, the pretty privilege may serve some evolutionary purposes. She explains that the more symmetric the faces, the more attractive a person will be since symmetry generally correlates to biological strength.

A symmetrical face that happens to fit into society's standard for a good-looking appearance may indicate strong and healthy genes. As a result, evolution may have favored these genes, pushing people to want more of them for species survival.